Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Newsletter - June 2010

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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Newsletter published by HONNA

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UPCOMING MEETINGS Mark your calendar!
June 21st Neighborhood Potluck Dinner July 19th To Be Announced August: No Meeting in August
HONNA Neighborhood Meetings are held the third Monday of each month (except August and December) at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 126 11th Avenue NE Social: 6:45pm--Business: 7pm

St. Pete’s Jewel on Tampa Bay
Volume 38 Issue 2 / June 2010 / www.honna.org

The Power of

This article is the first in a new series entitled “The Power of One.” Featured will be residents of The Historic Old Northeast who are making a difference – be it major or modest, creating change, defining a vision, saying “we can” when others say “it can’t be done,” planting a seed -- in the community. Know someone we should consider profiling? Send us an e-mail at [email protected].

1

Published Quarterly

Bunnies and Squirrels and Eggs…Oh, My!

eighborhood families enjoyed another successful Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by Old NE residents Cynthia Serra and Connie Lancaster of Smith & Associates Real Estate. Over 100 todTracey Locke is a former TV reporter and more recently a dlers and kids dressed in their best Easter outfits participated in the annual publicist. Running a summer program for middle school stutradition held at Coffee Pot Park on April 3rd, the Saturday before Easter. dents is not something she ever imagined herElementary-age children and tots, competing with the resident squirrels, self doing. It was the senseless death of a child hunted and found over 2,000 candy-filled plastic eggs that were hidden that changed her course. Now she spends in the park. Those who found the “golden” and “silver” eggs received her time recruiting volunteers, developing special gifts. The event ended with a special visit from the Easter Bunny community partnerships and organizing who presented small stuffed bunnies to several lucky children. events for “The Paris Project” (www. Special thanks are in order for all the volunteers who helped stuff and theparisproject.org). hide the eggs – with extra special thanks to Cathy Leonard for sponsoring The Paris Project is the egg-stuffing party at her home. And thanks, of course, to Bob Glaser continued on page 8 from Smith & Associates -- this year’s Easter Bunny.

“Who is Your Neighbor?”

Tracey Locke -- Creator, The Paris Project by Barbara Marshall

N

in this issue
Sundial Project ........ 3 4th July Parade ......... 7 The Answer Lady .. 18 Porch Parties ........ 20 Replacing Your Roof ............................... 22 Pots Of Pleasure .. 26

Enjoy HONNA’s favorite “new” tradition Our June Monthly Neighborhood Meeting is a ...an Informal Opportunity to Enjoy Good Food and the Company of Neighbors and Friends, Both Old and New Come to the second of this year’s Potluck Dinners in lieu of the usual monthly ”business-oriented” neighborhood meeting. The date is Monday, June 21st, at our regular gathering place, Westminster Presbyterian Church at 126 11th Avenue NE. HONNA will provide the main entrée (meat and meatless), beverages and you can bring a favorite dish to pamper our palates. Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News continued on page 2

POTLUCK

Page 1

Potluck from page 1 Here’s our request of you. Depending on where you reside, here’s what you can bring: Between 5th-9th: bread or appetizer 10th-14th: a salad of some sort (examples: greens, pasta or Jell-O) 15th-22nd: a dessert 23rd-30th: vegetable dish (hot or cold) Make enough to serve 6-8, depending on what it is you’re bringing (of course, you get to take home any leftovers – unlikely!). If you are kitchen-challenged – or even if you’re not – we encourage you to bring a can or package of nonperishable food which we’ll donate to the church’s food pantry to pass along to those in need. Plan to arrive between 6:45-7pm so we can lay out all the food and begin dining by 7 or so. There will be no formal program – just neighborly conversation at tables over dinner. If you can’t arrive by 7, come when you can as the food should hold out until we start to close down around 8pm. Not a HONNA member? You’re definitely invited anyway. And if you decide to join, we won’t stop you.

The President’s Perspective
Mary Alice Lange Association President
Our neighborhood has been honored with two most prestigious awards for our updated Neighborhood Plan and the user-friendly format that was inspired by the consultants at My Town Team. The first award comes from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation in the field of Preservation Education/Media, which was presented on May 14th in Sanibel. The Historic Old Northeast is a finalist for the second award from Neighborhoods USA, acknowledging our contributions to neighborhood planning, although we must complete a final presentation at the conference in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the end of May (after this newsletter has gone to press). That evening, former President Bill Clinton will present the awards at the dinner. There are many wonderful neighborhood events and programs coming up including the June Pot Luck dinner, 4th of July Children’s Parade, Crime Watch meetings and much more. Check this newsletter and our website, www.honna.org, and watch for broadcast e-mails containing updated information about what is happening. HONNA and our neighborhood have been blessed with the special commitment and contributions of many individuals in recent months, including — but certainly not limited to — past president Bob Watts (who orchestrated the very successful Candlelight Home Tour), Jonni Watts (who has created extremely effective broadcast e-mail notices), former Board member Tracey Locke (who has put together a wonderful schedule of monthly speakers and very successful special events, like Halloween), our Historic Preservation chair Robin Reed (who spearheaded the awardwinning Neighborhood Plan effort and the Views from the Vinoy book), Cynthia Serra (who organized the recent Easter Egg Hunt) and Karen Reese (who coordinated the popular neighborhoodwide yard sale). These neighbors and others have done much to improve our association’s management and communications and to provide entertaining and diverse programs for our residents to enjoy. Thank you for the hard work and passion that you give to the neighborhood!

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 Jill McGrath Mike Panetta Yvonne Swanson Sue Strott John Gee
Circulation Contributors Newsletter Layout & design Advertising information Joe O’Connor All our Old Northeast neighbors Sharon Bond: [email protected] Rachel Sartain: [email protected]

Happy faces at this year’s Easter Egg Hunt
To see a slideshow of more happy faces at the 2010 Easter Egg Hunt, go to www. honna.org.

*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 Rachel Sartain: [email protected] Ad space is limited so please make arrangements early.

