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A notice is attached to the Ocean Beach Pier gate from the City of San Diego’s Development Services Department – and it appears to end the “argument” over the future of the iconic structure — it’s a notice of the “historic designation, demolition and replacement of the Ocean Beach Pier ….”
The date of the notice is February 6, 2024.
Here is a close-up of the text:
(Hat tip to Ed Baier.)
May 4, 2024 at 8:38 am on City Conducts ‘Survey’ on New Ocean Beach Pier Design But It’s a Waste of TimeIt would have been really nice to show a range of cost for the 3 alternatives. Yes I'll take the BMW not the Kia. But...
May 3, 2024 at 7:40 pm on San Diego County Has Already Met State’s Housing Unit Mandate for Projected Population Growth Thru 2050Metrics, we've posted about the BS metrics scheme hatched up by consultants Circulate San Diego, and another consultant Evari GIS that were paid to measure...
May 3, 2024 at 6:44 pm on City Conducts ‘Survey’ on New Ocean Beach Pier Design But It’s a Waste of TimeWell 101 Ash is what, $300M and counting? Hasn’t been used at all! just have faith in the process man. 
May 3, 2024 at 6:15 pm on The ‘Shell House’ in Point Loma Is No MoreLike so many people, I always enjoyed the shell garden on Rosecrans Street and liked to see it when I passed by. I am pleased... May 3, 2024 at 5:56 pm on Michael Smolens: ‘A judge’s ruling and pushback from the Coastal Commission present challenge to market-rate development advocates’Thank you. I look up to you Frank, and appreciate your insight, respect your wisdom and I am grateful for the forum the OB Rag...
May 3, 2024 at 5:51 pm on San Diego County Has Already Met State’s Housing Unit Mandate for Projected Population Growth Thru 2050The City recently admitted they were using Series 14 for Blueprint San Diego. As you can see by this chart, Series 15 is the most...
May 3, 2024 at 3:32 pm on E. Coli Outbreak Linked to Organic Walnuts Sold in San Diego Stores, Including OB People’s FoodShoulda shopped at the OB Target! /s/ Chris Kennedy 
May 3, 2024 at 3:22 pm on Michael Smolens: ‘A judge’s ruling and pushback from the Coastal Commission present challenge to market-rate development advocates’Okay, okay and okay. Your contributions in other comments are commendable. 
May 3, 2024 at 2:25 pm on Michael Smolens: ‘A judge’s ruling and pushback from the Coastal Commission present challenge to market-rate development advocates’I wish the people promoting the construction of new housing would be honest and admit that there is no such thing as affordable new market...
May 3, 2024 at 1:23 pm on Michael Smolens: ‘A judge’s ruling and pushback from the Coastal Commission present challenge to market-rate development advocates’The whole escapade with SB9 & 10 would be moot if the city would have focused on 100% affordable housing without all the developer political... May 3, 2024 at 1:03 pm on Michael Smolens: ‘A judge’s ruling and pushback from the Coastal Commission present challenge to market-rate development advocates’That would be in terms of "the Party", to clarify. Specifically the Democratic Central Committee, which has been giving us all the beat down Frank.... May 3, 2024 at 12:51 pm on City Conducts ‘Survey’ on New Ocean Beach Pier Design But It’s a Waste of Time$200 million isn’t all that much for something so well used. ROTFLMAO. The last navy pier I worked on was $110 million ( 1600 ft... May 3, 2024 at 12:33 pm on City Conducts ‘Survey’ on New Ocean Beach Pier Design But It’s a Waste of TimeDavid, the City and State have massive deficits. Do you go outside, see our decaying and decrepit infrastructure? How many homeless folkes live in the... May 3, 2024 at 12:14 pm on Michael Smolens: ‘A judge’s ruling and pushback from the Coastal Commission present challenge to market-rate development advocates’You're equating yourself with the 'good dog' I suppose? And I'm supposed to be 'beating' you? Or is it the Democratic Party? You and I... May 3, 2024 at 11:52 am on Michael Smolens: ‘A judge’s ruling and pushback from the Coastal Commission present challenge to market-rate development advocates’I did not miss the point of the article at all. I take exception with his ruse. What I am exposing is a rather dishonest...
