1970s
The Pier, St. Petersburg (1973)
Love it or hate it, The Pier has been St. Pete’s icon for ages. The crisp, geometric inverted pyramid presents visitors and locals with the visual message that the community has moved beyond its Med Rev roots. Five stories of restaurants and shopping attract people to venture out over the water where the glass walls reveal spectacular views from all sides. Strikingly bold when it was first created, The Pier was the first of several strong moves by the city to employ design as an economic development catalyst.