Reconstruction of Bob Hall Fishing Pier will now begin after Nueces County Commissioners issued a notice to proceed with construction of the facility on North Padre Island.
The contractor, Callan Marine, has just under 460 days to complete the $28.5 million project. The project is the culmination of three years of project negotiations, public input and discussion on the design that was presented to Nueces County Commissioners in 2021.
Residents of Corpus Christi and Padre Island have been waiting for the 70-year-old pier to be rebuilt since it was severely damaged by Hurricane Hanna in 2020. A structural inspection determined the pier was no longer safe for public use, and engineering firms were hired to complete design plans to demolish the old structure and rebuild a new facility with a 50-year lifespan that can withstand a 100-year storm. It will feature a pier trestle designed to withstand winds of 150 miles per hour.
“For the island and a lot of the community, Bob Hall Pier was a very emotional part of their lives,” said Brent Chesney, Nueces County Precinct 4 Commissioner, who made the announcement Friday, Aug. 23. “It’s daunting to have to rebuild Port Aransas and Bob Hall Pier, but I’m very excited because I think it’s going to be bigger, stronger, cooler. Everyone I’ve heard from is very excited.”
He stressed that the expected completion date is measured in calendar days rather than working days, and that the contractor has consulted with the purchasing agent to determine the appropriate time frame to complete the work as quickly as possible.
The new pier will be similar in appearance and layout to the original pier. Renovations are proposed to the existing pavilion, emphasizing the open-air design and promenade. The foundation of the public space and deck will also be reinforced with retractable wooden panels and a railing to allow food trucks to drive up the ramp.
The pier substructure will consist of two steel posts spaced 33 feet apart to meet ASTM standards and coated to protect against corrosion. Amenities will include an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp and handrail, two fish cleaning stations and area lighting. Two sets of men's and women's restrooms will be located inside and outside the paid portion of the pier.
The total project cost includes demolition and soft costs (including architecture and engineering design, permitting and legal fees) and the basic construction work which includes the concrete and steel building materials for the pier itself, the county concession buildings, and the civil, utility, wastewater and electrical services.
The contractor is responsible for the reconstruction of the County Concession Building, including the substructure and architecture of the building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing work. The existing pavilion space that housed the former Mikel May's restaurant will be renovated to accommodate a future restaurant.
Many Corpus Christi residents and tourists have expressed a desire to build a new restaurant on the pier, after the former restaurant was destroyed.
An original cost estimate put the construction and expansion of the restaurant at approximately $3.6 million.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Brent Chesney actively sought money and donations for third-party concessionaires in March. Earlier this year, he secured approximately $2 million in funds through donations, including $500,000 from the Port of Corpus Christi and $1.5 million from American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The court hired a consultant to advise on rebuilding the restaurant and in March voted against original plans for a second-floor restaurant after finding that ARPA fund guidelines only allowed for the reconstruction of an existing building.
Chesney said the restaurant wasn’t approved as quickly as the pier, but that the architectural and design teams are now meeting to create a design for the third-party concessionaire, which will include deciding whether to demolish the current pavilion and rebuild a new 5,000-square-foot (465-square-meter) building on its concrete foundation, or to renovate the current 2,500-square-foot (230-square-meter) space and add another 2,500 square feet (230-square-meter).
“The vast majority of people on the island wanted a restaurant, and people come from all over the country to eat on that pier,” he said. “The bottom line is the restaurant is fully funded and the pier is fully funded. The notice to go ahead has been given, so the clock is ticking, and we're moving forward.”
The total project cost of Bob Hall Fishing Pier is higher than the cost estimate presented at the Nueces County Coastal Parks Board meetings.
During a special meeting in March with Jacob Engineering, where the board reviewed Jacobs Engineering’s technical design drawings, construction costs totaled $24 million, including $2.35 million for a temporary trestle for construction purposes that was not included in the final design engineer’s contract documents, which would have brought the total cost to approximately $21 million, although Scott Harris, the regional manager of LAN’s Corpus Christi office, confirmed at the time that costs were subject to change depending on contractor specifications. The manager could not be reached for comment to provide an update on project costs.
Chesney noted that commissioners did not receive funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support the project. The cost would be for demolition and other expenses to ensure the new design meets a higher standard and that routine maintenance and work can be performed to ensure structural elements remain intact and the facility's 50-year lifespan is preserved.
At its March meeting, the Commissioner's Court approved an invitation to bid (IFB), authorizing a purchasing agent to publish a notice of invitation to bid and to advertise bids for the reconstruction on April 1. Bids were to open on May 9.
The IFB proposal structure gave the selection committee the option to select a second lowest bidder to lead construction if the lowest bidder was deemed less qualified. The court granted Callan Marine conditional approval to rebuild the pier.
Now that the long-awaited plans to rebuild the pier are underway, some of the ideas that were proposed could be added to the final design. Shade structures and furniture, as well as benches and safety additions that were part of the originally proposed layout, are not included in the budget. However, they will be included in the plan as grants that the board will decide to build if county funding is available. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather platform is also in the plan and will be built if the agency provides funding.
More: County Commissioners Approve Invitation for Bids for Bob Hall Fishing Pier Reconstruction
More: The Port Pledges Money for Bob Hall Pier. Here's Why It's Important
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Notice to Proceed with Rebuilding of Bob Hall Fishing Pier
