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# Boathouse may be leveled for Bubba Gump restaurant
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/boathouse-may-be-leveled-for-bubba-gump-restaurant/
- Published: 2002-06-16T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:20:08.000Z
- Author: Carolyn Sackariason
- Tags: Business, Pier, #archive-import

*“It’s exciting to be moving onto a new stage in our lives, but it’s sad to be leaving our friends,” he said. Pier’s landmark status could save Boathouse’s building*

Bubba Gump Shrimp is making plans to raze the 50-year-old Boathouse restaurant on the Santa Monica Pier.

The movie-themed corporate chain restaurant filed its preliminary architectural plans for its new restaurant and a demolition permit on April 26, nearly two weeks after the Boathouse was evicted from the premises.

Local architect Howard Laks, who is representing Bubba Gump, said the city has to conduct an environmental analysis on the property to determine if the building’s demolition alters the pier, since it’s designated as a historical landmark.

Bubba Gump hopes to begin construction next year and open by December of 2003\. The restaurant would be 9,000 square feet, which includes outdoor dining on the pier level as well as on the beach level. Current plans call for 314 seats within the restaurant.

Bubba Gump officials, Laks and city representatives all agree that because of the deplorable condition of the current building, the entire thing should be demolished.

Mark Richter, the manager of Santa Monica’s economic development department, said when the city took possession of the Boathouse, officials found it nearly falling down. Besides interior problems, the wood within the exterior walls are rotting to point that they are no longer salvageable.

“The existing building is in dreadful condition,” he said. “There were no surprises; we knew it was in bad shape.”

> “The existing building is in dreadful condition. There were no surprises; we knew it was in bad shape.” — — MARK RICHTER Economic Development Director

Naia Sheffield, former owner of the Boathouse, which has been operated by her family for the past five decades, purposely didn’t make improvements to the building because of her ongoing battle with the city.

Because the fate of the restaurant was being controlled by the city and Sheffield was operating on a month-to-month lease, it didn’t make sense to renovate and maintain the building until she was assured she could keep her family business afloat, she has said in the past.

Sheffield in May filed a $50 million lawsuit against the city and the Pier Restoration Corp., claiming her restaurant was kicked off the pier unfairly.

The suit filed in Santa Monica Courthouse alleges that the city and the PRC, which handles leases on the pier, reneged on a 25-year lease Sheffield negotiated in 1993.

Sheffield is demanding a jury trial, claiming breach of contract.

The restaurant closed its doors permanently on April 15, after Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies changed the locks on Sheffield’s family restaurant as part of a court-ordered eviction levied by the city.

The city, which owns the pier, ended its month-to-month lease with the Boathouse last July to make way for Bubba Gump.

Sheffield claims she was forced to enter into the month-to-month lease in 1998 to keep possession of the restaurant. But five years before, Sheffield claims she was offered a 20-year lease with an option to renew for another 10 years.

Bubba Gump’s 25-year lease with the city was supposed to begin on Oct. 1, 2001, which has financially harmed the city because Bubba Gump’s plans to open in the spring of 2003 have been delayed, city officials claim.

Bubba Gump is expected to pay $10,417 in base rent a month, plus $1,889 annually for common maintenance and 2.5 percent of the restaurant’s food, beverage and retail gross sales.

The Boathouse paid $5,429 in monthly rent; $168 for annual promotional fees and 8 percent of its gross revenues in excess of $688,088 in annualized sales.

Deputy city attorney Tony Serritella said the city feels the Boathouse doesn’t have a case. That’s based on a ruling handed down by Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Diana Wheatley, who evicted the Boathouse.

Meanwhile, the city has filed a motion to recoup $24,479 in attorney fees relating to the eviction case, which was first filed by the city last July when Sheffield refused to leave.

Bubba Gump’s plans must be approved by the city’s landmarks commission, the planning commission and the state’s coastal commission before work can begin.

Laks said the building’s design will reflect the historical charm of the pier and will be unique to Santa Monica. It also will have a wheelchair-accessible elevator from the beach level that will be open to the public.

“It’s going to be a fun building,” he said, adding that it won’t look like any of the other Bubba Gump restaurants in the country. “It’s going to be a huge asset to the pier.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 16, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061602.pdf?ref=smdp.com)