1Qtr 2 Qtrs 3 Qtrs 1 Year Business card 50 93 128 160 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 400 744 1024 1280 Back Cover 1/2 page 1400 *Inserts and Premium Placement: Rates Upon Request

Ad SizE

Ad RATES

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Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

Association News & Activities
The usual monthly neighborhood meeting in March was the first informal Pot Luck of the year, attended by about 60 local residents who enjoyed a delectable variety of homemade desserts, salads and appetizers along with the meat and vegetarian pasta main dishes. Police Chief Chuck Harmon and several members of the force were on hand at the April meeting to discuss crime in the City and The Old Northeast in particular. After Chief Harmon presented an overview of how his department is addressing the matter of crime and safety, he and his officers took questions from the audience on subjects ranging from substations and prostitution on 4th Street to panhandlers, the homeless and Dumpster d i v i n g . We learned that one arrested b u rg l a r o n Snell Isle was asked why he operated in that neighborhood and replied, “They are stupid – they don’t call the police.” Police had a presence in JohnSamaha (L) and Jay Marshall (R) with our neighChief Harmon borhood 465 times during one recent four-week period, responding to 911 and non-emergency calls, ticketing cars and otherwise cruising our streets. In two Board changes, Bob Watts resigned as president of the Association and Tracey Locke stepped down as a Board member. Mary Alice Lange was elected by the Board to fill the remainder of Bob’s term. Both Bob and Tracey are to be thanked for the energy and commitment they gave to the Association and the neighborhood during their time on the Board. completed. The site, including the retaining walls, will then be painted. The Parks Department is sharing the cost of the painting and restoration work with HONNA. National Register Update HONNA’s resident historic preservation professional, Emily Elwyn, is close to completing her review of our National Register Historic District. Now that many more of our homes are 50 or more years old, a number of them qualify for inclusion in the district as “contributing properties.” The revised list of properties continued on page 4

Sundial Project

Committee Reports
Robin Reed, Chair dolphin Restoration As part of the COA process for local landmarks, letters have been sent to adjoining property owners notifying them of the restoration work proposed for the dolphins and the Venetian steps at Granada Terrace. Once the work is approved by City preservation staff, work will begin. To avoid confusion, a sign will be placed at the site notifying residents that the dolphin on the right has been removed for restoration and will be returned once work is

Historic Preservation

Those of you who walk along the waterfront may have noticed an old concrete pad located near the intersection of North Shore Drive and Coffee Pot Boulevard. After much research, it was discovered that this area was called “Vista Point” and until the 1970s was the location of a sundial and planting beds. It seems that in the first half of the 20th century, the ladies of the North Shore Garden Circle took great interest in the planning the landscape for North Shore Park, actually doing much of the planting themselves. Over the years, they donated two different sundials for that location. Today, the Parks Department has the original design plans for both sundial planting areas. Armed with so much historical information, it seemed that an opportunity was presenting itself to restore a sundial to what is now a rather unattractive section of the park. Sculptor Eric Higgs, who lives near the site, was contacted about creating a new sundial. He came up with a somewhat unique and unusual idea -- a “human” sundial. A semi-circle of markers, each with an hour denoted on it, is placed at ground level. When a person stands facing north in front of the half circle, his or her shadow is cast upon the correct hour marker. A design of this type has much to recommend it: it is educational, interactive, does not obstruct views of the water and would, of course, be appealing to children! As St. Petersburg is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the waterfront parks this year, it seemed appropriate to propose restoring the concept of a sundial to the park in honor of the occasion. It will remain for years to come as a permanent memorial not only to the founders of the park but to residents who have cared about and enjoyed our waterfront park system. Not surprisingly, the idea has received a very positive response. Eric estimates that the project will cost about $17,000. He is donating his design work and providing the materials at a discount. HONNA has pledged $1,000 and will be working with the Centennial Committee to raise the remaining money. We hope that you will consider making a personal tax deductible donation to HONNA toward this project. Please contact me at 825-0480 or rlreed@tampabay. rr.com for more information and how you can contribute to this exciting interactive and educational project. You will be continuing a longstanding Old Northeast tradition of beautifying “our” park!

Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

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Like our neighborhood? Want to make it even better? 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.

Candlelight Tour of Homes: Chair, open C.O.N.A. Rep: Open Crime & Safety: Jay Marshall Historic Preservation: Robin Reed Membership: Barbara Marshall Planning/Neighborhood Design Review: Mary Alice Lange Newsletter: Rick Carson Porch Parties: Larry Smith Programs: Open Traffic: Mark Lawson Website: Joe O’Connor (interim)
www.honna.org/board-and-committees.html

To contact a chair via e-mail, go to

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

JOiN OUR COMMiTTEES interested in working on publicity for the Association? Getting involved in upcoming special events like the Easter Egg Hunt or the 4th of July Children’s Parade? Contact Mary Alice Lange at [email protected] .

will go to the State Preservation Office for approval before being sent to Washington. You will remember that being listed on the National Register of Historic Places is an honor but does not offer protection for properties. HONNA Exhibit We are currently scheduled to have an exhibit about our neighborhood at the Tampa Bay History Center in December and January. The museum has a “community display case” that they offer to organizations on a rotating basis. HONNA is the first group outside of Tampa selected to participate. We hope to have the exhibit move to the St. Petersburg Museum of History following its showing in Tampa. Florida Neighborhoods Conference HONNA will participate in the state conference this year by once again sponsoring supper and a tour of our neighborhood. Last year our tour was a favorite of participants and garnered rave reviews from many of those attending! If you would like to attend the conference (July 8th-10th), please contact: Susie Ajoc at the Neighborhood Partnership office, 893-7356. Awards Mary Alice Lange and I attended the Florida Trust Conference in April to accept an award for our new Neighborhood Plan in the category of Preservation Education/Media. This is the second year in a row that we have received an award from the Trust. Larry Smith, Mary Alice Lange and I will also be attending the Neighborhood, USA (NUSA) Conference in Little Rock May 26th-29th (as this newsletter goes to press) and making a presentation about our plan. We are one of four finalists for their “Neighborhood of the Year” award which carries a $500 first prize. Former President Bill Clinton will be presenting the awards! Walking Tour HONNA’s re-scheduled Spring Walking Tour was a great success. The focus of the tour was the 4th Street Business District, former home to car dealerships and buildings in the Art Deco style of architecture. Many thanks to Rob Wertz and Mike Dailey for planning and leading a most informative and interesting tour.

