Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association Quarterly Newsletter

HONNA Neighborhood Meetings are held at
Westminster Presbyterian Church, 126 11th Avenue NE
Social: 6:45pm—Program: 7pm
June 16 -- Meet Darden Rice (see below)
June 23 -- New Member Meet & Greet (see page 19 )
July 4 -- Children’s 4th of July Parade (see page 12)

Celebrating 100 Years
of Community
1911-2011

Easter Egg Hunt Fun.............................4
A Neighborhood Transforming?...........5
4th of July Parade................................12
Over the Back Fence......................14-15
Decluttering Your Life........................16
The Answer Lady................................28

St. Pete’s Jewel
on Tampa Bay
Volume 43 Issue 2 / June 2014 / www.honna.org

Peter Motzenbecker
Association President

O

n Saturday, April 26, HONNA
held the first annual Roaring
‘20s Gala at the Birchwood Inn
on Beach Drive, and by all accounts it was
a roaring success! Preliminary estimates
put the final headcount at just under 175
neighbors and friends, and monies raised
-- almost $13,000 -- will go toward historic
preservation and our four cornerstone neighborhood non-profits: Sunken Gardens, Great
Explorations Children’s Museum, the Palladium and the new Downtown Waterfront
Parks Foundation.
And what an event it was! Over the course
of the raucous evening, I ran into scores of
neighbors -- many familiar faces and many
not -- as well as folks from other parts of Pinellas and even a few from Tampa and beyond.
There was great live music by Mark Zaus and
the Z Street Band, fantastic food and “medicinal
elixirs” served by the fantastic Birchwood staff
… and, of course, lots of dancing!
Almost everyone was in period attire, and
it occurred to me that next year we will have
prizes for best dressed. There were flappers
galore, gorgeous head pieces, fringe, feathers
and beads -- gentlemen in tuxedos and top
hats, three-piece suits and derbies, seersucker
suits and straw boater hats, knickers, spats and
more. Besides all the laughing, chatting, frolicking and dancing, there was a silent auction



Published Quarterly

and a spirited live auction conducted by the executive directors of
each of our neighborhood non-profits.
The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood
Association Board as well as the Gala Committee are grateful to the HONNA membership, the
many neighbors, friends and small businesses that
stepped up to make this successful event possible.
But as successful as it was, we believe it can be
even better. And on behalf of the great team of
people who helped make this year’s event possible, we humbly ask for your support to ensure
that 2015’s Gala is even better. We may never
be able to satisfy everyone, but we would like to
create an event that means as much as possible
to the most people as possible.
To be sure, The Old Northeast has much to be
proud of and be grateful for. It is no doubt why
you live here. We are surrounded by historic
homes, brick streets, granite curbs, hex block
sidewalks, old trees and good neighbors. We
live on the edge of one of the most vibrant
downtowns in the country and on the edge of
the beautiful Tampa Bay with ready access to
one of the most spectacular waterfront parks
in the world. It takes effort and sacrifice to
maintain this, and it will take vision and commitment to ensure it is just as special 100 years
from now. So share your ideas on what HONNA
can do to make our neighborhood the best it
can be, as well as more inclusive, more beautiful and more vibrant. If you are not a HONNA
member, please consider becoming one. If you
are not involved with our Board or its committees,
programs and projects and would like to consider
getting involved, please drop us a note. If you
have never been involved in the Candlelight Tour
of Homes, a Porch party, a neighborhood potluck
or any of our other great neighborhood events,
continued on page 2

Meet Darden Rice
Neighborhood Meeting -- Monday, June 16

neighborhood gathering on Monday,
June 16. It’s also an old fashioned ice
Westminister Presbyterian Church
cream social, so come early and enjoy
some cool treats before we hear from
ne of the newest members of City Council
Darden and you have an opportunity to
and representative for The Old NE neighborask her about issues of concern to you.
hood, Darden Rice will be our guest at the quarterly
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

O

Page 1

More photos can be
found at Honna’s
Facebook page and
at honna.org
Click on
Events...
Photo Gallery ...
then Albums.
See page 33 for
additional photos

please consider getting involved. We need
you! I may be reached
at president@honna.
org if you would like
to respond about the
Gala and/or becoming
involved with HONNA.
Thank you, and we
hope to see you at the 4th
of July Children’s Parade
– which is as much fun
for us adults as it is for
the kids!

With special thanks to sponsors

Dwayne Hawkins and
Joanne Pheil Hawkins
and to advertisers:

Gala Committee Members
Peter Motzenbecker

Logan DeVicente

Jay Weisberg

Kristi Alexander

Mary Lauritano

Rick Kantner

AD RATES­

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2 Qtrs­ 3­Qtrs­ 1­Year­
Business card­
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128
160
1/4 page (H 4.9” x w 3.7”)­ 100­
186
256
320
1/2 page (H 4.9” x w 7.8”) ­ 200
372
512
640
Full page­
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1024
1280
Back Cover 1/2 page
1400
*Inserts and Premium Placement: Rates Upon Request

*Preprinted inserts that you provide are delivered within the newsletter. Due
to delivery restrictions, inserts are available on a limited basis.
The newsletter quarterly publication dates are March, June, September, and
December. The deadline for accepting new ads and ad changes is three weeks prior to
the publication month. The next deadline is August 7th. Payment for new ads should
be submitted at the same time that the ad layout is provided and should be addressed
to “HONNA Advertising.” The newsletter is distributed by mail to all homes in The Old
Northeast (boundaries are 5th Ave N to 30th Ave N, and 4th St N to North Shore Dr/Coffee Pot Bayou Blvd). There are approximately 2,500 active home mailing addresses.
Contact Sue Strott: www.honna.org/Newsletters/Advertising-Questions.html
Ad space is limited so please make arrangements early.

Page 2

• Dan Gysel of Dang Design
• Tiffany Braun of Braun’s
Fine Flowers
• Fred Astaire Dance Studios
• UBS Financial Services
• 3 Daughters Brewing
• Kahwa Coffee
• Sacino’s Formal Wear
• MMD Events
• Joey Clay Photography
• Kristi Alexander Design
• Hivelocity
• Aqua Wave Pool Service

• Jack LoBianco/Wells Fargo
Advisors
• SunTrust
• Flatwoods Landscaping
• Therapy and Sports Center
• Sun Bay Builders
• A Walk Around the Block
• RG Floor & Home
• Sharon Kantner/Realtor
• Kantner Law Firm
• Ker’s Wing House
• Monika’s Cleaning Service

The Newsletter of the Historic Old
Northeast Neighborhood Association
Published quarterly – March, June, September and December
and mailed to all households in The Old Northeast
P.O. Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734
e-mail [email protected]
Editor Rick Carson
Columnists and Reporters
Mike Dailey
Barbara Marshall
Jill McGrath

Sue Strott
Courtney Ellis
Sara Wolski Hopkins

Emily Elwyn
Pamela Collins
Elise McNeely

Circulation
Joe O’Connor, Larry Smith & Steve Urgo
Contributors
All our Old Northeast neighbors
Newsletter Layout & Design Sharon Bond: [email protected]
ADVERTISING INFORMATION: Sue Strott
www.honna.org/Newsletters/Advertising-Questions.html

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Association News
& Activities

Traffic & Safety

Ron Magray, Chair

At the February general meeting we heard from Phil Graham,
managing principal of a landscape architecture firm, who is the
Director/President of the Waterfront Parks Foundation. The private
foundation solicits donations for use in the City’s downtown parks.
He presented a slide show highlighting some of what needs to be
done to improve and beautify the park system.

The March meeting took place on St. Patrick’s Day, and instead
of the traditional quarterly meeting being a potluck HONNA engaged Old NE resident chef/caterer Rita Fabula (above left) to
create an array of Irish foods for attendees to sample.

Parking! Parking!
Parking! -- Be Advised!!
We have challenging
parking problems in the
neighborhood, some areas
much worse than others.
When the City parks are
used for events, the influx
of vehicles looking for
free parking magnifies
the problem, disrupting
the lives many residents.
In the future the City
Parking Department will
cooperate with our community by monitoring
and enforcing parking
during events. This will
be a work-in-progress
situation and we will need your help, especially if you continue
to experience problems.
This change will help alleviate the congestion and parking
abuses on our neighborhood streets, but it also places responsibility on each of us to park legally. The parking department officers
cannot differentiate between your vehicle and those of visitors; if
you are parked illegally, you also will be ticketed.
If you are not sure about parking regulations, contact me at
HONNA.org and I will provide you with an information booklet
-- or come and pick one up at a
neighborhood meeting. Our next
meeting is June 16 and parking will
be a topic for discussion. I welcome your opinions on this matter.
At the February HONNA meeting, Candlelight Home Tour
Chair Bonnie Bailey (center) presented two checks for
$2,354 each to Diann O’Connor, representing Goodwill
Industries/BookWorks program, and Julie Bostic of the St.
Petersburg Free Clinic/Family Residence program – the two
organizations selected by the Home Tour Committee to be
recipients of the 2013 Tour’s charitable donations.