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
The posted notice appears to just be part of the whole pier project. The initial money available is for design and permitting. The permit process can take a long time, I think this is just a start and should be looked at positively. It does not indicate anything happening any time soon.
Thanks Geoff for that clarification. Yes, it should be looked upon as a move in the right direction for a new pier.
However, it is sad that the storm from last December 28th truly marks the end of the end for the 1966 OB Pier, a wonderful regional park resource that for nearly 58 years has brought daily joy to many citizens, as well as providing significant economic benefit to the local region.
Now we must set our sights on moving forward, with earnest, in developing the replacement. Public input is highly encouraged. Please stay tuned for next public outreach meeting, scheduled for sometime in early April: https://www.sandiego.gov/cip/ocean-beach-pier-renewal
In the interim, the City has now finally engaged an engineering firm to develop a plan for securing and stabilizing the damage of the Pier due to that fateful storm. Beachgoers need to be cautious in and around the area. Unfortunately, it does not seem that the City has proactively removed any of the broken (loose) railings from the deck, which one may eventually find pieces in the waters below. Also, sharp metal and concrete fragments, the remnants of the dislodged concrete pile and hammerhead, could also be dangerous to the beachgoers – in the water as well as on the beach. Please be aware as winter storms will persist.
Can’t wait to see that estimate.
The city better hustle its bustle on this one.
Or close off the beach entirely, as well as the tidepools, etc. That would be mightly shabby as OB and its beaches and ocean, is a huge local, state, national, and international draw.
Maybe at this point it would be best to just let it go back to it’s natural state ofter everything is cleared up. It’s be interesting to see how it affects the surf.
Removing it won’t affect the surf. It would only mean that left break would be clear with no need to shoot the pier.
Old timers would always claim the left (when it was big) was much better prior to the pier. Not sure if they altered the reef or if it is just the pier being in the way when it’s bigger.
I don’t know if it was bigger, but it sure was “better.”
The Pier created different rips from changed sand flows and creation of new sandbars, as did building the jetties on the north end that altered water flows from False Bay along with the SD river that was channeled out of the Midway district that brought sediment out to those reefs. Changed everything but that’s what humans do.
Yes Greg, being a ‘youngling’ surfer then who does have memories of really big days I’d have to say I think waves were shaped better then.
But certain swells in the 80s, when I was still surfing Southside, there were days when it was really freaking big on those outer reefs around the corner that would almost look like they were going to connect, huge lips throwing out as they slammed in, but then waves would break outside of the T and wash through everything and chop it all to pieces. It was a watery hell at times to even get out some days. Following the northside rip to use the pilings to block impacts that would wash one ass-backwards worked sometimes which helped but getting washed back into the pier was pretty scary at times. Timing was critical and I saw loose boards gets snapped on pilings.
Does anybody have any idea about how much of the reefs were demo’d and where? Were they just straight down holes or what there ‘removal’ of entire sections? Any old plans showing that or something maybe in old records?
I still think it’s more about sand flow at this point. Nobody cared about the surf quality then because surfers were much fewer, voiceless, and considered the dregs of society…
sealintheSelkirks
hey, hey, hey, we’re talking about the pier demo, not surfing, stick to the subject. Hope the new pier has bike lanes.
My surfing idol back in the day was Fred Flintstone. He sure knew how to navigate the pilings.
Crazy thought here, but the trolley could be branched off at Balboa and run straight down to the new pier. Get those surfers on board with mass transit.
LMAO. Go ahead, keep poking that bear…….Chris Schultz.
And you guys say I’m the one who’s obsessed with bike lanes.
Hopefully the new pier will have parking right on it and a 60s memorabilia store in place of where the cafe used to be. Maybe Kate Callen can set up her office there and also a Red Bungalow memorabilia store can go in place of where the cafe used to be.