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association
OFFiCERS and BOARd
President: Mary Alice Lange 251-2034 Vice President: Maureen Stafford — Secretary: Larry Smith — Treasurer: Douglas Haan, 488-5514 Directors Rick Carson 898-7834 Bob Hunter 898-7987 Rick Kantner — Robin Reed 825-0480 Mark Lawson 365-3155 Barbara Marshall 385-4746 Ron Magray 502-9065 Jay Marshall — To contact an officer or Board member via e-mail, go to www. honna.org/board-and-committees.html where you can click on the name of the person you wish to contact and send him/her a message. HONNA Board meetings are held the second 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.

Jay Marshall, Chair We were blessed with cold weather in the first three months of the year. This sounds a little unsympathetic to all of us who shivered through a period when Florida could be at its best. But the weather did have a “chilling” effect on crime: we recorded fewer crimes. Adding to the weather, our community was active in reporting suspicious activities, denying the opportunity of criminals from carrying out their plans. This is especially true for day-time burglaries. However, the crime tempo picked up in March and has continued to increase through May. And we can expect the trend to continue for the rest of the summer. High on the list of offenses is no surprise: burglaries, vehicle thefts, and thefts from vehicles, followed by general theft of property. Here’s what we know about how these offenses are committed and why. Groups of juveniles and adults target a neighborhood over a short period of time and then move on to another neighborhood in City. Those groups committing burglaries, most often during the work hours of 9am-4pm, use a tried and proven technique. They assess particular blocks to target and watch how residents go about their lives. When they believe a resident is not home, they knock on the resident’s door to confirm, and if there is no answer they go through either the front or back door depending on how well

Crime & Safety Committee

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Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

screened they are from observation and easiest point of access, like an unlocked door. Once inside, it takes them no more than five-seven minutes to leave with your computers, television sets, iPods, and other valuable items. This is about the time it takes you to go next door to your neighbor’s house to borrow a cup of sugar or to a hand tool. The perpetrators plan, watch and strike. The method of operation is quick and successful. Thefts from vehicles and vehicle theft generally take place during the hours of darkness. Again, the groups target a neighborhood for a few days and move on. Their easiest prey are unlocked vehicles, especially those with valuables left inside (computers, cell phones, GPS units, iPods, even money left in the coin tray). If the vehicle is locked, a simple screwdriver is the tool of preference. It takes less than 10 seconds to defeat the lock, grab the contents in the vehicle and move on to the next target. Vehicles without steering wheel locking devices or audible alarm systems are the best targets for juveniles wanting your car for a joyride, adults wanting the vehicle for commission of other crimes or for those wanting car parts. Our summer is approaching and this is what we can expect: School is out and our youth will have time on their hands. As the City struggles with its budget, summer youth programs will undoubtedly be trimmed, giving them more time on their hand s. Residents are going on vacation, long weekend trips or leaving the area to return to the north, resulting in unoccupied homes. Garage and residential doors are left open when we go about fixing our property, spending more time visiting neighbors or simply taking a short walk. Vehicle windows are left open to mitigate the heat. The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Crime Watch is ramping up to meet these challenges and we need your help in three ways. Join our Crime Watch Program and help us with our Citizens on Patrol effort. Whether you drive, bike or walk, get out into the neighborhood and actively watch for suspicious persons and activities. We have five patrol sectors throughout the community. Those of us who are out patrolling need your time and talents to make a difference. The Crime Watch meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month; upcoming dates are June 10th, July 8th and August 12th at Westminster Palms, 830 North Shore Drive NE beginning at 7pm. Our Crime Watch Program will be distributing yard signs that say: We Notice and Report Suspicious Activities. This is another tool in our kit to warn perpetrators that we are serious about crimes in our neighborhood and that we watching. Put a sign in your yard and let them know. In addition, the members of our Citizens on Patrol will be sending out contact cards that will let residents know how they can improve their crime prevention measures, like closing garage doors, closing back fence gates and repairing inoperable motion or dusk to dawn lights. Another way you can help is to take personal responsibility in protecting your property and be watchful for your neighbors. LOCK UP your property, even if you will be gone for a short period. Look out and report suspicious persons or activities by calling 727/893-7700. Get a steering wheel locking device or an alarm package for your vehicle. Take all valuables from your vehicle at the end of the day.

Don’t open your door to strangers but make noise in the house so that it appears occupied. To reinforce these principles, Chief of Police Chuck Harmon and our community policing team assigned to The Old Northeast visited with us at the April HONNA general meeting. The St. Petersburg Police Department is responding to reports of suspicious activity and wants us to step up the pace. It takes the Police Department less time to follow up on a call involving a suspicious person or activity than it does to investigate a crime. Chief Harmon and his department greatly appreciate the crime prevention work ongoing in our community and wants to build on our existing partnership to make it better. By our exercising our personal responsibility, we can make a huge difference. You may have noticed four brand new Neighborhood Watch signs in the neighborhood. They are located at: 30th Avenue N at 1st Street, 22nd Avenue N at 4th Street, 5th Avenue N at Beach Drive and 5th Avenue N at 2nd Street. As mentioned in the last newsletter, we have several residents of The Historic Old Northeast giving of their time and resources voluntarily serve
CLIP AND MAIL

Crime Watch Fact Sheet
Name _____________________________________ Address ___________________________________ City/State: St. Petersburg, FL Zip: _____________ Home Phone:_______________________________ Office Phone: _______________________________ Cell Phone: ________________________________ E-mail: ____________________________________ Emergency Contact Person____________________ Contact’s Phone # ___________________________ HONNA Member: Yes____ No____ Would like more info on membership Yes___ No___ Signed: ___________________________________ PO Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734

HONNA

Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

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our neighborhood. We thank them for everything they have done and continue to do. Please consider joining our Crime Watch Program in this effort to make our neighborhood safer for us, our children and our neighbors. It is our responsibility and the right thing to do. Please contact me by e-mail at JayMarshall@ HONNA.org or by phone 703/609-2139 if you are interested in joining or want more information.

neighborhood who’d like further information about HONNA and what we do, please don’t hesitate to contact Larry Smith (Meet and Greet chair) at [email protected]. Look for the membership application form in this newsletter where any new residents/members can also indicate areas of interest in which to become involved.

