HUNTINGTON BEACH : Beginning of End for Landmark

A blast of fireworks shot into the noontime sky from the old pier Thursday, signaling the beginning of the end for the 76-year-old landmark.

Major demolition actually starts next week, but Thursday’s ceremonies gave residents and city officials a chance to eulogize the old pier and wax eloquent about the forthcoming structure. Bits of concrete from the old pier were distributed as souvenirs.

“This is a major milestone in the history of Huntington Beach,” Mayor Thomas J. Mays told the estimated 3,000 people attending the special event. While the community is saddened by the demise of the old, weather-ravaged pier, he said, the new one will soon be under construction.

“This historic landmark has become a symbol of our city, and nothing, not even Mother Nature, can take this symbol away from us,” the mayor said. “Today marks the beginning of a new era for the Huntington Beach Pier.”

The city closed the old pier in July, 1988, after engineers said that severe winter storms had made the structure unsafe for use.

The new pier, estimated to cost about $11.9 million, should be under construction by mid-January. Gary Davis, an official with Riedel International, the firm that is demolishing the old pier and building its replacement, said Thursday that destruction of the old structure will take about three months.

“It will be in stages, and we have several different options in mind,” Davis said in an interview. “One of the first things that will happen is that a floating crane, on a barge, will be brought in to work on (tearing down) the outer portion of the pier. If the surf allows us to work, we’ll keep the crane out there. In the meantime, we’ll be removing the deck of the pier. The pilings will be among the last parts to go.”

A private group, called the Landmark Campaign, has been raising money to help cover $2.8 million in costs not yet funded by city, state and federal grants. During Thursday’s ceremonies, business executive Robert Mayer, co-chair of the campaign, announced that the campaign had raised almost $1 million so far.