St. Pete Greenlights Demolition of Jungle Prada Pier, Sparking...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — In the wake of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Helene, the Jungle Prada community in West St. Petersburg has rallied together with a mission: to restore their beloved pier.

Antonio Monroe, a frequent visitor to the Jungle Prada Pier and Boat Ramp, shared his fondness for the site.

“We’ve enjoyed many walks there. It’s a beautiful spot, especially if you enjoy fishing. I really hope it reopens soon,” Monroe expressed.

Since the hurricane struck in 2024, the pier has remained inaccessible due to significant damage. Visible from the shore, the damage is a constant reminder for locals who believe restoration is long overdue.

“I think it’s a little ridiculous, honestly. But I mean, I get it. You know, money is tight and they put money everywhere else, maybe not in the right places, in my opinion. But, you know, we use this so often that we would like to see this done,” Monroe said.

The St. Pete City Council knows about the pier conditions. Thursday, they passed a consent agenda item approving more than $1 million for its demolition. In a post on the “Residents of West St. Petersburg” Facebook group, council member Copley Gerdes addressed the matter.

“I have spent countless hours in conversation with City Staff, the Mayor, and the Mayor’s team, about what it will take to rebuild the pier. At the same time, my first responsibility has been ensuring residents were safe and able to return to their homes,” Gerdes said on Facebook.

Gerdes also said the council will expect a separate proposal for a new pier to be brought forward for consideration at a later date.

“I am with you on this. I know the importance of the Jungle Prada Pier, and I will continue pushing, consistently and persistently, for its rebuilding,” Gerdes said.

Jungle Prada Neighborhood Association President Juliana Fisher said she’s concerned about the plan.

“At this point, we don’t have any commitment on what may or may not go back here. The city has suggested that due to some of the constraints, we may end up with a shorter structure. We can see here that this is a pretty standard low tide and we have you know, there’s more than 50% of the pier that doesn’t have water underneath it,” Fisher said.

She said they’re looking into state environmental funds, historical structure grants, or whatever the can to bring the pier back.

“We all know that government grinds very slowly. We might run into some challenges of rebuilding any structure here, if we take this down without a path forward,” Fisher said.

Monroe said he hopes city leaders understand and make a move.

“It’s just sitting there is a hazard. You know, somebody walks in there, little kids, you know, teenagers are going to get hurt. Why not fix it so we can enjoy it?” Monroe said.

Fisher said she hopes the city will also work with the neighborhood associations to find a path forward. Right now, it’s unclear when demolition will start.

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St. Pete Greenlights Demolition of Jungle Prada Pier, Sparking Resident Calls for Restoration

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