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 3

More photos
can be found at Honna’s
Facebook page and at
honna.org
Click on Events...
Photo Gallery ...
then Albums

The Easter Bunny’s
Egg-cellent Visit

T

he community gathered around our annual HONNA Easter
Egg Hunt at Coffee Pot Park this year on Saturday, April 19,
as scores of kids (with some assistance from their parents)
scoured the grounds for plastic eggs filled with candies and other
goodies.
Great Explorations and The Sweet Spot joined Smith & Associates this year
as additional support for this annual HONNA tradition. We truly do have a tight knit and wellsupported neighborhood. Thank you, Great Ex for your continued support in all our HONNA
family events and a special thanks to our new neighborhood sweets shop, The Sweet Spot, for
your complimentary shaved ice treats for everyone!
An added “petting” treat was the presence of Fluffy, a live bunny brought by neighbor Robyn
Lyle and six year old Kate.
A couple of photos of the
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association
event appeared on the front
OFFICERS and BOARD
page of the local section
of the April 20 Tampa Bay
President........................... Peter Motzenbecker
Times.
Vice President.................................Larry Smith
Treasurer.....................................Ann Caviness
Secretary......................................... Chad Boyd

Rick Carson
Mary Alice Lange

Board

Ron Magray
Jay Weisberg

To contact an officer or Board member via e-mail, go to honna.org/get-involved/
volunteer/ where you can click on the name of the office/person you wish to contact
and send him/her a message.
HONNA Board meetings are held the first Monday of each month at 6:30pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church and are open to the public. Check beforehand with the
Board president in case the meeting day has been re-scheduled.

Page 4

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Been Noticing Changes in Your Neighborhood?

Teardowns of older structures?
Construction of new houses that don’t quite “fit” an “historic,”
“old” neighborhood?
Homeowners not taking care of their properties?
Houses being purchased for rentals?
Zoning and building codes seemingly not being enforced?
Care about property values on your block?

Want to tell HONNA about it? Drop an e-mail to NSNAeditor@aol.
com and look for a discussion of these subjects in coming issues of the
newsletter.

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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 5

Feeding the
Neighborhood
by Al E. Katz

W

e proudly fly our Historic Old Northeast neighborhood flag, but we do not remember ever putting out
a sign announcing that we are a feeding station for
neighborhood creatures that insist on living in the outdoors.
Never mind that caring citizens offer some of the abandoned
wildlife cozy blankets, nutritious food, warm walls and human
companionship. Oh, no, they consider it a sign of superiority that
they can survive so well in the wilds of The Old Northeast -- just
continue to put out the vittles,
please.
The first visitor we encountered when we bought our neglected cottage on a sand lot
was a possum family, which had
made an elaborate and hidden
nest in tree branches that were
wound together and lying on a
flat section of our roof. In our
side yard, our two rescued, nonhunting-dog mutts went into a
natural “point” and upon further
investigation we discovered a
mother possum with a number
of babies glued to her back. We
had never been up-close-andpersonal with a possum, and
we were fascinated. She didn’t
move, the dogs didn’t move…
and it was obvious that a stand-off was in process so we grabbed the
statue-like puppies and retreated inside the house. We had no idea
where mom opossum came from until months later a tree service
was surprised by warning hissing sounds from our roof. We have
yet to see the mother or babies since, but a year later some mean
vagrant thought it would be fun to toss a dead and very odiferous
possum into our newly planted rain-forest-like back yard.
On a walk-about one day we had just crossed the street when
all of a sudden a squirrel ran towards us and proceeded to crawl
up my husband’s trousers and dive into his shirt pocket! This became a daily surprise, and we learned to always carry a supply of
unshelled peanuts when we went roving around the neighborhood.
A neighbor told us that the squirrel, which he named Rocky, had
been peanut hunting in his shirt pocket for months. Unfortunately,
Rocky disappeared from the close environs, obviously finding
easier clothes-climbing somewhere else.
An affectionate tuxedo cat showed up one day, and we gave it
food and water and left our little shed open for her bed. No one
ever claimed her so a young couple in a nearby apartment lovingly
adopted her and she is now living with them in Sarasota.
Another cat, black with a twitchy tail, visited every day and we
assumed she wanted to be our cat so we fed and cared for her. We
named her Tick-tock because her tail reminded us of a metronome.
Several months later a golf cart came by and on the seat majestically sat “our” black cat in a special basket. The driver, a wounded

Page 6

Vietnam veteran, seemed surprised when we questioned his cargo.
That was one smart cat, which conned two human caretakers.
Eventually they moved away and we didn’t see Tick-tock anymore.
One day several years ago a marmalade-colored cat appeared at
our door as though he lived there. After canvassing the neighborhood we learned his original name was Gator before he was adopted
by a young medical resident who named him Buddy. When the
young man was assigned to the west coast, he attempted to capture
Buddy in order that they could make the trip together. After many
failed attempts, he gave up and Buddy was left behind. Neighbors
fed him, he sought cover from weather under several houses and
Buddy thrived. This one particular day he asked if he could come
in, but when he saw our dogs on the landing he made a quick exit.
Buddy lurked day after day, and we eventually decided to make
a food and water station for him and he hung around, becoming
more affectionate each week.
Despite efforts to find
him a forever home, nothing worked. A veterinarian
(an Old Northeast resident)
became interested in finding
Buddy a home and since
Buddy had learned to trust
me, I volunteered to pick
him up and put him in a
crate. He traveled quietly to
Animal Medical Hospital,
but peace came to an abrupt
end. Buddy became a wild
monster, unable to cope
with being caged and had
to be returned to our stoop.
Our feeding station was reestablished. Buddy quickly
assumed his previous routine
and then brought in two feline friends, who sporadically shared in his good fortune. All the
felines we encountered have been seemingly healthy and neutered,
and we assumed that they have been dropped off by humans who
could not, or did not want to, care for them anymore. Other cat
visitors have been identified as belonging to neighbors but prefer to
dine in other yards. The cat food bill increased, but we recognized
that Buddy was now a bone fide neighborhood resident and we
must honor his devotion.
We brought Buddy’s food and water bowls in every night to
clean them because the contents were disappearing too fast and the
bowls were left with dirt stuck to the sides. Cats are relatively clean
so we were suspicious. We’d usually put fresh food and water in
the bowls for the next morning’s feeding but one night we left the
bowls where they were placed and kept watch through a window’s
corner. Re-enter -- the possum, the scoundrel.
Now when we are called away for assignments, neighborhood
residents take over the feeding chores; a nearby cousin and even a
Clearwater family member drives over to make certain that Buddy
is cared for and looks content. Several neighborhood residents
have stopped by and revealed that they, too, have a Buddy feeding station and a blanket spread over a pile of leaves under their
house for his bed.
At least three dogs have gotten lost from their owners and shown
up at our house. Do we have a magical sign for them, too? 400
Beach has nothing on us.

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

developed our prints in a darkroom. One of my photo assignments
was a shot of our house, which my teacher liked so much, she
submitted it for a county-wide exhibition. It was the only photo
from my high school selected to be displayed in the exhibition,
which was at the Dali Museum in downtown St. Pete. It was my
first experience of one my photos receiving praise and getting exposure, and I have the framed black-and-white print of my former
home back home still to this day.
Congratulations, Mom and Tom! Good luck, we’re all counting
on you...
Nick currently lives in South Jersey with his wife, Beth, where he runs
his photography and video production company called A-PIX Imagery. This
article originally appeared on his company website, a-piximagery.com.

A New Journey
by Nick Ameen

I

t’s amazing how quickly 18 years fly by. That’s how long
my mom and stepdad have lived in their house in Florida
that I have long considered my home-back-home.
We moved into the house on December 29, 1995. I was a
14-year-old high school freshman. Now, 6,639 days later, the house
has been sold. My mom and stepdad, Andi and Tom O’Neill, are
embarking on a new journey. Finnegan, a goldendoodle similar
in size to a small horse, is also very excited. They’re hitting the
road with a fifth wheel in tow to explore our beautiful nation and
make new memories, a voyage more than a decade in the making. 
“It’s amazing to finally attain this dream of living simply, and
simply living,” said Andi. “It’s bittersweet, though. This is my
favorite place I’ve ever lived. Now it’s someone else’s turn to live
in it and to love it.”
Andi and Tom have certainly made many memories at the
90-year-old house in the historic Old Northeast neighborhood of
St. Petersburg. They threw a Christmas party on Christmas Eve
of 2002 and surprised everyone in attendance by getting married! They had it all planned out well in advance, and even had
Tom’s mother and brother visiting all the way from Ireland. It
was beautiful.
Tom always goes all out with the Christmas lights; Clark
Griswold would approve. Their home was featured in the third
annual Old Northeast Neighborhood Candlelight Tour of Homes
in December 2000. The event, now in its 17th year, offers people
the chance to tour beautifully decorated homes while benefiting
various charities.
My love of photography started when I was a senior in high
school and I got to take a photography class. We shot on film and

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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 7

Page 8

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Yard Sale 2014

Goodwill also
benefited from
HONNA’s
Yard Sale

by Kristi Alexander
Yard Sale Coordinator

M

any thanks to all who participated in our annual HONNA Neighborhood-wide
Yard Sale on Saturday, March 15.
We appreciate all the volunteers who stepped right up to help “flyer” all our
Old NE blocks to promote the event. A special “thank you” also to Anna Costello, Ann Caviness and Chris Avren who go above and beyond to make our yearly event a great success!
Almost 70 residents registered ahead of the event as
participants and were listed as
sale sites on the locator map
featured on the HONNA website. Residents who participated
were encouraged to contribute
10% of their sales to HONNA,
which help make it possible
for our wonderful community events and improvements.
Thanks to all those who sent in a check!
William O’Connor has been so very helpful in making sure there is a
Goodwill truck on hand to collect items from residents that weren’t sold.
Their truck gets filled every year!
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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 9

Page 10

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Like our neighborhood?
Want to make it even better?