Barbara Marshall, Chair Our membership continues to increase — we are now just a few shy of 350! Thanks for your continued support and interest. New members and those who have renewed their membership, please come to HONNA’s monthly meetings so we can acknowledge you. To those neighbors who have not renewed membership, how can we get you back? We welcome suggestions on how HONNA can encourage neighbors to join as new members and former members to re-join. Even if you haven’t joined or renewed, please be sure to provide your e-mail address so that you receive various announcements about neighborhood events and activities. Any new residents to the

Membership

Rick Carson, Editor As always, we welcome residents who’d like to share their talents -- no matter at what level – in any of the tasks involved with the newsletter. This includes writing, securing new advertisers and working with the layout. Feel free to contact me at nsnaeditor@ aol.com. And we appreciate receiving feedback from you, whether in response to a particular article or ideas you may have on issue, concerns or subjects you feel we should address. Check out the ever-evolving website (honna.org) as it works to become even more user-friendly and information-providing. If you haven’t been there recently you’ve missed the new calendar, which is going to make it easier to find upcoming events. Anyone with some interest in helping with the website, let us know at vp@ honna.org.

Newsletter

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Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

in Case You Missed it: Updates and Follow Ups Keeping You Current on Some Neighborhood Stories That Have Been in the News
North Shore Drive NE required a woman with second and thirddegree burns to be helicoptered to Tampa General Hospital. The incident, which occurred about 9:15pm on April 17th, appeared to have been caused by a burning mattress and was extinguished within 20 minutes. More than 30 units responded to the alarm and 30 people had to be evacuated from the 14-story building. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 4/18]

New Members
Shari Barnhart, Lee Dickson........................... 19th Avenue NE Kim Cromwell, Kathleen Kote ......................... 16th Avenue NE Pete & Charlene Gunn ................................... 16th Avenue NE Trevor Capone, David Nixon .......................... 12th Avenue NE Rosemary Romero ......................................... 21st Avenue NE Alicia (Rhodes) & Scott Greer ........................... 9th Avenue N Gretta Paige Bellas........................................... 21st Avenue N Nancy Beck, James Parker ........................ Brevard Road NE Frank & Laura Fage.......................................... 20th Avenue N Harry Favre......................................................... 9th Avenue N Cynthia Beaulieu ...........................................20th Avenue NE Kristopher Isler ................................................. 14th Avenue N Simone Tieber Wemple ................................. 14th Avenue NE Marilyn Garateix ............................................... 21st Avenue N Anne Glover....................................................16th Avenue NE Bret Lee ...................................................................Tuttle Ave Melissa Clark ...................................................8th Avenue NE Ronald Hiemann ....................................... West Newbury, MA Peter McGahan ................................................. 112th Street N Kathleen Whittington ........................................ 27th Avenue N Sandra Johnson .............................................18th Avenue NE Sharon Boulter..................................................8th Avenue NE Gary & Julie Kliner ........................................... Oak Street NE Elena Cano, Andrew Coundouriotis............. Cherry Street NE Ann & Dan Vickstrom ..................................... 20th Avenue NE Brigitte & Jim Williams .................................... 20th Avenue NE Steve Grande, Cori Hunsaker ..........................22nd Avenue N Pauline Chan ..................................................17th Avenue NE Janice Herbert ...............................................14th Avenue NE

 A fire at the Westminster Palms retirement complex at 830

 The on-going saga of “packs” of bicyclists “hogging the roads and disregarding traffic rules” was once again the focus of Dr. Delay in a recent newspaper column. Readers wrote in to complain about cyclists who do not stop for stop signs or traffic signals, do not use bicycle lanes when they exist and spread out three-four abreast. Dr. Delay admitted she “cannot account for why some folks choose to follow the traffic laws and others do not…All we can hope for is that common sense will prevail, since I have yet to see a pack of riders pulled over by law enforcement.” [source: St. Petersburg Times, 4/11] Question: Do the organizers who dispatch groups of cyclists from the North Shore Pool parking area on Saturday mornings remind their riders about following the traffic rules before they send them off up and down North Shore and Beach drives?

Please Support Our Advertisers

Children’s Parade
* May be rescheduled to Saturday, July 3rd if feedback from residents suggest this is preferable: Contact us at [email protected] Check honna.org for updates
Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

Tentatively scheduled for Sunday, July 4th* at 10am Coffee Pot Park st (1 Street NE at 30th Avenue)

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Power of One from page 1 named after eight-year old Paris Whitehead Hamilton, who was killed in a driveby shooting in her Bartlett Park home a year ago this past April. The tragedy not only brought outrage over ongoing gun violence, it spotlighted a serious problem with attitudes about snitching. Many wondered if Paris would be alive today if someone had reported the illegal guns or the escalating feud between rival gangs. Inspiration for The Paris Project came from Tracey’s training as a docent at the Florida Holocaust Museum and a film called “Freedom Writers.” The movie is based on a true story where a first year teacher had great success using lessons of the Holocaust to relate to teens at a failing school in California. Her students (150 teens) became known as the Freedom Writers who chronicled their collective journey dealing with gangs, drugs, and crime in diaries similar to the young Holocaust victim, Anne Frank. The 25,000 students who tour the Florida Holocaust Museum annually learn firsthand the devastating effects of intolerance and silence. At the museum, they use terms like “silent bystander.” Docents, like Tracey, encourage kids to be “upstanders” or someone willing to speak out on behalf of themselves and others in the face of injustice. On the streets, teens call that snitching. Last summer, Tracey organized a Florida Holocaust Museum-

sponsored seven-week pilot program at Wildwood Recreation Center working with 100 middle school age teens. She recruited volunteers who donated more than 200 hours to help with lesson plans and art activities and to help run the program. The students studied the Holocaust in the context of human behavior. They explored everything from self identity to who they feel obligated toward beyond their family. Guest speakers ranged from a Holocaust survivor to a mother whose son was recently murdered. Paris Project students took a pledge to speak up for justice. As part of that pledge, they produced artwork for a public awareness campaign called “Break the Silence.” Student artists appeared on several news stations over the summer to kick off the campaign. The art exhibit was displayed for several months at the Florida Holocaust Museum where it attracted other families who have lost loved ones where snitching played a role. On the April 2010 one-year anniversary of Paris’ death, the exhibit was displayed at the Frank Pierce Recreation Center for

