CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales said there has still been no decision on whether Bob Hall Pier will be totally rebuilt or not. The pier was left severely damaged after Hurricane Hanna back in July.
Officials said the cost of the damages is estimated at $19 million. There's a possibility that the entire structure could be rebuilt. Judge Canales said in order for the pier to be completely rebuilt, engineers have to rule the pier is more than 50-percent damaged.
"I can tell you that it would not surprise me if we had 51-percent at all based on what I know today it would not surprise me," Canales said.
In the meantime, before that actual decision is made, she is waiting for the rest of the damage assessment to be completed by an engineering firm. That work should be completed in two weeks. If the County has to rebuild the pier, Judge said they are looking to replace this structure with a more fortified pier design.
As far as the question about whether or not Bob Hall Pier needs to be totally rebuilt, Judge Canales said that answer is still not known. But, they do know now that at the very least, the gift store area will have to be rebuilt.
Canales also said that a number of fractures and other serious damage was done to the pier. The County has also hired a contractor to do a concrete bore sample analysis of the concrete beams that hold up the pier.
The contractor will help figure out if those support beams are truly stable or not. The judge believes that if the damage assessment reaches 50-percent, then a new pier will probably be constructed.
"There's a good rule of thumb, 50-percent damage to the roof, if you have 50-percent damage, you're probably better off building a new structure," Canales said. "I think that's a very good intuitive feel for damages."
Another question is, what is going to happen to Mikel Mays? The restaurant structure has checked out OK, but with the rest of Bob Hall Pier being closed down, customers can't get into the restaurant right now.
"We are trying to think out-of-the-box, be creative and innovative ways we can get her to and figure out ways to get her once that debris is up and the sand is restored," Canales said.
If the County has to rebuild Bob Hall Pier, Judge Canales said they are looking to replace this structure with a more fortified pier design. That includes newer features.