A Golfer?
A Duffer?

Volunteer with one of our committees!
Your volunteer involvement in one of our committees will
help enhance your neighborhood and our association.
Please contact any committee chair for information.

Communications
Anna Costello & Rick Carson
Newsletter
Rick Carson
Special Events
Jay Weisberg
Neighborhood Planning &
Mary Alice Lange
Historic Preservation
Membership
Larry Smith
Public Safety
Vacant
Traffic/Parking
Ron Magray
To contact a chair via e-mail, go to

honna.org/get-involved/volunteer/

where you can click on the name of the person you
wish to contact and send him/her a message.

New
Members
R. Winston Ball & Georgia Jackson....... 736 13th Avenue NE
Cynthia Baran................................. 2130 Coffee Pot Blvd. NE
A J Becker ................................................. 111 23rd Avenue N
Frank Biafora.............................................. 2620 2nd Street N
Maria Blanco & Robert Davis................... 206 8th Avenue NE
Paula Bogdal.............................................200 13th Avenue N
Edith Bond .............................................. 245 15th Avenue NE
James R. Bussey......................................207 27th Avenue N
Steve & Melissa Clark...........................1400 Beach Drive NE
Paul & Carolyn Cooper........................... 156 15th Avenue NE
William & Elke Culver............................1420 Beach Drive NE
Donna Davis & Shane Darling................ 165 12th Avenue NE
Joanna & Charlie Davis..................700 Beach Drive NE #602
Logan & Natalie DeVicente ................... 229 18th Avenue NE
Bill & Raleigh Duttwiler............................. 116 22nd Avenue N
Cynthia Epler.......................................... 216 13th Avenue NE
Robert & Kathryn Gannon........ 1200 North Shore Drive NE #309
Colleen and Jim Grant...............................212 16th Avenue N
Kathryn Hale..............................................176 30th Avenue N
Nicole & Mike Harris............................... 335 13th Avenue NE
Tracy & David Harris...............................565 21st Avenue NE
Hillary Heath............................................. 126 8th Avenue NE
Joy & Allen Hill............................................724 Bay Street NE
Jennifer & David Jaffe................................ 1520 2nd Street N
Pamela Jenkins.............................................837 3rd Street N
Patricia Jenkins...........................................104 9th Avenue N
Jeremy Kaufman...................................... 145 6th Avenue NE
Dale Kleine & Eileen Maloney................ 315 19th Avenue NE
Sunny & Monrico Lehnert..........................129 29th Avenue N
Donna Liszewski............................700 Beach Drive NE #408

Watch for HONNA’s

Golf Outing
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Read the newsletter in full

COLOR

on our website at honna.org/newsletter
Thomas & Jodi Loney................................135 20th Avenue N
Lynda Lucas............................................................................
Robyn Lyle ...............................................217 10th Avenue N
..
John Mackey.......................................... 305 12th Avenue NE
Kimberly McIntyre...................................1111 Beach Drive NE
Katherine Main........................................................................
Jeffrey Maitre...........................................115 12th Avenue NE
Susan Mayer.......................................... 155 18th Avenue NE
Jonathan Miller......................................230 7th Avenue N #4
Alexis Miller............................................... 857 21st Avenue N
Rick Miller & Tom Dwyer............................... 930 2nd Street N
Peter Misner....................................... 145 10th Avenue N #11
Anita Lang Osbourn.............................. 725 2nd Street N #10
Bobby & Kristin Osterland.....................1225 Beach Drive NE
Pamela Patterson................................... 121 28th Avenue NE
Carla Pence...............................................168 26th Avenue N
Orlando Perez...........................................135 14th Avenue N
Mary Reed ................................................. 175 21st Avenue N
Barbara Robison..........................939 Beach Drive NE #1410
Ryan Ross & Robbie Kruithoss.............. 301 23rd Avenue NE
Steven Rubin & Elizabeth Fink.............. 345½ 9th Avenue NE
Carla & Benton Rudolph........................... 215 5th Avenue NE
Kate & Mike Sawa.......................................140 9th Avenue N
Jane Seaton........................................... 234 18th Avenue NE
Jon Shawkey & Louisa Scopacasa.......... 155 8th Avenue NE
William Sinclair....................................... 207 18th Avenue NE
Betty & Warren Smith............................. 145 13th Avenue NE
George Smith & Jim MacKillican............ 406 14th Avenue NE
Mari & Andrew Solomon....................205 5th Avenue N #401
Donette Stahnke & Aaron Sprague............. 1108 3rd Street N
Dona Stewart...............................................124 7th Avenue N
Jo Ann & Mike Talley.................................194 26th Avenue N
Jessica & Daniel Trotter......................... 332 10th Avenue NE
Hugh & Keith Tulloch....................... 555 5th Avenue NE #921
Shelia & Jeff Usher................................. 326 10th Avenue NE
Joel Weiser & Bob Harvey.......................100 Beach Drive NE
Stephanie Woolfenden........................... 515 17th Avenue NE

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 11

CHILDREN’S PARADE
Fun for kids – and kids at heart!

Friday, July 4 – 10am
Coffee Pot Park

30th Avenue and 1st Street NE
Check the HONNA website (honna.org) for details

#CGC-1511346 RR - 0056630

It’s not just a house, it’s a home.

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Builders and Remodelers
Providing quality home building and remodeling
services in the T
ampa Bay area since 1974.

INC
A R T G A L L E R Y | C U S T O M F R A M I N G | w w w. a r t i c l e s s t p e t e . c o m
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Page 12

727.409.3873
http://hefeldman.com/

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Wills & Trusts
Probate Administration
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Real Estate Transactions

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Old NE Resident

Residential & Commercial Closings
Deeds • Leases • Contracts • Mortgages

THE

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Serving Generations of Floridians

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727.781.8201
[email protected]
www.AttorneyKantner.com
Licensed in Florida and Tennessee

Member: National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Call for a Complimentary Consultation
Other offices:

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Palm Harbor ⟡

Largo/Belleair

Page 13

Over The Back Fence

by



S

and


S

…is a collection of what we’ve heard exchanged in the aisles of the supermarkets,
shared waiting in line to pick up the kids from school, read in the papers, overheard in the
pew behind us in church and, yes, even passed over the back fence. If you have something
you’d like to share about a special recognition, award received, birth, graduation, gooddeed-done or observation around the neighborhood please pass it along to the Editor. “Over
the Back Fence” is only going to be interesting if we hear from you!

The Perfect Lunchpail
Replacement!...Old NE
resident Janie Allen was
featured on the front page
of the 2/26 “St. Pete Times”
section of the Tampa Bay
Times for her creation of
Snuppets – reusable, environmentally-friendly snack
bags that also double as
hand puppets. She draws
the designs on her computer, has them printed on
material and assembles
them herself on a sewing
machine in her home, hoping for the time when the
number of orders will make
it financially feasible to sub
out their manufacture. She is constantly tweaking the product and
exploring more ways to market it. They are sold locally for about
$10 at Rollin’ Oats on MLK Street N and Thank You Mama on
4th Street N.
“Unflashy”?!?!... “Pinellas County – an unflashy region of
mobile home parks, ‘senior living’ complexes, golf courses and
strip malls.” This is how our area was described in The Economist magazine (March 8) in an article about Canadian snowbirds.

Sounds like the author of the article never made it to downtown
St. Pete.
Old NE is for Newlyweds!...The “From This Day” wedding feature in the Tampa Bay Times (March 9) told about Sara Campbell
and Peter Pastman, how they first met and some details of their
January 18 wedding and the planning that went into it. Currently
they rent in The Old NE but are looking to buy nearby. “We have
to be within a certain radius of downtown,” says Sara. “The city is
just so thriving.” OK, Realtors, help them find a place in the ‘hood!

