St. Pete photographer Joey Vadder put together a short video documenting the St. Pete Pier demolitions so far and you have to see it. Even if you’re a Pier Park supporter, it’ll bring a tear to your eye.
The video shows a close up image of the Pier behind the sealed off fences. The structure is shown still mostly intact with piles of ruble from the beginning stages of demolition surrounding it, particularly on the south side of the inverted pyramid.
The colors on the Pier are still fairly vibrant, but show the lack of maintenance resulting from the past two years of being closed for business. Trees still line the approach and the patio areas surrounding the inverted pyramid. They stand in planters looking completely unknowing of the chaos ensuing around them.
The image then pans out down the approach toward downtown as the inverted pyramid shrinks in the background. It’s a symbolic sort of goodbye to a structure that has stood as an icon of the downtown St. Pete waterfront for more than 40 years.
Vadder succeeds in showing us what, so far, we’ve only been able to get a glimpse of from the Pelican and Dolphin Parking Lots and Spa Beach.
The image, moving forward, will only continue to deteriorate. The City estimates demolition of the inverted pyramid will take about 60-days. So, with each passing day, more and more of the iconic structure will be razed.
The video comes after a Friday evening celebration of the Pier’s future and an homage to its past drew more than 600 residents. The City had 250 commemorative brick pavers to hand out. The number represented their anticipated turnout.
During remarks at the event, St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman said the turnout was a reflection of a city excited for the future of St. Pete’s new Pier – Pier Park.
Check out the video.
