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Committee set to select designer for St. Pete Pier approach

 
Published Oct. 16, 2015

Five design teams are competing for the $20 million project.

They include the designers of Pier Park, which will replace the inverted pyramid and its supporting structures. The team — ASD of Tampa, Rogers Partners Architects and Urban Designers and Ken Smith Landscape Architect of New York — was selected for the $46 million Pier project in May.

Also vying for what is being called the Pier Approach project:

• W Architecture and Landscape Architecture of New York, which is teaming with local firm Wannemacher Jensen.

• Civitas of Denver, which redesigned Tampa's Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park and is working with St. Petersburg's Mesh Architecture.

• AECOM, consultant for the recently approved Downtown Waterfront Master Plan.

• Alfonso Architects of Tampa, which is designing the city's $70 million American Arts and Crafts Movement Museum.

The committee making the selection includes both city staff and civic leaders.

From the city, they are chairman Dave Goodwin, planning and economic development director; Thomas B. Gibson, interim public works administrator; Liz Abernathy, zoning official, and Cheryl Stacks, manager of transportation and parking management.

Those from the community are Justin Bean, St. Petersburg Young Professionals; Phil Graham, Waterfront Parks Foundation and landscape architect, and Ross Preville, St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Waterfront Master Plan Taskforce.

In keeping with state law, the committee will rank at least three design teams based on their qualifications to do the project. Criteria will include background and experience, design approach and plans for community input.

Contract negotiations with the top-ranked team are scheduled to take place in November and December. The City Council is expected to be asked to approve a contract in January.

Contact Waveney Ann Moore at wmoore@tampabay.com or (727) 892-2283. Follow @wmooretimes.