A Brief Pier-to-Pier History

Early Days

Business piers in downtown St. Petersburg, FL, were first constructed in 1889 to accommodate both freight and passenger services. Over the years, these piers underwent multiple reconstructions, often following hurricane damage.

In 1913, the city of St. Petersburg constructed its first municipal pier, the Municipal Recreation Pier, following voter approval of a $40,000 bond. This pier aimed to boost tourism, enhance city parks, and provided a space dedicated exclusively to recreational activities. Nearby business piers gradually declined, with the last public constructed pier being demolished in 1952.

Following hurricane damage, the Municipal Recreation Pier was replaced in 1926 by the Million Dollar Pier, named for its $998,729.18 construction cost. At its end stood the Casino, a structure featuring Mediterranean Revival architecture. The Million Dollar Pier was ultimately demolished in 1967.

The Inverted Pyramid Pier

The $4 million Inverted Pyramid Pier opened in January 1973, named for its striking architectural design that minimized obstruction of Tampa Bay views. Over time, the pier’s surroundings were transformed into landscaped parks and tourist attractions. The pier quickly became a major draw for both visitors and local residents.

By 2004, the city found the pier’s maintenance costs unsustainable and decided to replace it. What followed was a lengthy, often contentious decision-making process. The Inverted Pyramid Pier buildings officially closed in 2013.

Despite the closure of the buildings, the pier itself remained popular with walkers. Meanwhile, debates over a suitable replacement persisted.

The buildings stayed closed and abandoned until the pier’s demolition in late 2015.

The new pier

Construction of the replacement pier did not begin until 2018. As part of the city’s $76 million Pier Park project, the new pier officially opened in July 2020.

The closed Inverted Pyramid in 2015:

February 19, 2026…
with images taken in February 2015

Thanks for visiting!

Click/tap here to see a post of the NEW pier, taken in 2021.

Click/ here to view full-size, no-watermark, images at www.ImagesByBill.us

(comments are welcome)

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