At its Thursday meeting, the St. Petersburg City Council unanimously voted to explore a City-initiated historic designation for the Williams Park Bandshell. The structure, which replaced a previous bandstand, was built in 1954.
Council member Gina Driscoll submitted the request. She has been a key supporter of the Williams Park Improvement Project, which is a collaboration between the City of St. Petersburg and the Williams Park Partnership. One of the core aspects of the effort is preserving and future-proofing the bandshell.
“The renovations are moving along well and we expect that they will be completed in the next couple of months,” Driscoll explained to the Catalyst. “The next step in this initiative, for me, was to propose a historic designation for the bandshell. Since this is a process that takes some time and I am nearing the end of my time on City Council, I wanted to put the wheels in motion now.”
Williams Park, originally known as City Park, was named for St. Petersburg co-founder John Constantine Williams. In 1888, the community asset officially opened at 3rd Street and 1st Avenue N. The original bandstand was constructed circa 1894. Former presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan have given speeches on the premises.
The current bandshell was designed by architect William B. Harvard, whose other Tampa Bay area projects include St. Petersburg’s Pasadena Community Church and the original Busch Gardens Hospitality House.
“The Williams Park Bandshell is an iconic structure and the centerpiece of our City’s first park,” Driscoll said. “It was originally our city’s town square. The bandshell has been host to so many important events and people through the years that it is absolutely deserving of this recognition.”
Driscoll has planned to pursue a historic designation since she initially requested funding for the bandshell renovations. The goal of the project was “to make it a better venue for our performing arts community.” This would ensure that “it could be utilized to its fullest potential.”
“The renovations are extensive because the bandshell has been in need of tender loving care for a long time,” Driscoll said. “Everything from the stage itself to the roof and the technical aspects of it were in desperate need of repair and upgrades so that it can be used properly.”
With the Thursday approval, the item will be brought to the Housing, Land Use and Transportation Committee for further discussions. She explained that City staff will prepare a presentation about the bandshell’s impact.
“We want to make sure that all Council members and the public have a real understanding of how important the bandshell is to our City’s history,” Driscoll said. “The next step would be for City staff to evaluate the structure and ensure that it meets all the requirements for a historic designation.”
This cannot be done until the renovations are completed. However, Driscoll believes that it was essential to introduce the idea ahead of time.
“I hope that once we confirm the historic designation that everyone will take the opportunity to come and enjoy the many many performances that will be scheduled there,” she added. “We want to really make it a place for everyone to gather and enjoy the performing arts together again.”
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com
