SEATTLE — The removal of Pier 58, next to the Great Wheel, on Seattle's waterfront is now complete and the process of rebuilding it will begin next year.
Pier 58 has been closed to the public since Aug. 6, 2020, after engineers discovered the pier had shifted several inches, creating a visible gap between it and the land. Shortly after that, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan approved an "emergency dismantling" of the 50-year-old pier.
When crews began removing Pier 58 in September 2020, it collapsed, sending construction workers into the water below. The workers were rescued and no one was seriously hurt.
Crews have been removing the pier from the water side by barge and crane, according to the City's Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects. The work included removal of about 48,000 square feet of pier deck and concrete structures, and about 340 timber and steel support piles.
A small number of support piles remain and will be removed when the new Pier 58 is built, officials said.
With the pier removal complete, officials said the temporary construction fences have been removed and the adjacent pedestrian walkway is fully open. Adjacent businesses are also open for visitors.
The Waterfront Fountain located on the pier prior to the demolition, which was designed by sculptor James FitzGerald and completed by his widow Margaret Tompkins in 1974, will be restored and re-installed as part of the new Pier 58 park design, officials said.
The design of the Pier 58 rebuild will reach a 90% design milestone this summer, and construction is scheduled to begin in late 2022. It's expected to take about two years to complete, according to officials.
