Demolition begins on two businesses on the Capitola Wharf

CAPITOLA, Calif. (KION-TV): UPDATE ON MARCH 11, 2024 AT 6:05 PM- The demolition on two long time businesses on the Capitola Wharf have begun.

The Capitola Wharf Restaurant and the Capitola Boat and Bait Shop were demolished on Monday afternoon.

A viewer who sent us photos told KION that they are cutting the buildings into pieces and hauling them off the wharf.

Capitola City Officials said the demolition had to happen since the restaurant had a wall caved in. The Boat and Bait Shop suffered extensive damage which deemed the building unsafe.

City officials said that that work on the wharf should be completed by Fall 2024.

Two businesses on the Capitola Wharf set to be demolished after city considers it unsafe

UPDATE ON FEB. 22, 2024 AT 10:31 am - The Boat and Bait shop was split into two by massive waves last Winter just as the repairs were underway.

The future of the Wharf would remain a free fishing pier.

"There’s quite a few storms out there and it brings us to the conclusion that these buildings need to be removed, especially the Wharf house restaurant," Capitola Mayor Kristen Brown said. "It has a whole wall that is caved in. It's a hazard to the workers out there and a hazard to the public and ocean.” 

The City of Capitola had a town hall meeting Wednesday were they discussed the resiliency project that would include construction, a demolition process and enhanced infrastructure underneath the wharf.

For the people who live here they hope these cherished memories will stay alive.

"These are memories that last for generations and I just feel like we need to slow down and look over the process and go through the same process that we go through when we remodel our homes," a Community member told KION.

The Capitola City Council will discuss what is next for the wharf including looking into a contractor for the demolition.

Original Story

Two businesses on the wharf are set to be demolished, after City leaders said there were structural concerns to both buildings.

The Capitola Wharf was badly damaged after the wicked winter storms sent waves and crashed into the iconic landmark last year.

Still standing on the badly damaged wharf sits David Morris's business, the Boat and Bait shop, and he just found out it will soon be demolished.

“The impact is my employees' families," said Morris. "They’ve stood behind me, we argue, we cry, we laugh and they don’t have a job to come back to if I don’t have something back out there.”

Morris’s shop isn’t the only business set to be demolished on wharf.

City officials said the two businesses are now considered unsafe.

"The buildings on the wharf are structurally unsound," said Assistant to the City Manager, Chloe Woodmansee, "So, they need to be taken down."

Woodmansee said it's still unknown if they will reconstruct the two businesses.

"The sad part of that is that we have two long-term lease holders and business partners that were in those buildings," said Woodmansee, "So, now the buildings need to be taken away, so, we're left trying to decide and figure out what is next?"

City officials will be hosting a town hall meeting on Wednesday night where city leaders and experts will be talking about the wharf and what's next for the those businesses.

For people like Steve Slinkey, who lives in Soquel he said he is devastated about the demolishing of the two businesses.

"It's so difficult to get good workers and people that are dedicated," said Slinkey. "It is very disappointing to have them start again."

City leaders said that work on the wharf should be completed by this fall, and they're using a combination of funds.
That includes Measure F, as well as state and federal grant money that the city received.

Capitola City Council is expected to give an update on their Wharf Resiliency and Public Access project for their Thursday city council meeting.