In 2014, the City of St. Petersburg mayor appointed a Pier Working Group to prioritize a new or renovated pier to replace its 1973 predecessor. The city’s requirements for this project included integrating the pier into the city’s downtown waterfront, connecting multi-modal transportation options, and adding observation, recreation, and leisure areas. Most importantly, the new local landmark should honor the icon’s 131-year-old history and attract a younger generation as part of a larger 26-acre Pier District redevelopment project. In addition, the city also asked that this project incorporate environmentally friendly and resiliency elements to ensure this new landmark could stand the aggressive ocean environment.

In order to ensure the pier met these requirements, the construction team included Argos Portland-Limestone Cement (PLC) Type IL and Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) in most of their concrete mix designs. The use of PLC Type IL cement offered a better environmentally friendly alternative while still ensuring the same performance as Type I-II.

This 92 million dollar project comprised 425 new piles, each measuring 24 in. by 24 in. and 75 ft. in length, drilled-shaft foundations ranging in scope from 36 in. in diameter and 30 ft deep, to 66 in. in diameter and 40 ft deep, each—all supporting a brand new 148,000-sq-ft concrete deck. In total, the project required 12,000 CY of Ready Mix Concrete.