The Kriseman Administration's plans to develop the uplands around the "New" St. Pete Pier never seemed like a good concept.
Packing
more stuff into an area that is more noted for its inherent beauty and
peacefulness than the hustle and bustle of a theme park is more shortsighted
than practical.
The
headlong rush by the Kriseman administration to create a $20 million millennial
play ground to entice more downtown development is questionable in light of the
aging and insufficient downtown infrastructure to support that development.
Pause
on development
Virtually
anyone you talk with in town or read about in the Times is against developing
the uplands area of the pier. The president of the Waterfront Parks
Foundation put it
so well in his letter. The intention of our ancestors who established the
public waterfront is clear: Keep it open and public. What part of this does the
Rick Kriseman administration and City Council not understand? I am a native of
St. Petersburg and try my best to help people get past their anger about how
the sewage overflow problem is not front and center. If it were, a pause would
be in place on any development on the waterfront.
Having
participated in the numerous pier envisioning sessions, it was clear then as
now that development of the uplands is not wanted. As it stands, only a
relative handful of people will benefit from the present plan. The rest of us
will have to look at a bunch of big structures and even a parking garage, all
the while avoiding the whole area because of a stressed and dated sewage
system.
Ivylyn
Harrell, St. Petersburg
The
whole concept of City-owned commercial space, especially for restaurants is a
mistake. Check out Sylvia's in Charlie Frago's Tampa Bay Times piece; Sylvia's in Midtown St. Petersburg struggles to avoid eviction.
I have
to agree. I have yet to meet anyone in favor of the uplands development that
doesn't have a financial interest in the project,
If
Kriseman was interested in creating a vital and vibrant downtown, he would slow
down development and invest the taxpayer's money in a major overhaul of
downtown water, sewer and streets along with a reconditioning of the south east
water treatment plant.
While
not all bright and shiny, it would be a legacy that would be remembered.
The big
driver in all of this is the $20 million that unexpectedly showed up from the
County. Being a good Democrat Kriseman could not resist the temptation to
enhance his weak and controversial Pier decision by expanding the concept all
the way to Beach Drive. Somehow this extra $20 million would make all things
Pier better.
"The
whole idea should be to protect and expand our water front Parks," former
St. Pete Mayor Rick Baker recently told me.
I do
not see how the uplands development comes close to meeting that objective.
E-mail
Doc at mail to:
dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send
me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment
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