Introduction
St. Petersburg Pier extending from St.Petersburg Florida into Tampa Bay was scheduled to open in May 2020 but the opening was unfortunately prevented due to the COVID pandemic in Florida. The recent structure designed by a St. Petersburgh architect was demolished. in July 2020 the new Pier was opened. The amazing new 26-acre area runs along Tampa Bay, containing a playground, parklands, and a number of artworks. It is known as St Pete’s Pier. It is destined to become a tourist attraction for people from all over the USA.
Is St. Petersburg Pier Finished?
Before the commencement, there were several Piers jutting out into Tampa Bay. Over the years various structures occupied the pier, including a casino. In 2004 St. Petersburgh Municipality Authority found that they could no longer fund The Pier it was deemed too costly to upkeep.
In May 2013 the Pyramid Pier officially closed. Plans were made for the new Pier following the demolishment of the old structure in late 2015.
Work began on the new area in June 2018, with an expanded budget approved in 2017. Three artists were retained to do the art for the Pier’s surroundings. The new district opened in July 2020. on 26 acres of land.
Do you need Tickets to go to St. Petersburg Pier?
Yes because of COVID. and social distancing, it is necessary to buy a ticket to enter the Pier precinct. During opening week square footage of the area was calculated, and tickets sold allowing an hourly visit for a designated number of people to visit. The protocol was in line with social distancing guidelines made by Health authorities and due to the pandemic, they need to continue.
Is Parking available at St. Pete’s Pier?
Yes, there are two parking lots and on-street metered parking located on Pier Drive. If you don’t drive, there is also a free trolley service going to the area every few minutes. The trolley stops at the Sundial parking garage and the Pier Entrance.
Is St. Petersburg Pier Dog Friendly?
St. Pete’s Pier is dog friendly, but make sure that your dog is on a leash. You can actually even ride your bike there. Because there is such a lot to do on your visit to the Pier, it will be a nice walk for you and your dog, and most cafes now provide a water dish for your dog while you have a coffee and take in the scenery. St. Petersburgh as a whole is a very pet-friendly town, and people are used to taking their dogs on outings. A local initiative called PAWS ensures that pets are welcomed, and you can obtain information about pet-friendly housing and accommodation if you decide to bring Fido with you. There are, however, areas that do restrict access to dogs and they will usually have a sign up indicating ‘no dogs allowed’.
Attractions at St. Petersburg Pier
Restaurants: Plenty of choice of restaurant with:
- Fresco’s Waterfront Bistro
- Spa Beach Bistro
- Driftwood Cafe
- Pier Teak
- Hurricane Seafood Restaurant.
Because the whole area spreads along 26 acres of Tampa Bay waterfront, you can buy some food and eat outside while looking at the water.
There are lovely grass areas for children to play on, and the whole area is now very family-friendly with plenty of space for social distancing.
The Sundial shopping complex has an IMAX Muvico 20-screen movie theater, and many retail shops. You will also find nightlife destinations abound in this area that only opened in 2014. The St. Pete’s Pier area precinct has many artworks, commissioned by the city including works by well-known artists Mabry, and Nick Ervinck.
The new St. Pete’s Pier District will attract hundreds of tourists a day and at a cost of $92 million, a lot of work has gone into making the area a preferred tourist destination. Some attractions are:
- Spa beach park
- Cross bay ferry.
- Hire a kayak
- Doo’s amazing tours
- Sailing Charters
- Vinoy park
- Stand up Paddleboarding
- Dali Museum
- Sunken Gardens
- Chihuly Collection
- Image Museum
- James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art.
The climate in St. Petersburg is subtropical and therefore, often humid, this makes it ideal for a visit all the year-round. Between June and September is storm season, and if a hurricane is coming, you will get plenty of warning. In 2011 American style magazine ranked St. Petersburg its top mid-size city, saying it had a vibrant arts scene. Many people choose to retire there, with 15% of the population over the age of 65. Retirees are attracted by the good weather and the low cost of living, and as there is so much to do, who could blame them. More recently it is seen as a perfect getaway for families offering lovely beaches and historical attractions, museums. St. Petersburg has long been a tourist destination, and in 2012 it introduced a 75-foot tower to welcome visitors and residents into the city from the Howard Franklin Bridge. Looks as though the tower will be removed to make room for more traffic lanes.
