ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) _ Demolition of St. Petersburg’s downtown, inverted pyramid-shaped pier is imminent.
The Tampa Bay Times reports the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it could issue a permit to tear down the 1973 structure as early as this week.
The City Council approved $5.2 million for initial work on a replacement project and a construction fence went up.
But demolition plans were brought to an abrupt halt when the corps said St. Petersburg needed its permission to tear down the entire structure because it spans a body of water. Additionally, a permit couldn’t be issued before an agreement had been signed by the corps, the city and the state historic
preservation office. That process is now complete.
Demolition is expected to take six months.