Buy a Flamingo… “Funds for Flamingos” got an above-thefold photo on the front page of the local section of the 5/6 Tampa
Bay Times. The caption informs readers of the opportunity to
support the Flamingos Forever funding at Sunken Gardens to help
repopulate the dwindling (down to two from
the original 17) Chilean flamingos in SG. So
far $10,000 has been raised; each bird costs
$2-3,000. To help, go to Facebook (https://
www.facebook.com/SunkenGardens#sthash.
h6QoF3cK.dpuf) or the City website (http://
www.stpete.org/sunken/). A tax-deductible
check can be made out to SPPI Flamingo Fund
Kumon puts children on
and mailed to Sunken Gardens, Flamingos Forthe path to becoming the
ever Fund, 1825 4th Street N, St. Petersburg,
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FL 33704.
self-reliant people all
parents hope their
Over The Back Fence is a
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Page 14

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Soapbox...
STEP ON UP
and

LET’S HEAR
FROM YOU
e-mail: [email protected]

Fed up with flagrant illegal parking, especially
when there are large
events taking place in
the neighborhood? Cars
parked within inches
of stop signs, blocking
sidewalks and creating safety concerns at
intersections? The City
has received many
complaints about this
so you can expect
to start seeing more
tickets on windshields
of offenders. See an
on-street parking
violation? Report it
by calling the police
non-emergency line at
893-7780.

Sports Spotlight…Neighbors Martin Plowman will be racing
in the Indianapolis 500 and Reagan Quilty was the winner of the
girl’s competition in the recent St. Anthony’s Meek and Mighty
triathlon. 

Oranges and BaseA Tip of the Mortar Board…There’s lots of brain power in
balls…Neighbor Gary
the neighborhood, especially on 16th Avenue NE, where siblings
Mormino – author, proAdrianna and James Wenz reside. The two seniors just graduated
fessor and member of the
at the very top of the class at Shorecrest Preparatory School, with
Florida Humanities CounJames honored as valedictorian and Adrianna as salutatorian. The
cil – writes about the “entwo also were selected from more than one million high school
dangered orange” in an
students nationwide to receive the prestigious National Merit
article for the Council’s
Scholarship. Each will receive a $2,500 scholarship and plan to
Forum magazine that was
attend Brown University in Rhode Island this fall. The two received
reprinted in the Tampa Bay
a very nice front page piece in the May 16 “St. Pete Times” section
Times (3/9). The problem:
of the Tampa Bay Times. Their parents both died in a car accident
“citrus greening,” an incurin 2004 and the teens live with their maternal aunt (“Mom”) Roma
able disease that threatens
Palcan and cousins Karsten and Larissa.
to decimate Florida’s iconic
Speaking of Shorecrest…Several Old NE teenagers who attend
crop. Gary also wrote a feaShorecrest performed a medley from the musical Chicago at the
ture article “Spring TrainMayor’s Youth Showcase of Achievement, which was held at The
ing, 1914,” about the early days of baseball in St. Petersburg, which
Mahaffey Theater in May. The annual event recognizes outstanding
appeared on the front page of the “Perspective” section of the 2/23
middle and high school students in performing arts, academics,
Tampa Bay Times. Early games were actually played at Coffee Pot
athletics and other disciplines. With Shorecrest winning the title
Bayou Park, a ballpark whose exact “location remains elusive,”
of “School of Excellence,” drama students Aja Depass, James
writes Gary, but some place it in Granada Terrace while others on
Wenz and Ginny Swanson reprised song-and-dance sequences
North Shore Drive.
from the school’s spring musical Chicago; Brian Kiernan and
Fascinating People…The ongoing series of ads in the Tampa
Adrianna Wenz were in the show crew.
Bay Times featuring Westminster Palms’ “remarkable people”
residents has most recently profiled Philip Harsham – “writer,
photographer, world traveler” – who for years reported on news
from colonial Africa but now is content joining photo safaris there.
Pier Pressure…The Pier’s 21-member working group includes
Old NE resident Joe Reed. Appointed by Mayor Rick Kriseman,
the group’s mission is to come up with suggestions for the amenities which will be offered by the new (or renovated) Pier. [source:
Tampa Bay Times, 5/12]
Dog-Friendly Digs…Three Birds Tavern now has a new dog
friendly north patio! Pooches will be blocked in the patio area so
they can roam about while diners and imbibers enjoy.  
Preparing for the Big One…A free Hurricanes and Natural
Disasters Expo is being held on Saturday, June 14, from 10am-2pm
at the Science & Technology Center Museum (7701 22nd Avenue
N). There will be informational seminars, exhibits and commercial
vendors. FMI, 727/825-0018.
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 15

De-Clutter and Do Good
in Our Community
by Anne Garneau

A

s a professional organizer, I lift the burden created by
“too much stuff” and simplify lives in the process. Needless to say, it’s a rewarding job. An equally big payoff
-- that burdensome “stuff” benefits others in our community. So if
you’re thinking about tackling an organizing project on your own,
keep these (and other) local organizations and businesses in mind.

Taming Your Desk and Cleaning Out Files?

This project will generate a lot of paper, most with personal
information that shouldn’t be thrown in the trash. According
to dailyfinance.com, Florida has the highest number of cases of identity theft in the
country.
Visit Secure Shred/Louise Graham Regeneration Center at 2301 3rd Avenue S (www.
louisegraham.org). When you use Secure
Shred, the proceeds go back to their sister organization, the Louise Graham Regeneration
Center. The center provides programs and life
skills training for people with developmental
disabilities so they may become more selfsufficient citizens. Secure Shred provides
shredding to walk-in customers for just $3
per box. They also take corrugated cardboard
for recycling, which generates additional
funds for the center.

Visit CASA Community Action Stops Abuse Thrift Shoppe at
1011 1st Avenue N (www.casa-stpete.org/thrift-shoppe). CASA
provides refuge, crisis intervention and other critical services to
break the silence of victims of domestic violence. Participants
in the program receive gift certificates to shop at the thrift shop
for the items they need, and 100% of the proceeds for retail sales
goes directly to fund CASA programs and services. Donations are
accepted Monday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday
10am-3pm.
Visit Beacon House at 2151
Central Avenue (www.stpetersburgfreeclinic.org/our-services/
beacon-house) Beacon House is a
transitional residence for up to 25
men. Residents work on personal
and employment goals, learn to
budget for independent living
and fine tune basic skills. It also
functions as a community kitchen,
serving dinner six nights a week
to all who are hungry in our community. Donations are accepted
Monday through Friday before
4pm. They can use men’s clothing,
shoes, toiletries and books (just to
name a few).

Emptying Overstuffed Closets?

Organizing a chaotic closet can be tackled
in just two hours. I can guarantee you will
find lots of things you don’t wear or need.
Unless the clothing is stained/damaged, donate it and make sure
to get a tax receipt.
Visit Pet Pal Thrift Store at 1500 34th Street N (www.petpalanimalshelter.com). Pet Pal animal shelter’s mission is to rescue
animals from other shelters that may be at risk of being euthanized
due to illness, injury or lack of socialization or training. The organization also promotes responsible animal ownership through
spay and neuter services. The thrift store subsidizes the efforts of
the shelter and accepts clothing, small furniture, household items
and much more (hours are Wed-Sun, 10am-5pm).

Page 16

Garage overflowing with
paint, chemicals and
broken electronics?

Hazardous wastes are harmful to
the environment and should not be mixed with ordinary garbage
as they can be mixed with other trash in the garbage truck and
produce toxic fumes, catch fire or even explode. Disposing of these
items properly benefits everyone in our community and beyond.
Visit Pinellas County HEC3, 2855 109th Avenue N, off 28th Street
N (www.pinellascounty.org/utilities/getridofit) The HEC3 center
offers a fast and convenient way to get rid of household chemicals,
paint and broken electronics. Just drive up and they’ll even help you
unload your vehicle. Even better are their hours: 6am-6pm, Monday

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

through Friday and from 7am-5 pm on Saturdays.
Make sure to check the website referenced above beforehand to
make sure your items are on the accepted list (ex: propane tanks
over 1 lb. are not accepted).
Have something you’re not sure how to donate, sell or dispose?
Send me an e-mail and I would be happy to point you to additional
resources that will benefit our community: [email protected]

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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 17

The Westminster Campus Gets “Branded”

A

s of mid-May the new “branding” of the Westminster
Retirement campus – largely the two blocks between 8th
and 10th Avenues NE between Beach and North Shore
Drives – was nearing completion.
This signage has been a long, step-by-step process as these are
not off-the-shelf, pre-fab stick-it-in-a-hole variety signs. While
the individually-built concrete block signs have the same essential
design and tile elements, each is a bit different in size and shape.
Each of the eight corners of the two city blocks is being landscaped
and there is lighting and on one (at 8th and Beach) a water feature.

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Real Estate
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Page 18

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

EW RESIDENT
N

Monday,
June 23,
6-8:30pm

We welcome
new and returning
advertisers
to our newsletter.
Thank you!

  HONNA provides
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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 19

The Mission of The Historic Old
Northeast Neighborhood Association is to promote, preserve and
protect the quality of life in our
unique corner of the world.

