You asked, so we asked: When will Jack Block Park’s long-closed public pier be rebuilt?

(WSB photo, 2021)

A recent walk in Jack Block Park (2130 Harbor Avenue SW) inspired a reader to ask when its long-closed pier will be rebuilt as promised. It’s been closed for safety concerns for more than five years; our last followup was two years ago, at which time some money had been budgeted, and design was supposed to start before the end of 2024. But the project has not proceeded much if at all since then. This is in a Port of Seattle park; the Northwest Seaport Alliance – comprising the cargo ports of Seattle and Tacoma – is funding it, so NWSA spokesperson Melanie Stambaugh Babst responded to our inquiry about timeline, design, and $ status. She says construction is still at least two and a half years away:

The Jack Block Pier replacement is early in the design phase, so we do not have any design drawings to share yet. The current estimated project cost is between $10 – $14 million and our project team is exploring some design opportunities that account for this range. At this time, the estimated construction start is Q4 2028.

Funding for the pier and plaza repairs will come from the NWSA, but there are additional scope elements that will be funded by Port of Seattle.

The damage that ultimately led to the long-range closure was attributed to a vessel hitting the pier, though it’s never been disclosed which vessel did it, when, and how.

20 Replies to "You asked, so we asked: When will Jack Block Park's long-closed public pier be rebuilt?"

  • Spencer January 26, 2026 (12:44 pm)

    Well, better late than never. I’m just glad the lovely overlook further up the path is still open. :)

  • WS Person January 26, 2026 (1:31 pm)

    $10-14M to replace that pier. What a joke. 

    • IDC9 January 26, 2026 (4:38 pm)

      It makes me wonder just how fancy this new pier is going to be. It seems like it shouldn’t cost more than $2 million or $3 million.

  • Jort January 26, 2026 (2:09 pm)

    $10 to $14 MILLION TO FIX A PIER? Have we completely lost sight of how much things actually cost? There aren’t even homes in West Seattle that cost $14 million! Are we serious?! $10-14 million for a park pier?!?!?!?!? Is it made of SOLID GOLD?!???!! Nobody at the Port is seeing numbers like that and thinking, “gee, that’s a really high number for a freaking pier.”  Look at the picture, above, of the pier. I ask you, fine readers, is there a single one of you who looks at that photo and thinks, “That should cost somewhere between 10 and 14 million dollars to repair.” Are we SERIOUS here?!

    • West Seattle Mad Sci Guy January 26, 2026 (4:50 pm)

      It cost my parents $70,000 to redo their bathroom. So no. It doesn’t surprise me that a pier could cost this much to demo and rebuild.

      • Jim January 27, 2026 (11:45 pm)

        Doesn’t change the fact that those are still rip off numbers there’s contractors that are still taking advantage of post COVID backlog and basically charging whatever they want

        • Nate January 28, 2026 (8:06 pm)

          They have to remove the old piles and boards, all of which are creosote coated, and prevent that from messing up the sediment underwater. Then driving new piles into a once contaminated area with sediment caps? And you want to use steel or concrete piles so it lasts. So 10-14 million to cleanup the old pier, deal with any contaminated soils, and buy new deep pier piles and supports, plus electrical. That doesn’t actually sound that expensive. In water work is extremely expensive. 

      • Liam January 29, 2026 (10:30 pm)

        Your parent’s bathroom must have been quite nice for that cost. Still, the port could remodel your parent’s bathroom 214 times for the cost of that pier. It doesn’t add up, even if every beam is creosote. 

    • Les January 26, 2026 (4:50 pm)

      The house at the tip of Brace Point is tax assessed at $10,813,000 and they also own the 6 neighboring lots tax assessed at a combined amount of  $10,823,000 for a total assessed value of $21,636,000. Apparently doing public works projects pays well.

      • Raye January 29, 2026 (7:26 pm)

        Oh, you mean The Carbuncle! 

  • Mike Benzo January 26, 2026 (2:12 pm)

    Ridiculous.  Our public infrastructure languishes behind fences for years while our legislators piss away tens of millions on boondoggles and unaccountable failed projects.

  • Many options January 26, 2026 (2:33 pm)

    Can we tie together some giant floatie toys from Costco in the meantime?  

  • Rats January 26, 2026 (2:36 pm)

    Wish they would have caught the person that crashed their boat into the pier. Have them or insurance pay to fix it. We shouldn’t have to do without for years or decades because of an irresponsible person. Just one example. But that’s the way it goes..

  • Urbanhiker January 26, 2026 (2:38 pm)

    Thanks for looking into this again Tracy. That is amazing that the project could run 10-14 million dollars. I wonder what they have in mind. I miss being able to walk out on that pier though. It was a great place to view bird and sea life. Crazy that it has been closed for so long already and still years away from opening. 

  • 22blades January 26, 2026 (5:10 pm)

    Contractor welfare is alive & well.

  • High School Science Teacher January 27, 2026 (7:47 am)

    I am wondering whether the high cost is because this is a Superfund site in which many acres of polluted marine sediment were capped and sealed. Perhaps rebuilding the Pier requires further pollution monitoring and remediation as standards and treatment methods have likely continued to advance since the time of the original work. 

    • IDC9 January 27, 2026 (4:58 pm)

      That would certainly help explain the steep price tag.

  • DC January 28, 2026 (9:55 am)

    I bet they are planning to do major upgrades to the pier and plaza. Fancy new lighting and seating and landscaping. An expanded deck that’s boat crash resistant and will last over 100 years. I really wish Seattle was capable of just doing basic repairs and took into consideration the cost of lost use. At least 8 years of closure is ridiculous and worth millions itself. I’d bet if you put it to a vote, 90% of people would vote for a basic repair that cost 1/3 the cost and took 1/3 the time but kept it basically the same than taking the damage as an opportunity to completely redo the thing with big upgrades keeping it closed for nearly a decade (quite possibly more than with additional delays).

    • Laura January 29, 2026 (7:28 pm)

      Yes, just the basics so it lasts. I love that pier.

  • TAnderson January 28, 2026 (10:51 am)

    Frankly, the official response seems so lame that the reality is that this project probably fell to some lower level person who hasn’t done a single thing with it since. 2028 to fix a pier, forget the crazy cost estimate?

Sorry, comment time is over.