The new Bob Hall Pier is open to the public, but several major construction projects remain, including a new restaurant, concession stand, parking lot, and road repairs.
"We’re making some real good progress," Nueces County Coastal Parks Board Chairman Troy Adler said.
Adler said fixing the road that runs along the beach is the next project crews will tackle.
"And they’re going to be repairing that road all the way in front of Padre Balli Offices, up to the restrooms, and the pier itself," Adler said.
Construction on the new parking lot is expected to start in the next 60 days. However, visitors could still be parking on the sand because of beach erosion from storms.
"We lost 30 to 40 feet of beach front," Adler said.
"Over half of it (the parking lot) would be potentially in the high, mean tide line. So we’d have water on the parking lot all the time," he added.
The new parking lot will be built to primarily accommodate handicapped individuals and emergency vehicles like ambulances.
Adler expects crews to start work on the restaurant space within the next couple of weeks, with construction completed in the next six to eight months.
So who will be open to bid on the restaurant space?
"I think it’s gonna be a nationwide search," Adler said.
"We’ll be building the concession space the same time as the restaurant," Adler said.
The concession stand will be located across from the restaurant and will include bathrooms.
The parks board is sticking to a three-month timeline for collecting fees. By the end of May, staff will be on the pier to charge for admission and enforce rules.
"We’ve had somebody bring a BBQ pit on the pier so we’re gonna be able to stop that from happening," Adler said.
Adler said 99 percent of people are enjoying the pier properly, but monitoring the space will help prevent damage. The sheriff's department currently patrols the pier at times.
"The drilling of the holes was not cool either," Adler said.
Adler asks that if visitors see anyone damaging the pier, they ask them to stop to help preserve the coastal landmark for years to come.
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