Preserving the
Character of
The Old
Northeast
Front Porches — Aaah!
by Yvonne Swanson

W

hen we were moving to The Historic Old Northeast 10 years ago, one of the top “must-haves” on our list was a big front
porch where we could hang a swing and sit a while. But we couldn’t find the dream house and instead settled for a 1920s
bungalow-style with an itty bitty three-step stoop for a porch. No swing. No cozy chairs. Not even room for a standardsize welcome mat.
With the exception of our 80-year-old house, front porches were standard design for homes built in the early 1900s. Over time, however, the outdoor porch was relegated to the backyard, where it became a private deck or patio. Homeowners weren’t socializing like
the old days when sitting out front was the norm.
But being neighborly is one of the great attractions of living in The Old Northeast, where more often than not you’ll see folks enjoying their front porches, kids playing in the front yard and neighbors stopping to say “hello.” HONNA, our neighborhood association,
even sponsors monthly neighborhood porch parties on Friday nights.
If you’re feeling left out because you’ve only got a concrete slab or stoop at your front door, no worries! Adding a front porch to your
home is possible and it’s one of today’s most popular amenities, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
You may have noticed new front porch additions throughout the neighborhood. On our street alone at least three neighbors have
built covered front porches, boosting their curb appeal and adding character to their homes. Rocking chairs, potted plants and other
nice touches make their new porches look so inviting you’d like
to stop and visit!
“It’s a great visual addition to a house and makes it more inviting,” says Cynthia Serra (10th Avenue N), a Realtor with Smith
& Associates and long-time resident. “Buyers definitely want front
porches. They love the front porch feel where they can sit outside
and meet neighbors.”
Front porches come in all sizes and styles, so the cost to upgrade
an existing porch or add a new one will vary widely. According to
Home & Garden TV, a small do-it-yourself porch can cost from
$5,000-$10,000, a medium-sized covered porch built by a professional can vary from $15,000-$30,000 and a large custom-built
porch can cost $50,000 or more. Lighting, hardware, architectural
details and furniture can add significantly to the cost.
Neil Fiske, general contractor and owner of TriplePoint Design
Build in St. Petersburg, suggests adding a front porch to increase the
enjoyment of your home but only if it’s a good fit for your home’s
style. “You may want to build a front porch, but the reality may
be that it won’t work with the architecture of the home,” he notes.

Page 20

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

While ready-to-build porch kits are available, it’s wise to first
consult a professional with design and construction experience.
Otherwise, you could end up eroding your home’s curb appeal
(think Victorian-style porch on an Arts & Crafts bungalow -- ugh!).
According to a recent New York Times article, real estate agents
say front porches rarely add to resale value, but they do increase
a home’s appeal. “You can’t necessarily ask more on the price,
but you have to admit that they tug at your heart like a Norman
Rockwell painting, and emotions often do sell houses,” claimed
a real estate executive quoted in the story.
The only porch-related improvement documented to hold value
is the front door itself. Based on the National Association of Realtors’ Cost vs. Value Report 2013-14, homeowners can expect to
recoup almost 97% of the cost of a new steel entry door.

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 21

Thoughts from
the Front Porch…

by Courtney Ellis, MA, LMHC

Helping Your Kids Survive the
Summer Sans Smartphone

S

ummer is upon us, which means many of you will now
have your children home around the clock. This can be
a great time for families to bond, vacation together and
enjoy some quality time. On the flipside, summertime can be very
difficult as your children battle daily boredom or as you butt heads
more often due to the increased time spent together. As much
as kids may see their months off as a time for total relaxation, I
encourage you as a parent to take advantage of having your child at home
in order to instill some new practices,
traditions and disciplines that can
carry over once school begins again.
In an age where kids are glued to their
smartphones, tablets and computers –
hopefully this summer can be one that
they remember and that sets the tone
for the school year to come.
When I meet with and listen to
families, I find myself silently thanking God that technology wasn’t nearly
as advanced when I was a child and
teen. If I wanted to see my friend, I
would walk over to her house to ask if
she wanted to play. If she lived too far
away, I’d have to pick up the old home
phone, politely ask her parents to speak with her and then plan out
a time and a place to meet. And as much as we loved to sit inside
and play video games, we spent the majority of the time running
around the neighborhood – using our imaginations, meeting new
kids and tiring ourselves out. Now I know times have changed and
our world is much different today, but I do think there is something
very healthy about getting these kids off of their devices and out
in the fresh air.
When kids are bored, they crave instant gratification to ease that
boredom. They may scroll through Facebook, watch a series on
Netflix or mindlessly play Candy Crush for hours on end. I know

Page 22

I am guilty of doing all of these things when I am bored – but the
problem is they don’t really help to take away my restlessness. For
teens these devices can also add to their discontentment, low selfworth and feelings of loneliness. As much as they may feel “connected,” the smartphones are creating a false sense of community
and an increased chance for isolation. When these devices are not
an option, it forces us all to be more creative in how we will spend
our time. I know without a doubt the teens will want to fight this
tooth and nail – but beginning to draw them away from their phones
and tablets now might help them fight this addiction in the future.
Some ways you as a parent can help facilitate this change are
the following:
• Limit phone and tablet usage. If your child does want to watch
something, encourage him or her to watch it in the family room
rather than alone in the bedroom.
• Ask or require your child to leave his or her cell phone charging
in the kitchen at bedtime.
• Buy your child an alarm clock. Many of us depend on our
phones to wake us up in the mornings. Unfortunately, this leads
to us falling asleep looking at our screens and waking up to our
screens. It also causes many children to have trouble falling
asleep at night.
• Together as a family, create a “Boredom Jar.” Come up with
creative ideas that would be fun to do when someone is feeling bored. Write them on Popsicle sticks and put them in a jar.
When a child (or parent) is feeling restless, have them pick a
stick out of the jar and go do that activity. Examples include
throwing a football at the park, having a craft night, going out
for ice cream, riding bikesor playing a board game.
Model this behavior for your child. If they see your head down
staring at a screen all day, it will give them permission to do the
same.
A great way to enforce these
rules without having to deal with
too much backlash (because of
course, there will be some) is to
get your kids involved with the
planning of these boundaries.
When a child is involved with
the details of some new discipline, consequence or boundary,
they are more likely to follow
through and less able to argue
it later on. I encourage you to
sit down with them and have a
discussion about how technology can be a benefit but how it
can also be a downfall. There
are some great videos to watch
to drive this point home (for instance, check-out the online video
“Look Up”) and other resources that can be helpful in creating
this new lifestyle. Good luck and I truly hope this helps enhance
both your and your child’s summer!
Courtney Ellis is a Licensed Mental Health
Counselor who provides individual and
couples counseling to the Tampa Bay area.
She lives in a cozy bungalow in The Old
Northeast with her husband and two dogs.
She tries to spend as much time on her front
porch as possible.

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 23

Page 24

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

P O R C H PA R T I E S

You’re
Invited!

Porch Parties are held the third Friday
of the month from 7:30-10pm (except
December). Porch Parties are strictly social and provide
and informal and fun way to mix and mingle with your
neighbors. Bring your own beverage. Cups, ice and light
snacks are provided. Ask a neighbor to ride or walk over
with you. For more info, contact [email protected]

Friday, June 20, 7:30-10pm
Hosts Steve and Nina Urgo
115 16th Avenue NE
 

Friday, August 15, 6-8:30pm

Back to School
Family Porch Party
at Great Explorations / Sunken Gardens

July

No Porch Party
 

 

Your neighborhood sweets shop introduces

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or Brownie

at

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Expires:
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Other Treats
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23 flavors Ice Cream
Unlimited Toppings Bar
Hawaiian Shaved Ice
Shakes / Malts / Floats

Espresso Coffee Bar
Pastries, Cookies/
Brownies, Chocolates
Fresh Fruit Smoothies

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

1961 4th St N
St Pete, FL 33704
(727) 800 6966

Page 25

In Case You Missed It:
Updates and Follow Ups

parking fee (for the newly-named Beach Drive Parking Lot) will
remain at its current $3 all-day rate. [source: Tampa Bay Times,
2/24]

Keeping You Current on Some
Neighborhood Stories That
Have Been in the News



The City Council voted unanimously to create a citywide
residential recycling service in which residents would mix all recyclable items in a 90 gallon container placed curbside and picked
up weekly. Although it will not be mandatory, all homeowners
will pay an additional $3 per month on top of the current $22.33
monthly fee for trash removal. Apartments, multifamily dwellings
with two or more units, condos and commercial properties are not
included. Council also passed a motion requesting the county help
pay for the cost as the county is responsible for solid waste. The
16 recycling dropoff centers will remain open. The service should
begin by this fall. [source: Tampa Bay Times, 2/21]



The property in foreclosure at 121 5th Avenue N, owned by
reality TV celebrity Brent Bruns II who had plans to make it into
a rock ‘n’ roll-themed bed and breakfast, was sold – along with
all its contents -- at auction on March 23. The 1910 bungalow
and two small cottages had been purchased in 2010 for $265,000.
Permits to convert the property and its nine bedrooms into a B&B
appear not to have been issued. A couple of dozen people attended
the auction, and several offers were made with the winning bid
of $427,000 for the buildings going to Ed Ecker (Bruns owed
$270,000 on the mortgage). Ecker said he wasn’t sure what he
was going to do with the property except that he thought “you’ll
see a beautiful house soon.” [source: Tampa Bay Times, 3/8, 3/24]



photo credit: TampaBay.com



The former BayWalk shopping complex has a new name:
Sundial. An ornate metal sundial will occupy the center of the
courtyard. It will have a water feature, a mosaic lagoon, bronze
sculptures of dolphins and large flower-like umbrellas. Tenants
signed up thus far include Sea Salt (a nationally-acclaimed seafood
restaurant with a location in Naples), Diamonds Direct, Ruth’s
Chris Steak House, the Marilyn Monroe Spa, a fashionable boutique owned by Tracy Negoshian, Chico’s and White House Black
Market. Other possibilities continue to be rumored. Opening date
for the complex is expected to be July. [source: Tampa Bay Times,
2/19, 3/28, 4/10, 4/16]



