ST. PETERSBURG – Demolition of The Pier, slated to begin this summer, could be postponed as a new task force makes plans for the future of the iconic structure.
An August referendum on whether to cancel the construction of the controversial Lens project, the $50-million design the city chose to replace the aging inverted pyramid building and the pier approach, could complicate the city’s ability to obtain demolition permits, Mayor Bill Foster said at a press conference this morning. Those permits are issued in conjunction with construction permits.
“We may reach a scenario where we won’t get a demolition permit until we get an idea of what’s going out there,” Foster said.
Foster also announced the formation of a task force that will develop a process for planning a new pier in the event the Lens contract is cancelled. That group, called the 828 Alliance, includes members of the Stop the Lens campaign, Lens supporters and community leaders.
Foster said he stands by his opinion that the current inverted pyramid could not be salvaged within the city’s $50-million budget but that he is open to considering any options recommended by the new task force.
Source: TBO