No insects, no baby birds. 96% of our land-dwelling birds rely on insects to feed their babies.*

Insects pollinate our fruits and vegetables.

Add some native plants to your garden and see who comes to visit!

BEEF UP YOUR GARDEN!

*From Douglas W. Tallamy’s book Bringing Nature Home, How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants.

Page 8

Call 727-743-5543 Mary-Beth Wagner B. S. Horticulture, Owner Advanced Art of Gardening.com
Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

PHOTO: CHRIS VIGH

POUND FOR POUND, INSECTS CONTAIN MORE PROTEIN THAN BEEF!*
Only 10% of insects can �ind nutrition from non-native plants.*

a celebration of Paris’ life. A community-wide celebratory event on April 5th highlighted several new programs like the NAACP’s book drive and reading program in Paris’ name. Green Florida planted several front-yard gardens called “Paris Gardens” meant to beautify and bring together the Bartlett Park community. The city renamed Preston Avenue to Paris Avenue. Neighbors are hopeful that the changes go beyond a new street sign. Rebuild Together Tampa Bay is fixing up Paris’ home and nine others on the block -- a block that has been the crime scene of four murders in just 18 months. As Tracey expresses, “I think these events illustrate what can be accomplished when people work together. We are doing our small part with The Paris Project. Someone recently expressed surprise in my interest because it does not affect the neighborhood where I live. I think that goes right back to what we talk to the kids about. Who is in your universe of obligation? For me, neighbors do not have to live next door.” Tracey is now leading a committee of 15 volunteers as they grow The Paris Project into a permanent outreach program of the Florida Holocaust Museum. They are expanding the summer program this year to reach up to 300 young people. The “Break the Silence” exhibit will become a year-round traveling exhibit. There is even a video about snitching in production that will be made available to thousands of students. A version of this article appeared in the May issue of The Northeast Journal.

Tracey Locke (above left) lives in The Historic Old Northeast with her husband, Kenny, and two young children. She was recently awarded the 2010 Florida Holocaust Museum’s annual Loebenberg Humanitarian Award, named after the Museum’s founders to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the museum and furthering its mission. Barbara Marshall serves on The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association (HONNA) Board of Directors and is chair of its Membership Committee.

Come celebrate Easter with us. Ad courtesy of HONNA in appreciation of Westminster’s generous support of HONNA

Worship Service: Sundays 10:30am

Potluck and Easter Egg Hunt on March 28 and Easter Worship & Communion on April 4th.

...and remember to tell them that you saw their ad here.
Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

Please Support Our Advertisers

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if you enjoy reading this newsletter….
if you appreciate learning about upcoming
events happening in the neighborhood and nearby…

if you value neighborhood events like

the Easter Egg Hunt, 4th of July Parade, Garden Stroll, Candlelight Tour of Homes, walking tours and the neighborhood-wide Yard Sale…. association is involved on your behalf regarding code, preservation, crime/safety and quality-of-our-surroundings issues…. you are NOT a member of The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association (and maybe feeling just a little bit guilty)… membership form in this newsletter along with a check for $30 (tax deductible!) or go to honna.org/membership-information. html and sign up via PayPal or with a credit card.

if it matters to you that the neighborhood

if you can say “Yes” to any of these and

Then it’s easy to join. Clip and mail the

Wishing Well Finds a New Home
The Wishing Well which had been tucked away next to the parking lot on the north side of 22nd Avenue and 4th Street was finally moved to its new location on the south side of 22nd Avenue alongside the new Rally gas station. It is a lot more visible and also can now be seen by drivers entering the neighborhood.

Bob Watts knows The Old Northeast
 

Resident for 10 years Commitment to educating clients on all aspects of their transaction Aggressive approach & strategies Unparalleled service direct from Owner/Broker

 

Looking to sell? Call now for your FREE Comprehensive Comparative Market Analysis.

Bob Watts, Broker 727-647-3300 [email protected]
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Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

A Bargain Hunters’ Bonanza
by Karen Reese
he Old Northeast neighborhood-wide yard sale on Saturday, March 13th, was a great social activity that seemed to coalesce many of the neighbors. In some ways it was invigorating. Conversations among neighbors stemmed from the topic of the yard sale. There seemed to be a buzz in the neighborhood of things people wanted to sell. Once the list came out, conversations shifted to items they wanted to purchase (I heard about a kayak that got a lot of attention). People I spoke with outside of The Old Northeast were excited about the prospect of finding antiques and furnishings. Creating the flyers and organizing the distribution while running my chiropractor practice was a chore, I won’t lie. But it was so pleasant to walk along our beautiful streets. It was great exercise and frankly very relaxing. It was a reminder of why I bought here in The Old Northeast. It was nice to see the different architecture and how the homes were enhanced with creative colors, shutters, siding and plants. Many had little sitting areas that looked so inviting. In fact some people were out enjoying their friends around the pool and other outdoor nooks. Much of the landscaping was inspiring. Neighbors and those from outside the neighborhood who responded to the HONNA yard sale signs and advance publicity were directed to Westminster Presbyterian Church where they were able to pick up “locator maps” listing the 62 homeowners who had signed up in advance to be included on the maps. A Goodwill truck was on site at the church after the sale concluded to receive donations from homeowners who had items which didn’t sell.