A pedestrian was struck and killed by a car near the intersection of 4th Street and 5th Avenue N in the early hours of March
2. The driver did not stop. [source: Tampa Bay Times, 3/3, 3/6]



Because of the limited availability of parking spaces on
Beach Drive, the City will offer a free trolley shuttle service
between Beach Drive and the Dolphin parking lot on the Pier approach, which has been under-utilized since the Pier closed. The

Page 26

The City has okayed a Mediterranean-style 16-story condo
with 72 units at 131 and 145 4th Avenue N, which borders a Duke
Energy electrical substation. The existing properties at those addresses – two older apartment buildings -- will be razed to make
room for the complex; the developer paid $1.3 million for the
properties in 2003. He plans to call it O.N.E. – as in Old Northeast, though it will be a block outside The Historic Old Northeast.
Two-bedroom condos are expected to range in cost from $400$600,000. The vice president of St. Petersburg Preservation has
indicated plans to appeal the approval of the proposal because the
building “is out of scale and out of character” for the north end of
downtown. Others have also expressed their concerns. [source:
Tampa Bay Times, 3/12]



A developer who planned to construct three- and four-story
townhomes on the southwest corner of Beach Drive NE and 7th
Avenue has changed his mind. “The economics do not work under
the underlying zoning,” said a spokesperson for David Weekley
Homes. A review of the plans by the City indicated that the density of the proposed construction exceeded allowable size. The
company suggested it might submit another proposal but with
fewer units. Existing buildings on the property include the 60year old Courtyard Vinoy apartments on 7th Avenue and a house
with rental units on the corner of Beach and 7th. [source: Tampa
Bay Times, 3/26]



Newly-elected City Council member Darden Rice, who
represents The Old NE neighborhood, is calling on the City to
come up with a registry of “bad apple” property owners. “These
slumlords deliberately elude accountability, hide behind corporate

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

veils, defy city ordinances, run up fines, and create
unsafe nuisance properties,” she wrote to the other
Council members. She believes this step will help
the City as it seeks to improve housing stock and
neighborhoods. [source: Tampa Bay Times, 3/9]



The City Council voted 5-2 against designating the North Ward Secondary School at 4th Street
N and 11th Avenue a historic landmark. The vote
came on April 17 and overrode the endorsement of
landmark status by the City’s Community Planning
and Preservation Commission. The Pinellas County
School District is seeking to sell the property, which
has been closed and vacant since 2008. Some City
Council members were concerned that a historical
designation could jeopardize redevelopment plans
and result in a lower sale price for the school district.
St. Petersburg Preservation and HONNA jointly
supported historic designation. [source: Tampa Bay
Times, 3/30 and 4/20]



Efforts to save the historic downtown YMCA building continue to struggle. Organizers need to raise $1.2 million within the
next four months in order to maintain a contract on the property.
Fundraising now aims to secure 12 people who each will put up
$100,000 rather than finding one person to carry the entire load.
Plans for the building envision creating a combination lounge,
concert venue, boutique hotel and rock ‘n’ roll museum. [source:
Tampa Bay Times, 3/2]



The City plans to contract for a consulting firm to develop
the master plan of the waterfront. A report recently prepared by
the Urban Land Institute (ULI) could become part of that proposed
plan. The ULI report included recommendations that: encouraged
more focus on the southern end of the waterfront; improved public
transportation between Mirror Lake and The Pier and from Williams Park to 22nd Avenue S; more boat dock space; a movable
pedestrian swing bridge between Vinoy Park and Spa Beach; more
bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly streets. City Council member
Karl Nurse has expressed concern that public input regarding the
ULI report has yet to be sufficiently solicited. A principal with the
firm being enlisted to prepare the master plan said, “My goal for
the project is to have a plan that reflects the community’s values
about the waterfront and is sensitive to and reflects the different
activities that are happening from north to south” along the waterfront. The Council is skeptical about the proposed $475,000 budget
for the plan and may be looking for ways to reduce it. The study
will not be addressing the issue of The Pier. Adoption of the final
plan is expected by
July 2015. [source:
Tampa Bay Times,
“Follow Us” on Twitter 2/17, 3/5, 4/27]
twitter.com/honnastpete
The roundabout (circle or rotary) at 30th Avenue
and 1st Street – which
we alerted you in the
March issue was due
“Like Us”
to be removed very
on Facebook
soon – may now be
facebook.com/honnaorg
history. Dr. Delay, in
the 5/2 edition of the
Tampa Bay Times,
Sign Up for E-mail Alerts
honna.org/get-involved/sign-up-for-email-announcements/ followed up on an



Old NE resident’s inquiry to say the City would begin removal of
this road feature by mid-May. The roundabout had become very
unpopular because drivers did not know how to navigate it, and
that caused safety issues. A consultant was brought in to study it
and several options were suggested. The solution: free flow of
traffic traveling north and south on a narrowed one-lane 1st Street
with stop signs for drivers going east and west. The circle pattern
will remain and slightly raised. Cost: about $115,000 from Penny
for Pinellas funds.



Great Explorations Children’s Museum has received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums, making it
one of only eight of 300 kids’ museums in the nation (and the only
one in the state) to be so honored. [source: Tampa Bay Times, 5/2]

Dawn Greenidge
727.773.6072

Dale Kleine
727.365.7661

TEAM OLD
NORTHEAST
Delivering Results
That Move You!
We’ve been your Old Northeast neighbors
for more than 25 years! Give us a call!

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 27

by Sue Strott
Are you one of those people who goes about your day-to-day life noticing things happening around you (or not happening) in the neighborhood
and our City and you wonder why (or why not) but never get around to
discovering the answer? We’ve decided to ask one of our neighbors, Sue
Strott, who’s lived in The Old Northeast almost forever, to track down the
explanations for some of those puzzling questions which bug, bedevil and
frustrate us.
So here’s a start with some of those nagging, niggling WHYs? and
WHAT’s?. Let us know if you have a particular issue or query you’d like The
Answer Lady to check out and we’ll see what she can learn. Like FiOS... will
we ever “hear them now”? Contact The Answer Lady at [email protected].

Brick Street Repair

Although I’ve called the Mayor’s Office for four years about
the dips and valleys on various streets in The Old North East, the
answer always was:  “We have to have a special crew to address
brick streets.”
After having spoken, in person, to newly-elected Mayor Rick
Kriseman, in early February, he directed me to call his Mayor’s
Action Line and said I should have a different result under his
administration.
Jerry Fortney, Stormwater Supervisor and now covering streets
as well, (along with Tom Smith who is now in charge of Paving

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Page 28

Maintenance) stated that they had had a crew of 60 with an excellent foreman but they now have a crew of only about 30 and lost
the foreman as well due to budget cuts.
However, Mr. Fortney said that he will bring this to the Mayor’s
attention at an upcoming meeting to express a serious need for a
larger crew of regular workers, not just day laborers, as they had
to make do with previously.
Interestingly, Mr. Fortney pointed out that when a pipe breaks
or other happen-stance occurs that calls for street repair, the
Pavement Maintenance Division    is not charged directly and it
doesn’t come out of the Pavement Maintenance Division budget.
Therefore, they really have the funds now in that Division, just not

Illegal Tree Removal
An FYI that property owners need a permit before removing any protected tree species having a trunk that’s at least four
inches in diameter. The requirement is regardless of the tree’s
health. Those trees that are protected include varieties of: ash,
bay, buttonwood, cedar, cypress, dogwood, elm, hickory, holly,
magnolia, maple, oak, royal palm, pines, plum, mulberry, sea
grape, sugarberry, sweet gum, sycamore, tupelo and willow.
If a tree was planted as part of required landscaping when the
site was developed, then a permit is required before it can be
removed.
Permits may be obtained by e-mailing [email protected]
or calling 727/893-7471. If you believe a tree is being illegally removed,
you may contact Codes
Compliance
Assistance at
727/893-7373
(you may do so
anonymously).
For more info,
g o t o w w w.
stpete.org/development/urban_forestry_
information/
tree_removal_
permitting.asp

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

the needed number of employees. Mr. Fortney hopes to remind the
Mayor and others of this in hopes of rectifying the situation soon.
Here is Mr. Fortney’s phone number if you would like to report a
spot that needs attention: 727/893-7260.

Share the Road

Have you ever ridden down a street and been almost driven off
the road because the oncoming driver wouldn’t move over even
though he was on the side of the street with parked cars? I think
we’ve all experienced this.
The Police Department agrees that the person going down the
street on the side of parked cars in that direction, should move over
and let the other pass.  However, although there is no ordinance
on the books about this, the Police Department said it’s just common courtesy!

