Designed by City Engineer A.L. Harris, the Manhattan Beach Pier was constructed by the City of Manhattan Beach during 1917-1920, and the roundhouse building was added a year later. Harris' innovative design featured a rounded end to the pier, which helped it withstand the pounding of the Pacific. Although the roundhouse was reconstructed in 1989, the pier survives as Southern California's oldest remaining example of early reinforced concrete pier construction.