Meant to say the Red Bungalo store can be right next to the 60s store.
yeah parking for a thousand cars with meters to recoup the cost. even charge for the bike racks. a double decker pier with restaurants on the lower with a bait shop for fishing on the upper. and the trolley drives right up to it. and one bathroom.
Don’t forget an axe throwing room next to craft whiskey bar.
I predict Gloria will run for reelection claiming he will end homelessness and rebuild the OB Pier, neither of which he intends to do. In other words I see the notice on the pier as simply a campaign sign for Gloria.
It took from the late 1990s, when the city wanted to tear down the OB Library, until now – to actually see that a partial teardown, plus expansion, is going to happen.
Years of work by a dedicated bunch of volunteers later…
But the OB Library wasn’t a danger.
The pier is.
Any pier discussion should be after Gloria, to really assess the financial damage he’s caused from his decisions.
Due to all the public and media attention to the demolition wording in the Notice, the City has rushed to assure everybody that “there are no current plans to demolish the pier, the city clarified Tuesday, Jan. 16. Rather, the application is part of the city’s ongoing re-newal project for the landmark structure,” as the U-T reported today, Wed. Jan.17.
The local news had a field day reporting this as demolition is impending. Click bait horse shit.
This is simply a notice indicating the city has begun the permitting process for replacement of the pier, something we’ve all been talking about for 2 years now. It has little to nothing to do with the damage that happened a few weeks ago.
Yeah, it was almost humorous watching them stumble over each other in their race to announce this terrible news! It’s horrible! the OB Pier is about to be demolished! And then the city had to rush out to play it all down.
Geoff Page, the first commenter to this post, said it:
“The posted notice appears to just be part of the whole pier project. The initial money available is for design and permitting. The permit process can take a long time, I think this is just a start and should be looked at positively. It does not indicate anything happening any time soon.”
Lack of action in tearing down the pier is a giant, walking liability for the city. It should not be one of the usual all talk – slow walk deals.
Many out-of-towners will not realize the risk. And how many locals
do?
C’mon Mayor Gloria…..this is not a get-it-done ap situation.
This story was a good illustration of how the mainstream media operates today, someone said it here, “click bait.” They took the word “demolition” and created a story out of nothing. What is really sad is that all, or most of, the different media did the same thing. I explained this in my interview trying to make the point that it was nothing, just part of a long process. The words that followed demolition were “and replacement.” Of course there will be a demolition, in order to have a replacement. The real story was the two words “and replacement,” that’s the news that should catch everyone’s eyes.
Geoff makes CBS and then that interview on the OB Pier Demo notice gets picked up by the internet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA9pytl24OI
Gee Geoff, I thought you were so much taller…and a bronzed old guy surf dude!
S/
But look at the left breaking off the north arm of the T at 2:01. That’s the kind of waves I remember as a kid, but breaking more north as I know it wrapped better and wasn’t nearly as mushy (sandbar bottom this far north I think?).
So the pier may be rebuilt sometime in the future, but don’t you think it should go out at LEAST as far as these waves are breaking? I mean, sure would be nice to leap off the end into that left…but then the city would probably make it illegal.
Will the pier, specifically that portion missing over half the support of that concrete slab and piling, survive the next few years or however long it takes to fund it? I’m kind of doubtful…
sealintheSelkirks
seal, I was taller once, and bronzed. But, we tend to shrink with old age, the only thing getter bigger are my feet. And, you know what bronze looks like after a whole lot of years.
I’m curious how you came across the video. Two other people at Dog Beach and a neighbor mentioned it and I didn’t ask.
One thing about surfing that has come up repeatedly is designing the new pier with much wider bays to make it easier to take that long left under the pier. It will also be much higher.
The city is under pressure to shore up the deck at that spot. Several ideas are being discussed, support beams on the deck, removing the deck, or cables below much like has been done to earthquake retrofit.