Illegally-Parked Vehicles

Several folks in The Old Northeast are continuing to build and
re-build.  Hurray! That’s making our properties more valuable.
However, often times some of these workmen park wherever they
want -- up to or past the corner (and even stop signs), maybe even
next to a fire hydrant or otherwise blocking the walking, biking
and vehicle-riding public of the right-of-way. Manys the time I’ve
tried to make a turn but couldn’t see oncoming traffic due to this
blockage. This is dangerous -- homeowners educate your workmen,
please! Know that you can always phone the police non-emergency
number (893-7780) to report (anonymously) such on-street parking violations. Just provide the intersection or close-by street address; having the make of the car/truck helps. Trust me, a squad
car will likely show up within minutes of your call, with a ticket
forthcoming.
For more about illegally parked cars, see page 3.

Doggie Droppings

It’s Not
Nice to
Litter
(plus it’s
against
the law)

by A. Non Emous

I

s it just our alley
or is yours littered with trash on the ground by the
dumpsters? You know the stuff – food containers and
wrappers, overflowing bags, plastic bottles and sometimes
unwrapped food – gross! Stinky trash attracts pests and pollutes the environment. During the rainy summer season, the
City of St. Pete is urging residents to “Put a lid on it.” But how
can you close the trash lid when it’s spilling over?
According to the City’s Sanitation Department, a 300-gallon container is large enough for every three to four homes.
When one is full, you should use the other containers in the
alley. Never put garbage on the ground because the one-man
automated trucks only empty the cans. We’ve been complaining to the Sanitation Department (727/893-7334) and
reporting illegal dumping to the tip line (727/892-5000).
Our neighborhood sanitation inspector is Jennifer Anderson
(727/893-7943).
If a littered alley isn’t enough to cause alarm, perhaps this
will. Litter in a community decreases property values 7% according to a national survey conducted by the non-profit Keep
America Beautiful. Wind, rain, traffic and animals move litter
into gutters, lawns, landscaped areas and alleys to contaminate
the environment. In fact, 80% of our waterways are littered
with trash that was dropped on land.
Keep America Beautiful’s research finds that people who
litter have no sense of ownership and think “someone else
will pick it up for me.” People under age 30 are more likely
to litter than older people. Litterbugs are sometimes just lazy
and throw trash in a spot that’s convenient, notes the group
(which was responsible for the famous “crying Indian” campaign in the 1970s).
To protect our environment and ensure our neighborhood’s
quality of life, everyone should be diligent about preventing
litter. Research shows once litter starts to accumulate in familiar places, people will keep littering in that location because
“litter invites more litter.” And that’s not nice.

You can often tell when you have new folks in the neighborhood because we discover doggie droppings left on lawns and
even on sidewalks. Our new neighbors may not realize that we
have an ordinance that requires that we all pick up after our furry
friends. Always! I find the plastic newspaper sleeves and a paper
towel are ideal to use.
Sue was born in Chicago and lived in Canada before moving
to The Old NE in 1973 where she continues to run an apartment
rental business. She lives with her new rescue dog and is one of
those people who enjoys being busy!
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 29

ON THE DOCKET:

Some Upcoming Events In
and Nearby Our Neighborhood

We encourage you to go directly to the City website –www.stpete.org and look for Upcoming Events where you can click on “View
All Events.” This will enable you to check updates and all the scheduled events day-by-day for the coming weeks and months.

JUNE 1
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball/St. Pete Open, Spa Beach
JUNE 12-14
The Beer Project, Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667
JUNE 16
NEIGHBORHOOD QUARTERLY MEETING
& ICE CREAM SOCIAL
(SEE PAGE 1)
JUNE 18
City FY 2015 Public Budget Summit, Willis Johns Rec Center
JUNE 20
PORCH PARTY
(SEE PAGE 25)
JUNE 21
Go Skate St. Pete, Pier approach
JUNE 23
NEW MEMBER MEET & GREET
(SEE PAGE 19)
JUNE 27-29
St. Pete PRIDE, various locations
JULY 4
4TH OF JULY CHILDREN’S PARADE
(SEE PAGE 12)
JULY 4
Fireworks, Downtown waterfront parks
JULY 10
An Evening of Wine, Words & Wisdom: Happy Hour with the
Historian – Tim Dorsey, St. Pete Museum of History
JULY 19-20
26th Annual Professional Association of Visual Artists
Cool Art Show, Coliseum; 892-5202
AUGUST 15
PORCH PARTY
(SEE PAGE 25)

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Page 30

RECURRING EVENTS
(see calendar at www.stpete.org for more opportunities
and details and any changes in these schedules)

SUNDAY
Yoga + Dali, Dali Museum; 823-3767
Summer Concert Series in the Marley Room, Museum of
Fine Arts; 896-2667
MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY & SUNDAY
Yoga, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102
MONDAY
Art Bites (2nd) Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667
TUESDAY
New Parents Gallery Gathering (2nd), Museum of Fine Arts;
896-2667
Hoop Dancing and Kids Hoop Dancing, Sunken Gardens;
551-3102
Ballroom Dancing, Sunshine Center; 893-7101
Roll Over & Read (3rd), Mirror Lake Library; 893-7268
Friends of Decorative Arts Lectures (2nd), Museum of Fine
Arts; 896-2667
WEDNESDAY
Coffee Talk (2nd), Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667
Coffee with a Curator (1st), Dali Museum; 823-3767
Hoop Dancing, Sunken Garden; 551-3102
Library LEGO Mania (1st), Mirror Lake Library; 893-7268
Paddleboard Social, North Shore Park; 510-1921
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY
Story Time for Families, Dali Museum; 823-3767
WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY
Terrific Tots, Great Explorations; 821-8992
THURSDAY
EDGE District Farmer’s Market (1st), Central at 11th
Specials at Museums, (extended hours and reduced admission)
Dali Museum and Museum of Fine Arts
Opera @ The Dali (1st), Dali Museum; 823-3767
Kids Yoga, Sunken Garden; 551-3102
UNCHartED Random Culture, Museum of Fine Arts
The Genius Next Door (3rd), Dali Museum; 823-3767
Archaeology Lecture Series (3rd), Weedon Island Preserve; 4636500
Our Town Conversations with St. Pete Mythmakers (last),
Dali Museum; 823-3767
Wee-time at Weedon (2nd & 4th), Weedon Island Preserve; 4636500
FRIDAY
Garden Tour, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102
St. Pete Shuffle, Shuffleboard Courts; 822-2083
Founders Corner Fresh Market, 431 Southwest Blvd N; 4909161
Get Downtown Music Series (1st), Central Avenue b/w 2nd-3rd
Great Weedon Bird Quest (2nd), Weedon Island Preserve; 4636500

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

SATURDAY
Breakfast with Dali and Families (1st), Dali Museum; 823-3767
Dilly Dally with Dali, Dali Museum; 823-3767
Horticulture Workshop, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102
Kidding Around Yoga (1st & 3rd), Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667
Yoga & Family (1st), Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667
Dali & Beyond Film Series, Dali Museum; 823-3767
Take 5 with the Director (2nd), Museum of Fine Arts; 823-2667
2nd Saturday Art Walks/Gallery Walk (2nd), various downtown
locations; 323-ARTS
St. Pete Indie Market (1st), 600 Central Avenue
Weedon Guided Hikes, Weedon Island Preserve; 463-6500

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Introduction to Business Startup
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Franchising 101
JUNE 11
Introduction to Business Financing
How to Research & Write Your Business Plan
City of St. Pete Incentive and Services for
Business Owners and Startups
Social Media
JUNE 17
Legal Structures
JUNE 18
Establishing a Home-based Business
JUNE 19
How to Do Business with the City of St. Pete
Business Startup Basics
JUNE 24
QuickBooks Q&A
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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Major Credit Cards Accepted
Page 31

Property Transfers
The St. Pete Times section of the Wednesday edition of
the Tampa Bay Times provides a partial listing of real estate
transactions compiled from public records. These entries come
from those listings.
If any of these folks live near you, make sure you welcome them
to the neighborhood.
205 5th Avenue N #402.......................................................... Bryan Nelson
555 5th Avenue NE #714..................................................Pamela McNickle
575 5th Avenue NE #575................................... Kenneth & Carol Davidson
300 8th Avenue NE........................................................... Michael Santiago
200 13th Avenue N.................................Brian J. Scott & Corissa G. Leung
238 13th Avenue NE........................... John Barnes & Charles Champagne
126 15th Avenue NE............................. Robert Griendling & Karla Leavelle
415 15th Avenue NE.................................................... Paul & Lydia Ladwig
144 16th Avenue N.............................................................. Michael Walker
250 16th Avenue NE.............................................................. Elizabeth Fink
325 17th Avenue NE.................................... Ronald Charles Hammond, Jr.
425 17th Avenue NE............................................ Timothy & Alison Franklin
506 17th Avenue NE..................Joseph Emerson & Marci Girard-Emerson
515 17th Avenue NE............... Michael Carnevale &Stephanie Woolfenden
150 18th Avenue N............................................Donald E. & Evelyn S. Law
305 20th Avenue NE............................................................Mallory Dimmitt
105 22nd Avenue NE................................................. Nel & Robert Quarles
135 24th Avenue N.................................................... Mike & Roxana Stoici

240 26th Avenue N............................................................Michael Zehnder
245 25th Avenue N......................................... Nathaniel & Sarah Bernstein
221 28th Avenue N......................... Jane H. Nicholas & Edward C. Price III
2400 1st Street N...................................... David Peppers & Barbara Lusco
2620 2nd Street N..................... E.D. LaFontaine & Gretchen Ward Warren
700 Beach Drive NE #308.................................................Vanessa Rophie
700 Beach Drive NE #406..................................................... Chase Carter
1317 Beach Drive NE............................................................. Ellen Kuebel
1108 Oak Street NE...........................................................Vanessa Rophie
2017 Poplar Street NE....................................... Dion Lim & Evan Panesis

Source: Compiled from public records and printed in
the Tampa Bay Times.

