Huntington Beach : Council Approves Idea of New Pier Gateway
A sprawling Mediterranean-style entrance to the Huntington Beach Pier has been approved in concept and may ultimately include an open-air amphitheater, surf museum and bluff-top viewing spots with public art.
However, the gateway will be built only after the pier itself is reconstructed. Cost of the pier entrance alone could reach $5 million.
Construction of the pier, closed last summer as a safety threat, is to begin in nine months.
In voting 5 to 2 to approve the concept of a larger pier entrance Monday night, the City Council also gave the go-ahead for requesting specific drawings and plans from developers.
Public hearings on design features of the pier entrance are expected to be held next month.
Although they said they liked the idea of a pier entrance, Councilmen Don MacAllister and Jim Silva voted against the concept because they said they were concerned about finding enough money to rebuild the pier.
The pier entrance will cover 2.1 acres on the inland side of Pacific Coast Highway and can be constructed after the pier is built. The surf museum that might be added to the entrance is temporarily housed in a downtown building.
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