The way this one seems to have unexpectedly failed causes me concern about every pile cap in the pier now.
Yah, I was taller once, too, but not by too much, and bronzed. But at least my feet aren’t getting bigger, same size flip-flops as always. As far as I know only our noses and ears, hair, and finger/toenails continue to do that. Unless you’re bald. Or dead, then it’s just toe & fingernails.
Your clip popped up on the youtube list under an OB Pier link, probably because I had looked at OB Pier clips when the piling first broke. Weird how browser computers throw stuff at us, isn’t it?
This has shown up a few times, too, every once in a while for no reason. Like yours, 2 minutes long. I have no idea how or why stuff shows up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik-eeDhyGnI
Yeah, methinks the city had best get something going on that shaky spot or they might lose the entire slab. And start breaking even more pilings since I guess it is possible that structurally it could do a domino effect and pull more down if that happened? Rebar and concrete ain’t taffy, it’s not going to stretch!
Since it’s only January, more big swells from other winter storms (especially with El Nino going off) will be sending more energy at the rickety old Pier. Feels weird to think of it gone, though…
sealintheSelkirks
What river was that?
Snake River, Wyoming, 28 miles down canyon from Jackson Hole towards Alpine Junction.
It’s one of the short videos from the ‘Lunch Counter Trilogy’ novella I (and my partner DP) published on Riverbreak Magazine online in 2015 and 2016. Pulled from 30 yr old VHS tapes on a cam-corder that were way past their chemical death date.
That 5’10” twinfin I’m riding? I shaped and glassed it in my OB shop in ’86, and first surfed on Southside of the Pier. It is hanging in my kitchen. Still completely surf-ready even if I doubt I could paddle it at this point!
You can find the links on my website’s home page (or probably Google I guess) if you’re interested. About 10,000 words in three parts about our years there written as surfers sitting-around-the-beach-fire-ring’ talking story… My first published work, actually.
___
Question: Do you think that broken slab could pull a bunch more of the Pier down if it goes; or when the other piling breaks from the strain? You’re the construction guy…
sealintheSelkirks
The goal of a fishing pier is to get people access past the breakers, but it is very rare for waves to break out past the pier. And actually once the waves break, they disperse a lot of energy. Unbroken waves smashing into the pier are what do the most damage. And at high tide/waves these are slamming into the top of the pilings, and deck, and railings. This stress can cause cracks in the concrete which then allows salt water to reach the steel rebar. It corrodes, expands, and concrete splinters off. Rinse and repeat…
If the pier was built 10′ higher in its mid section it would be in far better shape and would still be open…. Also if the city did the necessary preventative repairs on degraded concrete and exposed rebar, as was recommended in the various structural assessments they (we) paid for.
The designers realized the pier was too low during construction, which is why we see it rising to the west. I think it was a real shame that they did not go back and raise the low section during construction. It would have been costly but it would have saved years of problems. No one likes to “do over” in construction but I have seen it done, it is just sometimes part of the work.
And, yes, had they done what was in the 2004 report, the pier would be in much better condition today. They did – nothing.
I watched that news video twice. It sure looks beautiful there. The water looks nice, and the waves look better than what I thought they would look like after reading descriptions here previously. I’m planning a vacation starting at Anaheim and driving down along the coastline to San Diego and checking out the beaches along the way. I ask customers who live in SoCal which beaches that I should check out along the way and OB never gets mentioned. I wonder why?
Many people who live here ended up here by accident, not by design.
They came out with a roommate and stayed…the roommate went back to wherever.
They took a wrong turn at the end of the 8.
It is still a real town, despite many forces working to….what? The city seems bound and determined to neglect it in favor of the whims of large developers and at the expense of “regular” people who don’t want to, or can’t afford to, live in million dollar homes. Locals continue to work long and hard to keep it as a real place – one that is not full of chain stores and towering condo/apartment structures.
That doesn’t answer your question…maybe the city would rather promote LaJolla and downtown.