News 'Lens' Images, Design Documents Released

What was once billed as an underwater garden marina has evolved into a lighting display at the center of the "Lens" pier design, according to documents released by Michael Maltzan Architecture Friday night. 

According to "Lens' design documents: 

"Our lighting strategy is to present the water as the main attraction of the new pier. An organic atmosphere inspired by bioluminescence will highlight the marina and pier water enclosures as the features where other programs revolve around.

Supporting this will be the circulation aspect where the drive and brigs loop around and solidify the journey along the water.

Subtle lighting touches for the amenities and other area well serve as a backdrop to the strong presence of the water and the circulation pattern." 

The "Lens", what is now being called the New St. Petersburg Pier, is the $50 million project slated to replace the existing inverted pyramid. 

On May 2, council will be voting on a $1.54 million transfer to the general fund for the "design development phase" of the "Lens" and for Skanska USA Builders to continue providing pre-construction phase services. Another $75,000 will be voted on for additional fees for Skanska.

"Lens" design changes noted in the Maltzan Schematic Design report. 

• The Welcome Mat turn-around has been reduced from 160’ to 120’.
• The Hub platform has increased in size from 19,100 to 21,000 square feet.
•  The program area allotted on the Hub has been increased from 3,875 to 7,500 square feet "in response to the restaurant interest."
• The Marina is now circular and has a diameter of 220.
• The Promontory has increased in size from 18,050 to 22,900 square feet.
• The location of the proposed Promontory Grill has changed from South side of the Overwater Drive, along the outer, “bay-side” edge of the Promontory, to the North side of the Overwater Drive along the inner, “lensside” edge of the Promontory. 
• The proposed Promontory Grill has been increased from 1,800 to 3,200 square feet.
• The top of the Canopy has been increased from 86’ to +104’

To view the rest of the "Lens" design documents and schematic design report, click here.

According to the report:

"In these past few months the team has achieved a number of milestones. Among them, the execution of an extensive geotechnical investigation of the area of the proposed pier, the completion of both land and underwater sonar surveys, wind and wave studies, inspection of the existing caissons below the inverted pyramid building, a detailed evaluation of relevant building codes, the construction and evaluation of an exhaustive egress model, and commissioning of a wind-load study on the canopy.

In addition of these reports and surveys, the Architecture and Engineering team has engaged experts in the field of metallurgy and material science to evaluate the canopy and its assembly to ensure the project’s 75-year service life. All to these reports are made available in Sections 2 and 4 of this document respectively."

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