In many local publications, including our own, the initial reaction to the recently announced St. Pete Pier design finalists was, to put it mildly, a bit testy. It remains to be seen how much bang we will get for our 50 million bucks with any of these designs. But if you'd like to take a closer look, the models and renderings will be on display to the public through the end of the month at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. Meanwhile, consider the comments reprinted below from Arielle Stevenson's Daily Loaf blog post.
And speaking of feedback, the Bay was abuzz after Men's Health rated St. Pete as the saddest city in the country, with Tampa ranked only a few notches higher. You can read Nathan Schwagler's response in News & Views on p.11; we'll only point out that the helpful researcher suggested that, as a solution for our sadness, we should "Find some green." Right. Maybe we can, I don't know, walk five minutes to a waterfront park or something.
But you have to admit; the article got people talking. The comments on the magazine's website ran the gamut, from authentically depressed-sounding St. Petersburgers to all-out boosters to the more nuanced response we reprint below.
And one more thing: You've got only one more week to bid in Creative Loafing's Online Holiday Auction for the benefit of The Children's Home. Bidding closes at 5 p.m. Wed. Dec. 14, and there are still plenty of great deals waiting to be had. (We can't wait to see who wins the cover.) —David Warner
Re "St. Pete Pier designs: What do you think?" by Arielle Stevenson, Nov. 30:
First impressions of the three pier redesign submissions: Un-St. Pete, Unwelcoming, overthought, nonfunctional. The emphasis on beaches is silly and senseless for this particular body of water. Our city should not be home to meaningless architecture for architecture's sake. This is not Dubai.
Posted by Kevin
Gross.... All three... I live a few blocks from the Pier and love seeing the colored light on the pier at night. I know we need a new Pier, but why not rebuild a newer, better design like the current Pier?
Posted by davidhampson
It's time the bay area had some more contemporary and risky architecture. It's not every day (or year for that matter) that this area gets an opportunity to move forward in its aesthetic appeal in a public place. Why would you play it safe and build something that looks [like] something that already exists somewhere else? If we really believe and want this area to have a unique appeal, we need to not be afraid to take risks and shy away from pseudo-Mediterranean designs and remnants of mediocre '80s architecture. At least these designs possess something that 99% of the structures in the bay area lack: imagination.
Posted by whopaintedthelion
All three designs fail to capture the history, climate and culture of our area. Some would say this is "Modern" architecture, I would merely call it inept. Architecture is not sculpture and truly great architecture has plenty of imagination. I am not advocating for typical Florida builder schlock (called pseudo-Mediterranean above), but a return to something of the character and quailty of the 1920s St Pete pier would be a step in the right direction. Let's not settle for starchitecture that other cities wouldn't accept, we are not beggars.
Posted by GKR
I like the lens — it's the only one that doesn't incorporate swimming in the bay. Plus it gives a great way to exercise. The interaction with the water via a reef is awesome!
Posted by kl33703
Re America' Saddest Cities: Frown Towns, in Men's Health, Nov. 28:
This article IS hilarious...a coworker told me the city I live is the least happy, so I had to come look. My wife and I live in the supposed "worst" part (Southside) of this "unhappiest" city — and we are plenty happy. The people are peaceable down here and I would go so far as to say this is the ONLY friendly coastal city in Central Florida. Compared to Tampa, we are like a Mother Teresa Impersonators convention. People are warm, polite and very easygoing. While I will admit we do have a large contingent of zero-pride Section 8-style tenants (I manage properties, I am intimately involved in the lives of a certain type of tenant's lives...) and concomitant joblessness... No one in that zone owns anything, no assets, no pride, dim hope. Cause, effect, you argue that, but the point is — it is what it is at this time. BUT — this is almost entirely corralled in one donut hole southwest of Downtown. I live on the Southside amongst all this, though, and my area is just fine. Plenty of charm, manners, and easygoing cheer. St Pete is block by block. It really is. Some blocks are just fabulous and yet the next one down is clearly more "non-owner-occupied" to euphemize it. Anyhow, this is a city of aging ex-hippies, tons of liberals, gays, and a huge African-American contingent (the whole "where old people go to die" stereotype isn't true... the true character is in the beginning of this sentence). All of it very peaceable on the whole. It's a unique and VERY vibrant city. I may be a conservative none-of-the-above, but I adore it and wouldn't take anywhere else in the region over it.
Posted by SirMatt
