The long-awaited St. Pete Pier™ and the St. Pete Pier District opened to the public this week. The 26-acre engineering feat is designed to celebrate the city’s historic connection to the waterfront and marks the latest arrival of a gleaming attraction in the city’s picturesque downtown—ringing in a new era for this world-class city. As an entirely new district, this latest iteration of a pier employs the technology and innovative aesthetics of a new generation and newly vibrant city.

Redefining the capabilities and features of a modern pier, this entertainment district is an extension of St. Pete's bustling city center, offering a picturesque urban beach area, a vast, design-forward children’s playground, variety of dining spots, seasonal marketplace with local vendors, tree laden walkways and hidden copses, an ecotourism center and so much more. From children to seniors, nature lovers to art enthusiasts, fishermen to foodies – the St. Pete Pier has something for everyone.

“St. Petersburg’s icon has long been our public waterfront, one of the largest in North America. The new pier is an extension of our icon and is sure to draw both residents and visitors from all over the world” said Mayor Rick Kriseman, City of St. Petersburg. “Further, it is truly a pier for all people, with so much to enjoy regardless of income. It is a gift to our residents and future generations.”

From its earliest days in the late 1800s, St. Petersburg and its pier have been intricately linked. There have been many iterations of a pier over the years. In the last decade, St. Pete has become one of the hottest cultural, artistic, culinary and environmentally conscious destinations in the world, and it is getting a new Pier to match.

St. Petersburg has become one of the most recognized cultural hubs in the Southeast. And downtown St. Pete is its epicenter. Featuring museums devoted to artistic legends like Dalí and Chihuly and street after street adorned by colorful murals both large and small, it is easy to see why “Art Shines Here.” The St. Pete Pier and Pier District will be no exception. Not only is the pier itself a work of art, but it hosts installations from four internationally renowned artists: Janet Echelman, Xenobia Bailey, Nick Ervinck and Nathan Mabry. Art installation images here. The Pier District contains two projects, the Pier by Rogers and Team and the Pier Approach by W Architecture and Landscape Architecture and team. The Pier Approach contains the play area, the Janet Echelman art work, the Marketplace and the Doc Fords Restaurant.

The pier represents a significant civic investment by the City of St. Petersburg in the city’s bright future. The latest pier is the result of close collaboration between several internationally renowned and local designers. Under the guidance of the City of St. Petersburg and Mayor Rick Kriseman, along with the design team Rogers Partners, ASD|SKY, and Ken Smith Workshop collaborated with builder SKANSKA and pier management to accomplish the vision for a new and revitalized waterfront experience.

It is the City of St. Petersburg's goal to provide a safe and entertaining exPIERience for all individuals. The Center for Disease Control and the City of St. Petersburg recommend wearing a mask or cloth face covering when social distancing is not possible. We encourage visitors to the pier to wear a mask whether indoors or outdoors; however, local directives require masks to be worn when inside places of public assembly, such as restaurants. This will be enforced within the St. Pete Pier District.

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