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As a “thank you,” participating homeowners were encouraged to contribute a small portion of their proceeds to HONNA toward the restoration of the dolphin sculptures at the Venetian Steps in Granada Terrace, and as a result over $500 was donated to that end. I would like to thank everyone for being so generous. I was very worried that I wouldn’t get all the flyers out, but so many people graciously donated their time to place these flyers on every door. I especially appreciate Maureen Stafford for contacting volunteers and businesses for me. She was great at encouraging me when I thought the task was too daunting. Tracey Locke was great in offering experienced advice and keeping me on task as was Robin Reed. My walkers are probably too numerous to mention but included Jim and Cathy Leonard, Helen Torres, Larry Smith, Bob Watts, Bob and Jean Hunter, Anne-Marie Stephenson, Kimberly Wolfe, Barbara and Jay Marshall, Ellen Burkhart, Ron Magray, Jeanine Clark-Dunlap, Sarah Marston, Dawn Goddard, Susan Lewis, Julie Lawson, Sharon Kantner, Donna Guillaume, Janet Avallone, Gayle Musseau, Douglas Haan, Lynne Mormino and Nancy Tait. And thanks to Westminster Presbyterian Church for generously allowing HONNA to use it facilities as “Yard Sale Central.” All of the homeowners I met at the end of the yard sale seemed to have genuinely had a good time meeting neighbors while ridding their clutter. It seemed that many were surprised of how enjoyable and easy it turned out to be. So watch for next year’s yard sale extravaganza, likely to be held again in March.

Special thanks to Karen, an Old NE resident and chiropractor, for organizing this year’s project.

Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

Page 11

Over The Back Fence

by

…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!



S

and


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Fun Times at Westminster Church….”Family Fun Fiesta” is at them to “stop,” she learned the branches had been cut to allow name the children of Westminster Presbyterian Church have given for better visibility of the stop sign. She thought the cutting had to its newest fellowship event. The next two fiestas are scheduled been excessive and had the foreman of the crew put her in touch for Saturday, June 19th, from 4-8pm, and Saturday, August 21st, with the City department. She was told that it is the homeowner’s 4-8pm. There will be board and card games, ping pong and Wii, responsibility to maintain street-side trees according to code and snacks and a meal, toddlers and senior citizens and there will be a that, in this case, the City had been providing her a service. Sounds lot of laughter and conversation. The church, at 126 11th Avenue like something for “The Answer Lady” (see page 18) to check into NE, invites all its Old NE neighbors to join for the September issue. them for these events. If you would like further Walking for Your Health…The May 9th Over The Back Fence is a information, please call the church office at “Neighborhood Times” section of the St. 821-5259. Petersburg Times contained a really nice Strobel Recognized….Old NE neighbor piece on resident Karen Reese, about the Don Strobel (Strobel Design Build) has walking club she started a few months ago. STep On up received the 2010 “Spirit of Education” As a chiropractor, she’s keenly aware of and achievement award from the National Assothe value of exercise, which inspired her ciation of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) to launch this venture. The group meets on leT’S hear Mondays at 5:30pm in Coffee Pot Park at for excellence in training and education in the construction industry. Don has spent the last 1st Street NE and 30th Avenue (on Friday FrOm yOu 13 years dedicating himself to the training and evenings there’s a group at Upham Beach certification of other remodeling contractor in St. Pete Beach). The walk is about two e-mail: [email protected] members of NARI both locally and nationmiles in length and takes about an hour, ally, personally mentoring and helping over everyone at his or her own pace. Motiva90 member contractors attain their NARItion, safety in numbers, socializing – all recognized certifications. Another job well done, Don! these good things. To learn more, phone 821-7400. Gulf Oil Spill….As we went to press and now as you are reading Neighborhood Homes in Spotlight….A new coffee-table book, this, the huge oil spill in the Gulf is threatening our coastline and Casas to Castles: Florida’s Historic Mediterranean Revival Arour beaches. The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary is asking for the comchitecture by photographer Justin Nylander, features four St. Pete munity’s help to prepare for injured birds and coastal cleanup as homes and two are in The Old NE. They are the homes at 1730 the disastrous spill moves toward Florida. The sanctuary is asking Beach Drive NE (owned by Dr. and Mrs. Vinay Badhwar) and for volunteers and items to be donated. Staff and volunteers were “The Gargoyle House” at 1400 Beach Drive NE (currently on the a significant workforce in the disastrous Tampa Bay 1993 oil spill market by owners Greg Hill and his mother, Helen). More can be and has experienced avian care staff on standby to assist Tri-State seen at casastocastles.com. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 2/17]. Bird Rescue and Research. The sanctuary is a local drop-off center Old NE -- Party Cenfor the needed donations of linens, kennels, towels, sheets, Dawn tral?...It seems as though detergent, Pepto-Bismol and toothbrushes. Please bring the items Vinoy Park (and Straub to the sanctuary at 18328 Gulf Boulevard, Indian Shores; see seaPark) are increasingly birdsanctuary.com or call 391-6211 for more information. Ground-Zero when it Saturday Morning Market Hiatus….If you’re a frequenter of comes to hosting popular the Saturday Morning Market, you’ve undoubtedly discovered by weekend events. What now that it has closed shop for the summer. Here’s what the SMM this means for the southern operators reported in an e-mail message: “We had a somewhat and eastern portions of the successful experiment last summer running a market in the Maneighborhood, particularhaffey Theater parking garage. Unfortunately we didn’t succeed ly, are parking headaches in getting a sufficiently high customer turnout to make it viable – and the accompanying for many vendors. We’ve decided for a number of reasons to not noise and litter -- way run the market this summer. We will be carefully evaluating how beyond the normal. After to potentially develop the Summer Market as an annual event the Honda Grand Prix going forward.” at the end of March into mid-May we experienced Tree Trimming Travesties?....A neighbor recently reported that Blues Fest, Mainsail, St. she arrived home one day to find two City trucks loading branches Anthony’s Triathlon, Funk that had obviously just been cut from her oak trees. After screaming

Soapbox...

