The new St. Pete Pier is coming along nicely, at least according to the latest aerial footage. Solar panels, trees, the Discovery Center, and more are being primed for a 2020 debut.
I know it’s a divisive subject in the St. Petersburg community. Some residents believe the new Pier is unnecessary, while others are itching to visit the new restaurants, shops, and green space. In my opinion, I think the Pier is a fantastic addition to the burgeoning downtown area.
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While I do reserve a fondness for the inverted pyramid (seeing that structure is my earliest memory of the ‘Burg) I’m excited for the future of St. Pete’s waterfront.
ICYMI: Starting in late December, installation will begin on the colorful, dramatic, giant net sculpture, designed by artist Janet Echelman, that will reside in the Family Park area of the Pier District.
To learn more, visit: https://t.co/llzRaWhHpv pic.twitter.com/M3ubl4KB4n
— St. Pete Pier™ (@StPetePier) November 27, 2019
Renowned artist brings ethereal net to the Pier
That excitement is escalated by the imminent arrival of Janet Echelman’s sculpture. Crews began laying the foundation for the sculpture in the summer. Tall white poles have since been installed that will support Echleman’s ethereal net sculpture.
Echelman was commissioned to design aerial sculpture for the Pier District. A Tampa Bay native, her work has been celebrated for enlivening cities on five continents. She creates experiential sculptures that transform wind and light.
Among Echelman’s inspirations are historic postcards featuring local beachgoers with striped parasols, and the natural forms of barnacle colonies underneath the Pier.
You have to see it for yourself.🤗🌴 pic.twitter.com/cY8KfwRHaV
— St. Pete Pier™ (@StPetePier) November 5, 2019
Construction on Marketplace to begin soon
Echelman is a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Harvard University Loeb Fellowship, and the Aspen Institute Crown Fellowship. The artist also received the Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award in Visual Arts, honoring “the greatest innovators in America today.”
Keep up with all Pier construction updates by following the New St. Pete Pier online.
Vendor stalls for the local marketplace at the Pier are also set to be installed this winter. Could we be dining and relaxing on the St. Pete Pier this spring?
Need more art news? The Factory St. Pete will soon be home to Keep St. Pete Lit, Daddy Kool Records, and an immersive old Florida art experience, Fairgrounds.
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