The historic Ventura Pier will remain closed to the public after suffering damage from the recent winter storms, Ventura city officials announced on Friday.

The city anticipates that the area will reopen by the end of the year since repairs are estimated to be $715,000. The pier has been closed since January.

“The pier lost a total of 15 timber piles and sustained damage to the brackets and bracing,” Mary Joyce Ivers, the deputy public works director and Pier into the Future board member, said in a statement.

 “A contractor was able to stabilize the Pier to prevent additional damage when the closure first occurred, and we are looking forward to safely reopening after completing the critical repairs.”

Officials with the city of Ventura, County Emergency Services, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and FEMA surveyed the pier’s damage on Jan. 19.

The repair assessments of the underwater foundation found that the damage to the pier was likely caused by large amounts of debris slamming into the pier’s underwater base, a news release said.

Funding to fix the pier could come from the city, state, FEMA and donations from Pier into the Future, a non-profit organization created to preserve and maintain the Ventura Pier for future generations.

 “The recent storms caused significant damage, but we are optimistic it will reopen in time even stronger than before. Through community donations to Pier into the Future, we are happy to be able to provide some funding for the recent repairs,” Jenise Wagar Hernandez, director of the non-profit organization, said in a statement.

The public can learn more and receive construction progress updates online.