Mission Beach Bulkhead Seawall and Boardwalk Replacement

Originally built in 1925, the Mission Beach Amusement Center’s (now Belmont Park) seawall and boardwalk are one of San Diego’s most popular destinations. Layers of repairs on the seawall over the decades concealed spalling and cracked concrete, exposed rebar, and large voids undermining the pavement that were susceptible to collapse. The historic fabric had become unrecognizable and the damage irreversible. A complete reconstruction was the only long-term solution.  The board walk is a main gateway to the southern beach area year round and is an important asset for the City to maintain access and safety. The bulkhead/seawall is used as a form of coastal management to prevent sand erosion and water flooding of adjacent private properties and public amenities. A Wave Hazard Study calculated the structural design to withstand extreme storm events and sea level rise.  As a historic resource, the project was to restore the seawall to its original 1920’s design. Getting the historic details right while achieving long-term structural integrity of the bulkhead was a challenge. Using a cut through section of the wall to reveal its historic profile, the team developed wall details to reflect the original wall dimensions, pavement texture and color, and concrete scoring. Numerous mock-up walls were fabricated with various amounts of rebar and concrete strength to perfect the method of construction.  New light fixtures also replicate the original light installed in 1920’s.  As prime engineering design consultant, Michael Baker was responsible for the demolition and replacement of an existing 1,617-foot main section of the seawall fronting Belmont Park, widening and restoring the associated boardwalk section, and providing ADA accessible beach access pop outs, compliant ramps, picnic tables, stairs and ADA parking.  Michael Baker’s high level of proficiency with civil engineering, ingenuity in solving complex problems, and commitment to meeting deadlines was instrumental in keeping construction on schedule and within budget.   The project was successfully implemented with innovative design approaches that will serve as a benchmark for the replacement of the remaining sections in the future. The success of this project was the result of strong collaboration by Michael Baker, the Historic Architect, City of San Diego staff and community leaders.  This project is part of a larger initiative by the City of San Diego’s to invest nearly half a billion dollars in 2016, to rebuild and improve neighborhoods. The boardwalk, seawall, open balustrade walls, and light standards were fully reconstructed to its 1925 original design and dedication took place on its 91st anniversary on May 26, 2016, in time for the busy summer season.