The future of the Redondo Beach Sportfishing Pier, affectionately known as Polly’s Pier, is in question after inspections by city contractors found “several urgent defective and deficient pier components.” However, the Harbor Commission has decided, following recommendations from staff, that they would prefer to wait until after the summer to decide on a future course of action.
According to city staff, inspections by Moffatt & Nichol showed that the nearly 100 year old timber-built pier has suffered damages over time requiring substantial repairs. The structure is reported to be in “serious” condition, and in need of “urgent repair” to three support piles, a steel fender pile and at least four lateral braces, according to staff.
Staff recommended that the council decide between either implementing urgent repairs, estimated to cost about $460,000; or initiating the process to replace the Sportfishing Pier outright, at a cost estimated between $4 million and $6 million.
Repairs of the pier would require full and temporary closure of the Sportfishing Pier for the duration of the construction work, which would also require the closure of existing pier businesses. Those businesses include Redondo Sportfishing and Polly’s on the Pier, a cafe that, over 30 years, has become a Redondo Beach institution.
Staff recommended that the City forgo short term repairs and look to construct a replacement pier, which would allow for features such as tall ships, water taxi services, and a permanent location for sportfishing and sight-seeing excursions. However, that would force existing pier businesses to relocate permanently. Currently, the end of the pier is closed following initial repair concerns.
Reconstruction of the Sportfishing Pier has been in waterfront redevelopment plans circulated by CenterCal Properties as part of their Waterfront: Redondo Beach project. However that plan, and CenterCal’s future in Redondo Beach, is in limbo due to the recent passage of more restrictive waterfront zoning.
“I’ll tell you, we’re kind of between a rock and a hard place here,” said JoAnn Turk, owner of Polly’s on the Pier. “We were very happy with CenterCal’s plan to come in because we could see a light at the end of the tunnel for how we could proceed…we’re fine with whatever the city decides, and would hope to relocate, but if we go too far from where we are, we’ll falter.”
After discussion, the commission chose to leave operation ongoing until after September, allowing for businesses to work through the busy summer season, and revisit solutions after the fact. ER