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Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

What’s Wrong With This Picture?
No, they’re not one-way streets
In the top two photos we’re looking north on the 1200 block of Cherry Street NE and all the cars on the right side of the street are parked illegally. The law states that on two-way streets it’s “passenger wheels to the curb.” In the top left photo the car is not only parked on the wrong side of the street but it’s parked too close to the intersection and stop sign. Residents and visitors parking on this particular block can always be found parking illegally. In the right photo, these three illegally parked cars on 2 nd Street N each received a ticket. Fest and a couple of charity walks and swim meets and water polo tournaments at North Shore Pool. While we are proud of our neighborhood and are glad others are able to enjoy it, the spring and fall months when so many events are scheduled here can test our patience and hospitality. If only our guests would tone it down with the loudspeakers and be more considerate when it comes to parking and safety (our intersections are dangerous enough as it is without cars blatantly ignoring the law: see photo below left).

The

will return in September

GREEN PAGE
Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

Page 13

Neighborhood Book Group

As The Pages Turn...
by Susan Coffey
NE Great Book club met again in March at the home of Barri Boudreaux on North Shore Drive. Barri chose the play by Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie.The play also has his essay, The Catastrophe of Success, poignant words from Williams regarding his depression surrounding his success. Those of you familiar with his work will understand why he finds success to be a useless existence: people waiting on him hand and foot, being upgraded to premier suites and people wanting his presence every minute was too overwhelming for Williams. The Glass Menagerie was Williams’ first successful play, catapulting him to become one of America’s most highly regarding playwrights. The play consists of four characters. Amanda Wingfield, the mother, once a Southern belle who was abandoned by her husband 16 years earlier; she is still clinging desperately to that past even though it’s nowhere near the reality of her life. Laura Wingfield, her daughter who has a crippled foot and crippling shyness. Tom Wingfield, her son, who works in a warehouse but dreams of being a writer. And Jim O’Connor, a co-worker of Tom’s, who Laura has been in love with from high school. Of course, Jim has no idea and no romantic interest in Laura. The play is set in the 1940s and is about this unfortunate family, being abandoned by the father which seems to be the underlying reason for all their frustrations and underachieving lives. Amanda with her desperate attempt to have her daughter “married off,” Tom’s frustration with working in a factory rather than living his dream of being a writer. And finally Laura, so socially inept that she is unable to live anything close to a normal life for a young women. It all comes to a head one night when Jim is invited over for dinner and to Amanda‘s surprise he is not a “gentleman caller” for Laura. He in fact has a fiancé. That night is a metaphor for their lives, and the reader

O

Check out the HONNA website www.honna.org
Page 14

hopes things will change but they don’t. Williams does not disappoint with this dark portrayal of this American family. Barri being the actor she is had each of us take turns being a character and reading excerpts from the play. The group gave this play a thumbs up. Our next meeting was held at the home of Patricia Calvert of Almeida Way NE. The book she choose was Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, a memoir of one eventful year of her life. The book starts with Gilbert being in a marriage that she no longer wants to be in leading to a very difficult divorce. She then finds herself in a tumultuous relationship with her lover, David. All this being too much for Gilbert, she decides to take a year off from her job as a journalist and “find herself.” What makes it fascinating is that she chooses to do so in three different countries -- Italy, India and Indonesia. Each country is fascinating to Gilbert and the readers as she first takes us through Italy, taking Italian lessons and eating the best pizza in the world in Naples. She begins to let go of her “baggage” that she brought with her through the people she meets and the wonderful food of Italy. She leaves Italy healthier, happier and 24 pounds heavier. In India she eventually finds self actualization through her guru, prayer and meditation. At first she finds this an impossible task, but with hard work and listening what her mind, body and spirit are saying she leaves India actually finding what she was looking for -- herself. In Indonesia she returns to a healer she had met two years prior who helps her see that she is capable of loving again without losing herself. Gilbert does just that and falls in love with a Brazilian man 18 years her senior. His feelings for her are the same, and we are left with Gilbert accomplishing everything she set out to do, hence the title. The group gave this book a thumbs up. ONE Great Book Club meets every other month, the second Thursday of that month in the evening. There continues to be a waiting list; I can be reached at [email protected]. Our sister/brother book club meets the last Wednesday of each month in the afternoon. Contact Colleen Grant at JAMESGRANT1140@ msn.com for more information.

Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

Coming Soon!

Plaques for Our Historic Landmarks
hat do you think when you’re on vacation and you see a home with a beautiful bronze plaque on it? Perhaps you wonder if someone famous lived there? Or if there is something special about the architecture of the building? Or if something important happened there years ago? Any or all of these things could be the reason a house has been “landmarked” or specially designated as “historic.” For the past several years, HONNA’s Historic Preservation Committee has been considering a plaque (or marker) program for our local historic landmarks. If you have been following Jill McGrath’s series of articles on our landmark homes in recent issues of this newsletter, you will know that there are currently five in our neighborhood. The City has approved our proposed design of a 5”x7” solid bronze plaque [see sample in photo] which will have the name of the property, the date it was built and the date that it was officially designated a landmark by the City. The HONNA Board of Directors feels that recognition of these unique properties is so important that the Association will be offering the plaques — and assistance with their installation — for these landmark homes at no cost to the owners: Boyce Guest House, 635 Bay Street NE (HPC# 96-03) Monticello Apartments, 750 3rd Street N (HPC# 05-01) Ridgely Residence, 600 Beach Drive (HPC# 09-03) Thomas Whitted House, 656 1st Street N (HPC# 95-01) Robert West House, 101 6th Avenue NE (HPC# 95-02).

W

The City currently has no plaque program in place for historic landmarks in neighborhoods (although St. Petersburg Preservation has created a plaque program for the Downtown Local Historic District). We can be proud of being the first to honor our historic landmarks in this time-honored way. For more information on the individual landmarks, please see the City’s staff reports at: www.stpete.org/historic_preservation/ historic_landmarks/designation_staff_reports_2000_thru_present.asp.

