- Nueces County Judge and Commissioners voted unanimously
- $1 million of Brent Chesney's Precinct 4 money will go to the redesign of Bob Hall pier
- Redesign set to be released by March, 1 2024
- Restaurant and bar, parking lot, and concessions store will be included
On Wednesday, Nueces County Judge Connie Scott and the Nueces County Commissioners voted unanimously to allow Precinct 4 Commissioner Brent Chesney to use $1 million from American Rescue Plan funds to help with the redesign of Bob Hall Pier. Additional funds still need to be found from outside sources.
"It’s a great day. We’re making progress. It’s not over yet, We still got work to do. I’m moving a million dollars of my Precinct Four money into it. I’ve still got to find more money from outside entities," Chesney said.
Bob Hall Pier was destroyed beyond use nearly four years ago during Hurricane Hanna. In February of 2021, Nueces County Commissioners got their first sketches for the possible rebuild of the pier.
In March of 2022, crews began the work to tear down what was left of the pier and JM Davidson was hired for the demolition.
They re-used the concrete from the pier to create an off shore reef, taking more than four months to finish the demolition.
A year ago, County Commissioners learned they could not use ARPA funding to rebuild the pier, and were forced to rethink the designs again.
Now, the redesign is set to be finished very soon.
“We expect to get the plans back from the engineer March 1," Chesney said. "Then that will go out for recumbent comment by our project manager. It’ll go to the Coastal Parks Board by statute which has to. They’ll review it and it will come back and we’ll see the final view, and so hopefully will be going out for bids. Unless something happens, but hopefully will be going out for bids some time in April.”
At the Commissioner's Court meeting on Wednesday, a couple residents spoke up about feeling disappointed about how long the pier has taken to be rebuilt.
“Since we found the money, the project has stayed on track. It’s taken awhile to get it. I wish it was faster. I wish a lot of things were faster in life, but building a huge pier, a $25 million pier is not something that happens fast when you don’t have the money to begin with. You’ve gotta find it," Chesney said.
The new designs for the pier will include many new amenities.
"The amenities will be the pier, concession for the pier meaning bait and tackle and a concessionaire stop over there, and hopefully this restaurant space will be there," Chesney said.
In addition, an Americans with Disabilities Act compliant parking lot will be included in the redesign of Bob Hall Pier.
The plan for the pier is to be bigger and stronger than it was before it got destroyed.
“The engineers specs on this are pretty incredible. That’s what’s adding to the cost, but we’re hopeful that with the additional design into place — this is designed more for a 50 to 100 year storm, so that this will last longer," Chesney said.
The redesign for Bob Hall Pier is expected to be complete on March 1, 2024.
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