HUNTINGTON BEACH : Structural Weakness Shuts Bar, Surf Shop

A landmark downtown building will remain closed until structures can be built to protect pedestrians, a city official said Wednesday.

The building that houses Jack’s Surfboards and Cagney’s By the Sea bar is considered too unsafe to allow people to walk by its walls, said Mike Adams, the city’s director of community development. The 68-year-old building is at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street, opposite the municipal pier.

Earlier this week, the city ordered the closure of the two businesses and the evacuation of upstairs apartments after one of the building’s walls began bulging, as if on the verge of collapse. The cause of the bulge still has not been determined, city officials said.

“We had engineers looking at the building today, and we decided we want a structure built over the sidewalks so that the public will be protected,” Adams said. “It might be possible for part of this to be done and for Cagney’s to reopen by the end of this week, but it’s going to take longer, maybe a couple of weeks, to get the protection around Jack’s.”

The building owner, Mike Abdelmuti, has complained that city officials had previously urged him to delay renovation work. Adams acknowledged that city redevelopment officials had advised Abdelmuti that it would be better for him to raze the old building and construct a new store instead of trying to renovate the structure.

“If he decides to rebuild, then he’s virtually got to rebuild from the ground up to make it safe,” Adams added. “We’re going to make sure it’s safe.”