Capitola Wharf
Capitola Wharf
Capitola is a small seaside town in Santa Cruz County, located on the northern shores of Monterey Bay. The city is a popular tourist destination with vibrant shops and restaurants and a centrally located beach. Capitola was named a best California beach town by “USA Today” and is also recognized as the inspiration for the film “The Birds”; in the summer of 1961 hundreds of birds attacked the town, thus inspiring Alfred Hitchcock, a nearby resident, to direct the film.
A key infrastructure feature of Capitola is the wharf which dates back to the 1850s, originally serving as an outlet for the produce and lumber grown in the interior. The wharf sustained significant damage from severe winter storms in January 2023, including a section being torn in half by powerful waves. The community of Capitola organized, and the wharf underwent a year-long $8 million reconstruction, reopening in September 2024.
GBL worked with local firms Triad Electric and Fuse Architects, along with city staff, to help with the re-lighting portion of the project.
GBL looks forward to continuing to work with the city on the eventual development of the “Head of Wharf” master plan.