Demolition of Capitola Wharf structures begins

"Collectively, we're all heartbroken to see that this is what has to happen," Capitola Mayor Kristen Brown told the Sentinel. "But unfortunately the buildings just weren't safe anymore. They were a risk to public safety. There was a risk for hazardous materials falling into the ocean and of course we're in a marine sanctuary, so we needed to act quickly."

CAPITOLA — Slowly but surely, Capitola’s historic wharf is being pieced back together after it was torn in two more than a year ago.

But as recent repairs have allowed for assessments of previously unreachable areas, the newly found access has made it clear to city leaders that more dismantling is needed before the 855-foot landmark can be made whole once more.

Demolition of the Wharf House Restaurant and Boat and Bait Shop began Monday after the structures were deemed a total loss due to catastrophic damages sustained during winter storms bookending 2023 in January and December.. Capitola officials were able to further inspect the buildings, located toward the end of the wharf, earlier this year revealing major structural damage and the presence of some hazardous materials that needed to be contained.

“Collectively, we’re all heartbroken to see that this is what has to happen,” Capitola Mayor Kristen Brown told the Sentinel. “But unfortunately the buildings just weren’t safe anymore. They were a risk to public safety. There was a risk for hazardous materials falling into the ocean and of course we’re in a marine sanctuary, so we needed to act quickly.”

While the businesses themselves are privately run, the buildings are owned by the city, so it was up to the City Council to decide if and when they needed to be brought down. After weeks of deliberation and a delay to pursue additional pricing quotes, the council unanimously approved the demolition at its Feb. 27 meeting.

During that meeting, Capitola Public Works Director Jessica Kahn explained that in addition to structural deficiencies, the Wharf House’s seaward-facing wall had collapsed and asbestos had been detected, triggering hazmat protocols. Similarly, the structural deficiencies in the bait shop would require crews to lift the building to repair the foundation and it was “unlikely that building would survive that process.” Plus, extensive building code noncompliance issues would need to be addressed later.

The demolition is expected to cost about $804,880 and will delay the ongoing wharf resiliency project by about six to eight weeks with the grand reopening anticipated sometime this fall, according to Kahn. Two other demolition plans were shared with the board at its February meeting, but they either cost significantly more or delayed the wharf reopening by about one year.

Kahn told the Sentinel demolition of both buildings should be finished the first week of April.

‘It’s been emotional’

Both business owners, facilitated by city officials, have had an opportunity to remove belongings from the buildings, estimated by Kahn to have been originally constructed in the early 1980s.

The bait shop offered fishing supplies, boat rentals and hosted an annual fishing derby. Aside from its food menu, the Wharf House Restaurant also regularly featured live music and a popular dance floor on its open-air deck.

Sally John, who has owned the bait shop since 1997, said she heard Wednesday that her building had been dismantled. Both properties had been red-tagged since January of last year, but her hopes of the shop remaining salvageable were officially dashed only a few weeks ago when city officials began to understand the extent of the damage.

“It’s all so unreal right now,” said John. “I can’t really get a hold of it or believe that it’s really happening because it happened so quick.”

John, who also owns Santa Cruz Boat Rentals on the Santa Cruz Wharf, said she hopes her business can eventually return to the Capitola Wharf at some point in the future, even if it’s a scaled-down operation. Though she plans to retire in the near future, she said she will be handing the business down to her three children and will continue to push for its return.

Similarly, Willie Case, owner of the Wharf House Restaurant as well as the Beach Street Cafe across from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, called the past few weeks a “very trying experience.” He said after more than a year of limited access and information, the past month has been a whirlwind of updates culminating in the difficult demolition news.

“It’s been emotional, you know. I’ve spent 35 years out there,” said Case. “Right now I’m just concentrating on trying to liquidate all the belongings that we’ve taken out of the restaurant building and getting ready to move on.”

Case speculated that it was unlikely the restaurant would be rebuilt but remained open to exploring other possibilities that may arise in the future.

Public process

As a public entity, the city pledged to conduct a public process and solicit input as officials make plans for the future. That began with a standing-room-only town hall at Capitola City Hall in February, hosted by Brown, Kahn and other city leaders. Brown said most of the public concerns were related to why the demolition was so urgent as well as calls for the city to maintain recreational fishing, food, dancing and music — desires that Brown herself shares, she said.

After reiterating that the urgency stemmed from the presence of hazardous materials that could potentially drop straight into the ocean, Brown said the city is planning several more public forums in hopes of creating separate near- and long-term visions for the future of that area on the wharf. Day and location details will be announced at a later date, she said.

“Our hope is that by the time the wharf reopens in the fall, we’ve already determined interim uses and have a plan for what long-term uses might look like,” said Brown, adding that the city would also continue to engage with the business owners.

Meanwhile, the city’s million Wharf Resiliency and Public Access Project, which broke ground in September at a cost now up to $9.8 million, continues to make waves.

Kahn told the Sentinel in an email that the gap in the wharf, made famous by viral photos from January 2023, has been closed and the widening of the trestle to 36 feet is complete. After the buildings are demolished and the wharf structure underneath is repaired, crews will turn their attention to rebuilding the head of the wharf next.