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Civic Space Park – ULI Americas Awards for Excellence Finalist
Learn more about 2022 ULI Americas Awards for Excellence Finalist, Civic Space Park (Phoenix, AZ).
St. Pete Pier – ULI Americas Awards for Excellence Winner
May 11, 2022
Photo By City of St. Petersburg
The Pier was integral to the St. Petersburg Downtown Waterfront Master plan, whose vision is “to protect, enhance, and promote St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront as one of the premier waterfront destinations and attractions in the United States.”
Photo By Earthscape Play
Designed by one of the premier playground companies in North America, the Glazer Family Playground provides a nautical-themed play adventure for children ages 2 to 12. The focus is on natural and non-prescriptive play, engaging kids (and adults!) in a unique and creative way. The Committee to Advocate for Persons with Impairments in St. Petersburg helped ensure an inclusive design for people with disabilities.
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
Developer: City of St. Petersburg, Florida
Designers: Rogers Partners + Urban Designers; ASD | SKY; Ken Smith Workshop; W Architecture and Landscape Architecture; Wannemacher Jensen Architects
Site Size: 26 Acres
Photo By City of St. Petersburg
Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is a lively, waterfront dining experience on the south side of the Pier and adjacent to new short-term boat docks and one of the Pier’s two parking lots. Doc Ford’s takes its name from the main character in 27 novels by Randy Wayne White.
The St. Pete Pier™ is a unique public entity in today’s world, comprising 26 acres of St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront, including 5 acres over open water. The 8th Pier in city history, it is an asset owned by the city for over 130 years. In 2005, it was determined that the pilings under the Pier had decayed, and the existing Pier would need to be replaced. That launched a 15-year process culminating in the current project.
Photo By Rich Montalbano
The Pier Head building, with spectacular views at each of its four levels, hosts a rooftop bar, a restaurant, café, gift shop, bait shop and huge fishing deck.
The goals of the project were developed with an enormous amount of public input. A community group identified 10 Key Elements, including fishing, observation, dining, shopping, playground, marine education, passive recreation and event space. All design decisions were made with these key elements in mind.
The Pier consists of a beach, playground, splash pad, 5 dining concepts, an environmental education center, a market, event spaces, waterfront promenade, public art and acres of green space. Additionally, the Pier has over 80 events per year and many outdoor classes, such as yoga and spin. Despite opening during a national pandemic which continues to this day, the Pier has far exceeded any attendance projections, with over 2.5 million visitors annually.
Photo By City of St. Petersburg
The Splash Pad gives kids of all ages a place to cool off and have some fun. At night, the Splash pad transforms to a lighted water feature, offering a dazzling display for visitors.
The St. Petersburg community has had a 100+ year-long love affair with its Piers. The Pier serves as the gateway to the city at the city’s shoreline. It seamlessly blends into the city proper and, in addition to the delight of residents and visitors, has contributed greatly to the continued economic vitality of St. Petersburg.