St. Petersburgh Pier History
The land around St.Pete’s Pier was first surveyed on request for the building of railroad lines, at the request of a Senator. The railway failed to progress, but the area around the water started to develop and a link to Tampa Bay was forged. In 1889 another Pier (the Railway) was constructed and reached between 2,000 and 3,000 feet into Tampa Bay. This allowed steamboats to dock in deep water. Later it became a tourist attraction and a bathing Pavillion was constructed. Some of the Pier was leased to open as a fishing business, and this industry grew quickly. By 1896 a second Pier was built, the Brantley Pier, and as bathing was taking off, another bathing pavilion was erected. The newspaper ‘The St. Petersburg Times’ advocated for waterfront use as a public park.
Another Pier the Electric Pier was wide and long and lit with light bulbs It also featured an electric trolly able to move both cargo and passengers down the Pier. In 1908 an Arch was added to the Pier by a new owner for the entrance, and a Spa was also added.
By 1913 St. Petersburgh built its first publicly funded Recreation Pier, near the Electric Pier, the $40,000 bond cost was authorized by a public vote, in an effort to boost tourism to the area. In 1921 there was a catastrophic hurricane the new Pier and Spa were destroyed and only pylons remained. It was decided that another Pier would have to be erected, as a Pier was a good tourist attraction, very much ‘of the era’ like Brighton Pier in the UK, Million Dollar Pier was opened, it extended way out into Tampa Bay.
A building on the Pier was a building called the Casino, with a grand Mediterranean look. It hosted a ballroom theater also an observation deck. In 1927, a new radio station operated from the building finally demolished in 1952, ending an era.
The New St. Petersburg Pier
The St Petersburg Pier had a problematic history involving lots of rebuilds, nothing lasts forever and since then there has been a huge improvement in building materials involving water. It was time for a new Pier and it was decided it was time to build and the plan was put into progress. It was to be completed in 1970 at a cost of $2 million dollars, and the design called the Inverted Pyramid Pier was chosen, an additional $800,000 was allocated and it opened in 1973 after delays and budget blowouts. It had a tube steel frame and large windows with amazing views. A large top floor contained an observation deck. A sculpture by Rockne Krebs, featuring a laser mirrored towards the town and reflecting with mirrors on to the Bay proved problematic. It was forced to shut down due to technical malfunctions.
In 1986 the Pier was again closed for renovation and reopened two years later. By 2004 the Pier had become too costly to be funded by the people of St. Petersburgh, and it was decided that a new Pier would be built in coming years, needing to be more cost-effective to maintain. This was not decided until 2009 when a new design was completed. The old Pyramid closed in May 2013.
St. Petersburg Pier Florida
In 2012 following a widely contested competition, a new design for the Pier was selected, called ‘The Lens’ it was a unanimous choice from many designs. The old structure was demolished. The Lens Project was ultimately abandoned, as it involved a reef in Tampa Bay, poor visibility would have deemed the reef unrealistic and dangerous.
In March 2016 a modified design for the Pier was presented and viewed positively by the council, given a few budget cuts. By 2017 the new building was beginning to take shape, the design is much better today and it was a very strong concrete base. The project was finally completed in May 2020 with gorgeous parklands extending along the Tampa Bay shoreline making the new St. Petersburgh Pier the beautiful destination it is today.
Summary
St. Petersburg pier is an absolute highlight for the St. Pete area. With a bustling atmosphere and cool vibe, there is so much there to do and some of exciting restaurants to try. After along day at the pier, why not go back to the Eiko’s Beach House, the crown jewel of Treasure Island. With you own private beach paradise, heated pool and personal hot tub, it could just be the vacation that you and your family are dreaming of.
