After six months of construction, the new St. Petersburg Pier is starting to take shape.

  • New pier expected to be completed in early 2019
  • Spectrum Bay News 9 offered exclusive look on Wednesday
  • Support systems, foundations in place for Pier

On Wednesday, Spectrum Bay News 9 was given exclusive access to the construction site where crews got a chance to be among the first to walk on the pier bridge as workers continue to pour concrete.

"We've got support systems going in," said St. Petersburg city architect Raul Quintana.

"We've got foundations for the tilted lawn going in. Sea wall going in, so we want to walk you through it," Quintana said.

The exclusive tour went underneath the pier bridge construction where we saw the new pilings that will hold up the entire pier structure. Finally, crews took a boat tour out to the pier head where the future iconic structure will be built.

Most of the pilings are in place while next to it remain the footers that once held up the inverted pyramid.

Quintana says what some people will notice most once the pier is completed is the city's skyline when they turn and look back at it from the pier head.

"We haven't been able to see it from this perspective," he said. "And the city has grown.”

Construction of the new pier is expected to be completed in early 2019.