We should soon be hearing from that jury charged with ranking the three finalists in St. Petersburg’s replace-the-old-Pier competition. Would that one of the finalists were advocating something more traditional, something that would truly complement–architecturally, aesthetically, historically and commercially–Beach Drive and downtown. Something that would have underscored true choice–not just a choice among would-be icons.
And speaking of, didn’t “icon” labels used to be reserved for, well, the truly iconic? They were earned, not ordered up. The (un-inverted) Pyramids, the Eiffel Tower, the Liberty Bell, the Alamo. The Wave, the Eye, the Lens?
Perhaps St. Pete needs to focus more on financial viability and integration into downtown identity–and less on gimmick.