St. Pete Pier Named A Top Urban Design Project In Americas: City

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The St. Pete Pier was named one of the 10 winners of the Urban Land Institute’s 2022 Americas Awards for Excellence, which honors top urban design projects.

The pier was the only design in the Southeastern United States to win the award, according to a news release from the city.

“What better way to celebrate (two) years of the St. Pete Pier than with international recognition…as the highest award, from the highest-level organization, for South, Central and North America. We're not stopping there! We are now in the running for ULI's Global Awards for Excellence,” according to the destination’s Facebook page.

The 26-acre waterfront district includes public art — including “Bending Arc," Janet Echelman's net scupture — Spa Beach, restaurants and bars, the Glazer Family Playground, the St. Petersburg Museum of History, and the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center.

The St. Pete Pier opened in 2020 after it was initially slated for a 2018 opening, according to WUSF. The destination was determined to no longer be structurally sound in 2005, launching a 15-year revitalization project.

As a finalist for the global award, the St. Pete Pier will compete against projects in Europe and Asia. The winner will be announced ahead of the organization’s fall meeting.

ULI launched its Awards for Excellence program in 1979 to recognize development projects in the private, public and nonprofit sectors.

“This is an incredible, meaningful accomplishment for our city and our iconic waterfront. The ULI Awards for Excellence win puts the St. Pete Pier on the map as a world class destination for residents and visitors alike,” Mayor Ken Welch said. “Now we will compete on the global stage, providing further opportunity to showcase our great city and this amazing attraction.”

Across the Americas, 68 projects and programs were submitted for consideration in the competition this year. An 11-member jury of development, finance, planning, urban design, architecture, and landscape architecture experts selected21 finalists. After the jury visited the projects and spoke with the teams behind them, they named 10 winners.