St. Petersburg officials have released the results of their survey on which of seven designs for the new Pier residents like most.
The St. Pete Design Group's Destination St. Pete Pier received the most votes at 10,751. The proposal keeps and expands the existing pyramid and surrounds it with contemporary elements, multi-leveled layers of shade and a waterfall.
The Pier Park came in a distant second with 6,800 votes followed by the Blue Pier design with 4,700.
The results are non-binding, but Mayor Rick Kriseman's pier selection committee will consider the numbers when deciding which design teams will stay in the running for the $46 million project.
"Public input is extremely important," said Kristin Brett, Pier spokesperson. "However, they have a lot of other very important factors to weigh in, such as the cost, the technical design, the expertise of the design teams, environmental concerns, permitting concerns, the list it pretty long."
State law requires the the committee to rank no fewer than three teams. The City Council will then be asked to authorize contract negotiations with the No. 1 team.
Other factors the committee - and, eventually, City Council - must consider are maintenance and operating costs and permitting.
Although there is region-wide interest in the Pier, only adult residents of St. Petersburg were allowed to participate in the survey. The Pier finalists will be named March 20.