The final phase of Malibu Pier construction is scheduled to start next week, while State Parks begins accepting Request for Proposal applications for a master concessionaire to manage pier businesses.
By Tracy Marcynzsyn/Special to The Malibu Times
If all goes well, the Malibu Pier is set to open by late next summer, according to Hayden Sohm, acting superintendent for the California State Parks Angeles District. After numerous construction delays in the past, the third phase of construction will begin on Monday.
Dennis J. Amoroso Construction Co. will focus on restoring the exterior of the existing buildings to resemble the pier’s original condition when it was constructed in 1945. The process should take about 220 days, according to Sohm, who said there could be “delays due to weather and other unforeseen delays.”
Construction phases one and two dealt with structural elements such as replacing piles, installing bracing, replacing the deck and rails, and upgrading all utilities, including the electrical and water lines, as well as installing an underground water treatment plant. The concessionaires, yet to be chosen, will complete restoration of the buildings’ interiors.
Improvements have already been scheduled for the existing 96-space parking lot adjacent to the pier, and will include restriping and reorganizing the traffic flow. Lack of parking during peak periods, which include weekends and holidays, have resulted in the reduction of traffic allowed on the pier.
Based on the current parking resources, the California Coastal Commission has limited the amount of exterior restaurant space available for use from 4,600 square feet to 700 square feet. According to Sohm, any additional outdoor restaurant seating would require one designated pier parking space per 50 square feet. Also based on the parking situation, the commission allowed one 30-passenger sport-fishing boat with a crew of five to make two trips per day, rather than granting the two sport-fishing boats proposed by State Parks. Each additional parking space would allow for one more crew member or three additional passengers.
“If we do what the Coastal Commission says, there won’t be a parking deficiency,” said Sohm, who said other options for additional parking are being explored.
The Regional Water Quality Control Board has set regulations on the operations of the pier’s underground treatment plant for which it granted a permit. The RWQCB has required the testing of wastewater from the facility on a weekly basis to ensure that standards set by the control board are met.
According to Sohm, one master concessionaire will manage and coordinate all pier activities including a sit-down restaurant, retail activity, beach equipment rentals, a sport-fishing boat, a bait and tackle shop, a take-out food service and a parking lot.
Request for proposals (RFP) will be distributed next week. Interested parties may request a copy of the RFP by calling 818.880.0350 and sending a $50 money order to: Angeles District Headquarters, 1925 Las Virgenes Rd., Calabasas, CA 91302.
Anyone interested in submitting a proposal must attend a pre-proposal meeting on Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. at Duke’s Malibu restaurant. RFPs will also be available at the meeting.
The closing date for submitting proposals is Feb. 3, 2003. The concessionaire will be chosen sometime in March and given a 20-year contract. All bidders must post a proposal bond of $20,000 at the time of submission. Bidders must also have experience owning, managing or operating both a food and retail sales business similar to what will be on the pier. They must also have unconditional access to a minimum of $1,500,000, and have an acceptable history of compliance with the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act.