St. Pete Pier Design Competition Announced

ST. PETERSBURG - An international contest to design a new St. Petersburg Pier was announced Thursday, with the city pledging to pay $50,000 each to three finalists chosen by a panel of experts.

The two-phase competition is open to all to enter, with only three finalists allowed to advance to the second phase: the design itself.

Here's how it works: To be considered, participants must first register at the Competition website by July 8 and fill out a Statement of Qualifications by July 19. The applications are evaluated by the five-member panel.

The winning three will be "invited" to enter the design phase.

During stage two, the three teams will submit their design  concepts, and each will receive a $50,000 "honorarium."  It is anticipated that a final plan will be approved and contract negotiations will begin with the accepted team early next year.

The five-member panel that has the august duty of choosing the design for the St. Pete landmark includes two local leaders and three experts with extensive backgrounds in building, design and urban redevelopment.

The panel was approved by the City Council. The jury is composed of an elected official from the city, a community representative appointed by the mayor and three qualified professionals from outside of Florida.

The following information on the panelists was excerpted from the Competition website:

• Stanley Saitowitz, San Francisco, CA Emeritus Professor of Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, and Principal of Stanley Saitowitz/ Natoma Architects Inc.
• James Moore, Ph.D., AIA, AICP, LEED AP, Tampa:
  Senior Vice President and the national Community Planning & Urban Design Principal for HDR, a full-service architecture, engineering, planning and consulting company. He is a licensed architect, certified planner and LEED Accredited Professional.
• Susan S. Fainstein, Ph.D., Boston, MA
  Professor Fainstein received her A.B. from Harvard University, her M.A. from Boston University, and her Ph.D. in political science from MIT. She joined the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 2006 as a professor of urban planning. Her book, "The Just City," was published last summer by Cornell University Press.
• Leslie Curran, Council Member and former Chair, St. Petersburg City Council: Curran is the owner of Interior Motives, an art gallery and design business on Central Avenue. She is a founding member of Historic Kenwood Neighborhood Association and instrumental in the formation of several neighborhood organizations throughout the city.
• Ken Welch, Pinellas County Commissioner: Welch was born in St. Petersburg and attended local schools, graduating from Lakewood Senior High School. He holds a B.A. degree in Accounting from the University of South Florida, and a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Florida A&M University.