OCEANSIDE — The city is seeking bids to stabilize the hammerhead end of the Oceanside Pier more than two years after a fire severely damaged it.
According to a recent update from city staff, work on the hammerhead — the pier’s widened western end — is expected to begin next month after a contractor is hired.
Work to repair the hammerhead’s deck, railing and lighting will follow next spring and is expected to take eight months to complete.
After the structural repairs are finished, the pier’s end will reopen to the public before the restaurant destroyed in the April 2024 fire is rebuilt.
Following the fire, an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined that the blaze was accidental and caused by an electrical failure beneath the planks in the northwest portion of the hammerhead. The investigation did not identify the specific electrical failure but ruled out other potential ignition sources, including incendiary causes, in the area.
According to the city, the restaurant leaseholder is still developing designs for the new building. OS Pier LLC obtained the lease after Ruby’s Diner filed for bankruptcy.
While repairs to the charred end of the pier are forthcoming, the city has also been finalizing designs and environmental documents for rebuilding the nearly 100-year-old white concrete portion that supports the pier.
The permitting phase will begin after the city finalizes its design and program environmental impact report for rebuilding the pier’s concrete structure. The city has already set aside $11 million for the approximately $80 million project, but it needs more funding before construction can begin.
For now, crews are patching deteriorated portions of the structure and hanging safety netting underneath.
Oceanside has a long history of piers. The first was built entirely of wood in 1888 at the end of Wisconsin Avenue. A storm destroyed most of it two years later.
The following five piers were built at the current site at the end of Pier View Way.
At 1,954 feet, the sixth and current pier, built in 1987, is one of the longest wooden piers on the West Coast.
According to the city, Gov. Gavin Newsom has supported the pier’s recovery by issuing a state of emergency proclamation in response to the city’s request to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The proclamation enables the city to seek resources under the California Disaster Assistance Act.
The city is also working to recover the names engraved on the pier as part of Oceanside’s centennial celebration in 1988. While 95% of the names were saved, the city is focusing on restoring those lost in the fire.
