The Pier, St. Petersburg's iconic waterfront landmark for 42 years, is fast becoming a memory at the hands of a high-reach excavator. The structure by award-winning architect William B. Harvard Sr. could be gone by the end of October. In coming months, look for the area around the flattened inverted pyramid and the bridge leading to it to also disappear. A new $46 million attraction called Pier Park will take its place. Plans call for linking Pier Park to the city's bustling downtown with a $20 million project that will include a grand entryway, pedestrian art promenade, art bridge, open-air market and two restaurants. Construction of Pier Park is scheduled to begin early in 2017. — Waveney Ann Moore
Also in October, seagrass near Albert Whitted Aiport will be marked in preparation for shoreline restoration. Concrete from the pier approach and pier deck will be trucked to the airport for the restoration.
The $3.2 million demolition project by Sonny Glasbrenner of Clearwater is expected to be complete by February.
Construction of Pier Park is scheduled to begin early in 2017 and continue into 2018.
This live feed is provided by Squaremouth, a local company with headquarters overlooking the historic St. Petersburg Pier. A high definition camera provides a live video feed of the Pier, from demolition of the current structure to construction of the new Pier Park. More information can be found here: www.squaremouth.com/st-petersburg-pier-cam