727 400-1910

IN THE HE A RT OF IT A LL

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St. Petersburg, FL 33701

(727) 456-7103
Page 32

Enjoy the best of all worlds at Westminster Palms, the full-service choice in
senior living in the heart of Historic Old Northeast. We offer a lifestyle that
enhances and invigorates your life, with the security of a continuum of care.
Call us today to learn more about the great lifestyle and
remarkable people of Westminster Palms!
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

yers
ms
s

es
s

HONNA’s
Roaring ‘20s Gala

Old NE Renters!

Lightning Print

is proud to be the printers for the
Old Northeast Neighborhood News

If you are buying color or black and white
copies give us a call and check our pricing.
Free local pick-up and delivery.

ng a
are holdi ork!
yo u
our w
sample of

M

embership in the Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association is open to renters as well
as homeowners – and anyone else interested in
supporting HONNA. As a resident, you are invited to attend
our events, participate in our programs as well as volunteer
– even if you don’t join the association.
But if you do wish to show your support, complete the
membership form found on page 8 or sign-up online at
honna.org.

Newsletters ~ Brochures ~ Flyers ~ Manuals
Reports ~ Forms ~ Church Bulletins ~ Folders
Saddlestitch Booklets ~ Post Cards
Business Cards ~ Envelopes ~ Letterheads
Digital and Offset Printing

Lightning Print

Phone: 727-321-0785
Email: [email protected]
3063 - Lown St. N. • St. Petersburg, FL 33713

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 33

Plant Rant
Making Plants – Yes, Making!

by Flora Adorer
ummer’s coming and that means it’s time to make new
plants! Yes, I said make them. All you need are the plants
you already have, a sharp cutting tool, potting medium (or
soil from the yard) and water. Better yet, team up with a neighbor
or friend to share plant cuttings and your botanical bounty will
blossom.
Making new plants -- which is known
as plant propagation -- is so easy in our
warm and humid climate you’ll wonder
why you never tried it. Trust me, it’s not
rocket science. Just select the plants you’d
like to propagate. Stems with tender new
growth are best. Avoid plants in bloom.
Some plants -- such as coleus, sweet potato vine, pothos, African violet, begonia
and philodendron -- produce roots when
placed in a container of water in a bright
window or outdoors out of direct sunlight.
Change the water frequently if outdoors
to prevent mosquitoes.
You can get hardier roots when
cuttings are grown in containers using
equal parts peat moss and coarse builder’s sand or perlite. Honestly, though,
I’ve used ground soil and that’s worked
just fine. Don’t buy new containers -just make drainage holes in recycled
plastic food containers, disposable cups
and nursery pots. Make a hole in the
soil using a pencil and insert the cutting
so that it stays upright.
Place the cutting in a protected area
and keep the soil moist. In a few weeks
you should have a new plant that can
be transferred to a larger container or
placed in the ground. Give the cutting
the wiggle test: if you gently tug the

S

plant and it doesn’t loosen from the soil, it’s ready to transplant.
There are a few more methods for making plants, but they are
more complicated. Ground layering (usually vines), involves gently
bending a stem to the ground, securing it with a hairpin, covering
it with soil and keeping moist. As soon as roots form, cut the new
plant from the “mother” plant, and then transplant. Air layering
on a mother plant involves wounding a two to three-foot long portion of a stem by slicing off a small spot of the outer wood (but
not severing it). The damaged spot is where new roots will form.
Next, pack moist sphagnum moss around the wounded area
and wrap with plastic or foil. If it looks like a foil-wrapped baked
potato on the stem, you’ve done it right. Keep it moist and when a
ball of roots form, sever it from the mother plant and transplant it.
Of course there is always division
from bulbs and tubers (daylilies, cannas,
liriope). Just dig ‘em up, divide them and
transplant. For plants that produce seed,
gather the seeds, dry them and keep in
an air-tight container for several weeks
before sowing.
I regularly make new ti and dracaena
plants by pruning off the top half of the
plant (which tends to look gangly after
a while), then placing the cutting in soil
next to the original plant. It’s a great
way to give the ti and dracaena a more
“bushy” appearance.
Making your own plants can be fun
and rewarding, especially when
the “mother” plant is an heirloom
or has special significance. A good
friend still has red geraniums
propagated from her mother’s
garden more than 30 years ago!
Enjoy the summer!
P.S. I heard a rumor that our
neighborhood Garden Stroll
might be held next year … it’s not
too early to get your yard ready!
Flora Adorer is the nom de bloom
of an Old NE resident with extensive
knowledge about plants and vegetation.

Garden Stroll 2015

It’s been a while since we showcased our Historic Old Northeast gardens. Let’s do it next spring!
 A first step is to identify six or seven gardens
that stand out as marvelously traditional, Floridafriendly, child-inspiring, entertainment-oriented
-- or whatever.
 E-mail your suggestions and thoughts for a
creative, fun and successful event to Ann Caviness
([email protected]) or Cathy Rome ([email protected]) and we will get the ball rolling.

Page 34

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

T H E M A LO WA N Y G R O U P
T A M PA B AY L U X U R Y R E A L E S TAT E S E R V I C E S
W WW
DOWNTOWN ST. PETE

.T

A M PA

-B

AY

R

E ALT Y

OLD NORTHEAST

.

CO M

SNELL ISLE

GULF BEACHES

T H E H O U S I N G M A R K E T I S M O V I N G FA S T … D o n ’ t G e t L e f t B e h i n d !

DOWNTOWN

SNELL ISLE

DOWNTOWN / NORTHEAST

400 Beach Condo, #1903

1100 Cordova Blvd. NE

Vinoy Place Condominium, #714

Offered at $1,625,000

Offered at $1,700,000

Offered at $1,250,000

SAMPLING OF OUR NORTHEAST & DOWNTOWN SALES
2 0 24 Coffee Pot Blvd NE

$1,500,000

Downtown NE

$1,495,000

1400 Beach Drive NE

Old Northeast

$1,235,000

1331 Brightwaters Blvd NE

Snell Isle

$1,000,000

400 Beach Drive Condo

Downtown NE

$825,000

417 Lido Way NE

Snell Isle

$799,000

365 Belleair Drive NE

Snell Isle

$675,000

200 Paloma Street NE

Snell Isle

$675,000

400 Beach Drive Condo

Downtown NE

$649,000

2311 Andalusia Way NE

Old Northeast

$575,000

310 26th Ave N

Offered at $900,000

Snell Isle

505 5th Ave NE
SNELL ISLE

$1,775,000

1272 Cordova Blvd NE

1090 Cordova Blvd. NE

Old Northeast

Old Northeast

$368,000

234 13th Ave N
COFFEE POT · NORTHEAST
402 37th Ave. NE
Offered at $295,000

Old Northeast

$350,000

136 13th Ave NE

Old Northeast

$275,000

Prices shown are the last list price.

WE CAN SELL YOUR HOME AND GET YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO GO TOO!
R EBECCA LEMMON

THE MALOWANY GROUP
WWW.

B ROKER- A SSOCIATE

TAMPA- BAYREALTY. COM

D IRECT:

(727) 593-4699

330 Beach Drive NE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

FRANK MALOWANY
B ROKER- A SSOCIATE

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Page 35

All Neighborhood Meeting and Ice Cream Social
Monday, June 16, at 6:45pm (see p.1)
All residents welcome

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association
P.O. Box 76324
St. Petersburg, FL 33734

PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
ST. PETERSBURG FL
PERMIT #1020

www.honna.org

IN THIS ISSUE
• Roaring ‘20s Gala
• Golf Outing
• Trashy Alleys
• Propagation Tips
• Porch Parties
• Kids & Smart Phones
... and much more!

Get to Know tyler Jones, he’s got you Covered
in Old Northeast.

Tyler Jones has the expertise to
negotiate the best home-buying
deal for you. Another reason it’s
good to know JJ and the Z.
Tyler Jones
Buyer Asset Manager

201 2nd Ave. North
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Page 36

727-344-9191 [email protected]
www.JJandtheZ.com
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Julie Jones
Kathryn Krayer Zimring