ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Work on the new St. Pete Pier is about to get more visible. Up until now, it's been mostly underwater.
The cranes over the water have become a staple of the downtown waterfront for the past year as pilings are put in to provide the support for the exciting things to come above ground.
It's hard to see the progress just standing on the ground, but when you take to the air, you can really see how far the city has come in building the new St. Pete Pier.
Construction will continue on the piles and the deck out over the water for some time, but they are about to start work on the land side or the pier approach and that will lead to some noticeable changes.
"May 1 we are going to move the fence that provides the security for the site to Bayshore, so we're going to take over the entire site, said city architect Raul Quintana. "There's still going to be access to the museum and the marina.
"However, you're going to dramatically see it ramp up towards the land. We're going to take out the existing pavement and the parking."
The entire project is made up of some pretty cool experiences as you head out onto the main pier including a welcome plaza, custom designed playground, a garden, picnic area and a restaurant.
The St. Petersburg City Council will be making some decisions on some key issues with the pier at their meeting Thursday morning. Here's a link to the agenda.
Updated renderings of the new St. Pete Pier
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