What to know as Holden Beach takes first step to revive pier property
Plans to bring new life to the Holden Beach Fishing Pier are moving forward.
Following the town’s controversial purchase of the pier property last year, officials are moving forward with planning and designing the future layout of the pier.
At its February meeting, the town council unanimously approved a conceptual idea of the final site plan for the property. The pier is located at 441 Ocean Blvd. in Holden Beach.
Here’s what to know.
Millions spent, more to be invested
The town of Holden Beach moved forward with efforts to purchase the two-parcel, 1.9-acre property for just around $3.3 million in 2022. The property includes the pier, parking lot and adjacent building.
The N.C. Local Government Commission delayed the purchase after questioning town officials about the pier's structure and Mayor Alan Holden's involvement in the deal, but ultimately the multi-million-dollar purchase was approved by the commission.
During an inspection of the pier prior to the purchase, the town found the structure “likely surpassed its remaining service life” and needs some $500,000 in maintenance immediately.
Conceptual site plan approved
In a conceptual site plan for the property, architects laid out renovations to the existing pier and pier house, as well as improvements to the existing parking lot on the property.
According to Chip Hemingway with Bowman Murry Hemingway Architects, the structure of the existing pier over the ocean is “in pretty good shape,” and plans for renovation are largely cosmetic, including replacing handrails, electrical systems and decking, as needed.
The portion of the pier that sits over the beach is currently in a “less desirable” state, Hemingway said, and would require far more extensive repairs such as replacing hardware and structural support beams. The inland-most portion of the pier requires complete replacement and would be ADA compliant, Hemingway said.
Cost and next steps
No cost estimate for the project was provided to the town commissioners during its February meeting.
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Hemingway said following the approval of the conceptual plan, officials can now move forward with specific construction design and working on a budget and cost estimate for the project.
Jamey Cross covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at jbcross@gannett.com or message her on Twitter @jameybcross.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: What to know as plans to renovate Holden Beach pier move forward
