The big blue building blocking the ocean view at the end of the Newport Pier will soon disappear, making way for a new prime selfie spot by the sea.

The famed pier for the first time in decades will be barren within weeks as workers aim to remove the abandoned restaurant before summer crowds flock to the area.

The roof and second story have been dismantled and the rest of the building will soon be hauled away.

Workers will repair or replace planks on the pier before beachgoers will be allowed into the area, currently fenced off until construction is complete, said Tom Sandefur, assistant city engineer with the city’s public works department.

“We have the walls up and the floor and that’s about it. We anticipate, if everything goes well, being done by end of the week, as far as removing the building,” he said, noting the entire project should be done by Memorial Day.

The pier is one of three along the Orange County coast getting a makeover. A new eatery is in the works at the Huntington Beach Pier where the beloved Ruby’s Diner once served burgers and shakes, and plans for the Seal Beach Pier also being discussed.

The region’s piers are beloved landmarks, but in recent years, planners have struggled with finding the right mix of concession offerings for tourists and locals at the end of the piers.

The removal of the deteriorating building in Newport Beach marks a jump-start of revitalization efforts.

Attempts over the last decade to find a new tenant to fill the vacant restaurant space on the pier’s end were unsuccessful and the building fell into disrepair. So in October, the City Council voted to demolish the building and study options for revitalizing the pier as well as the McFadden Square area at its base and the adjacent parking lot – a process that could take years and millions of dollars.

Constructing a new restaurant building on the pier could cost $3 million, officials have said.

Curious passerby are anxious to know the city’s plans; Sandefur said each time he visits the site, people ask about the future.

“Right now, the plan is just to remove that dilapidated building and get a safe spot out there,” he said, “and we’ll see what happens after that.”

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