Politics & Government

Mayor Foster Announces New Pier Alliance

The 828 Alliance will begin work on a new pier selection process after July 4.

On Aug. 28, Mayor Bill Foster expects to be standing on the steps of City Hall raising a glass to toast the future of the St. Petersburg Pier. 

That future could be Michael Maltzan's "Lens" pier design, or it could be the start of another process to chose a new St. Petersburg Pier. 

Foster announced Wednesday the creation of the "828 Alliance," which is tasked with creating a process to choose a new pier by Aug. 28, because Foster said it is crucial the city has a vision by then. 

The group will not choose a pier design itself, just create a process for a new pier design to be chosen. 

"Having no pier is not an option," Foster said Wednesday. "We will have a pier and recognize this over 100-year tradition of having a pier in St. Petersburg. 

On Aug. 27, voters in St. Pete will vote on the city's contract with Maltzan to build the "Lens." Should it be defeated, Foster said the 828 Alliance would help the city continue public engagement momentum to ensure St. Pete does not go without a pier for a long period of time. 

"They’ve exercised their right at public forums and debates," Foster said of the public's interest in the pier. "And people are engaged and I don’t want to lose that momentum."

The newly formed pier group's meetings will be open to the public and subject to Florida Sunshine laws. No meetings have been scheduled yet. 

"Their mission for July and August is to come up with an all inclusive process so on Aug. 28 we haven’t lost a step," Foster said.

While the city continues to seek demolition permits for the inverted pyramid, Foster said it is possible the new group recommends saving the structure. 

Foster said the city may reach a point when "we won’t get a demolition permit until we get an idea of what’s going out there."

The 828 Alliance will include members from both Stop the Lens and the St. Petersburg Chamber. Those groups have and will continue to campaign as such, been on opposite sides of the "Lens" debate. 

"We welcome the opportunity to participate and try to unite the city," said chairman of Concerned Citizens of St. Pete Fred Whaley. 

Members of the 828 Alliance: David Punzack (President of St. Pete Chamber), Shirley O'Sullivan ("Lens" advocate), Bud Riser (Stop the Lens), Fred Whaley (Stop the Lens), Rob Kapusta (President of the Downtown Partnership), Susan Jezek (Urban Land Institute), Ed Montanari (Pier Task Force Chairman), Bob Churuti (Beach Drive Merchants), James Jackson Jr. (City of Tampa's Architect), Phil Graham (Landscape Architect) and Dr. Bill Hogarth (Former Dean of Marine Sciences of USF and former chancellor of USF St. Pete).


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