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Page 15

Property Transfers
Following is a listing of recent property transfers in our North Shore neighborhood. The individuals listed are new owners of the properties cited but not necessarily the residents of those properties. The properties are listed in chronological avenue and chronological and alphabetical street order. If any of these folks live near you, make sure you welcome them to the neighborhood.

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125 5th Avenue NE #320 .....................................Renee Buchanan 204 7th Avenue N #204 ....................... Richard and Joanne Cattell 308 11th Avenue N ........................Anthony and Patrice Redington 230 12th Avenue NE .......................... Jonathan and Morgan Smith 535 12th Avenue NE ................................................Leslie Wharton 248 14th Avenue NE ................................................. Mark Wemple 110 15th Avenue N.......................................David and Rita Cathey 216 15th Avenue NE .......................... Matthew and Tammy Zybura 236 15th Avenue NE ...................................... Bridgette Vanderlaan 446 15th Avenue NE ............................................ Joseph Redinger 136 16th Avenue NE ............................Bernard and Karen Whalen 203 20th Avenue N .................................Frank and Laura Fage 235 20th Avenue N ............................... James and Daryl Turner 125 22nd Avenue Ne ....................................... Marilyn Donahoe 106 26th Avenue NE ....................... Margaret and Thomas Imler 320 27th Avenue N ................................................Bryan Smith 807 1st Street NE ............................................D. David Morris 2121 1st Street NE .............................. John and Rebecca Barie 1917 Bay Street NE ..........................Peter and Marlene Mazer 1048 North Shore Drive NE #2 .......... Alice and Dennis Crowley 833 Oak Street NE ...................................... Julie and Gary Kliner

Source: Compiled from public records by FNBR Inc. and printed in the St. Petersburg Times.

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by Sue Strott
Are you one of those people who goes about your day-today 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]. few folks in The Old Northeast have been asking some questions about various City supplies and they’ve been wondering WHEN and IF some City services will be open to us. Here is a brief overview of discussions we have pursued to date.

A

Hex Blocks (Hexagon Sidewalks) Having spoken to Carl Blahut, Director of Traffic, Pavement and Storm Water Operations for the City of St. Petersburg about the stockpile of hexagon sidewalk blocks -- which he says is “not huge” – I was informed that the City is not considering selling any of these pieces. They are needed by City workers in order to pursue repair and replacement of these historical items as they break and crumble. They are obligated to use their stockpile by

He expressed a similar negative attitude on any sale of City stockpiles with respect to Augusta Blocks, which are needed continually for the repair and replacement of the bricks for our streets in The Old Northeast and elsewhere. They are considered historical items, as well. Further, he explained that it takes a very specific crew and extra Time to be able to do all of these repairs and, considering the loss of many employees due to the economy, speed in some repairs will probably not be forthcoming for a while.

Augusta Block

City ordinance. You may wish to check the local classifieds such as tampa.craigslist.org, where they have been spotted for sale.

Reclaimed Water Some parts of the City have access to reclaimed water (recycled wastewater) that is used for lawn and garden watering (except for edibles). To determine when and if reclaimed water will be available to Old Northeast residents, we spoke with a City representative (8925111). She explained that the City is setting up a new website (stpete.org/water_resources/reclaimed_water, which should be in service when you read this) for anyone to register as a potential user. She said that the City plans to extend this service after at least 51% of an area has expressed interest. At present portions of Cherry and Locust Streets are among the streets which have this service available. Other neighborhoods that have it include Snell Isle and Coquina Key. Present cost to hook up (if available in an area) is $15.84 per month plus a hookup fee of $4.35 and up.

Page 18

Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

As a point of interest, St. Pete’s Water Reclamation System is not only the first to be built in the U.S. but it remains one of the largest in the world. Initial reclaimed water distribution was constructed in the late ‘70s and served golf courses, parks, schools and large commercial areas. In 1986, a $110 million system expansion serviced a limited number of residential customers and commercial sites. Continued expansion has significantly contributed to reducing potable (drinking) water demands. (Info as per Southwest Water Management District 1/800/423-1476 or .Watermatters.org.) The City presently provides more than 37 million gallons a day to over 10,600 customers, primarily for lawn irrigation. In St. Pete, a typical residential lawn can require 30,000 gallons of irrigation water per month during the growing season. Average residential customers discharge 5,000 gallons per month. (Therefore, it takes six wastewater customers to produce enough reclaimed water to supply one residential customer with irrigation water. As a result, it is not possible, at this time, to supply all residences in St. Pete with reclaimed water.)The advantage of using reclaimed water is, of course, that there are only voluntary restrictions on its use but still no more than three times a week. However, if the system experiences an increase in low pressure due to demand exceeding supply, the Mayor may enact mandatory restrictions on reclaimed water. For additional info, call 892-5111 or stpete. org/water/reclaimed_water/index.asp. 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 dog, Foxy Lady, and is one of those people who enjoys being busy!

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Want to Hear About Neighborhood Events of interest?
If you’re a HONNA member and have given us your e-mail address, you’re already on the list to receive e-mail “blasts” of HONNA events in the neighborhood which might be of interest. Not a member now but still want to know what’s going on? Send us your e-mail address and we’ll place you on the e-mail blast list, even though you’re not a HONNA member. Send your address to [email protected].
Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

Page 19

PORCH PARTIES

ou’re Y nvited I

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 Larry Smith, [email protected].

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Page 20

Ponderings
Stuff
by John Gee
John and his wife Kathy moved to St. Pete from New Mexico six years ago, and he currently teaches history at a Sarasota high school. He has served on the HONNA Board where he co-chaired its Historic Preservation Committee. You can also read more from John in the Northeast Journal. our times a week I commute over the Skyway Bridge. This has been going on now for ten years and every day the bridge offers me a different view. Of course the bridge, the bay, the toll booth and the highway have changed little over the years, but life on the big, wide and beautiful bay is in a constant state of flux that always grabs my attention. Two times a day, morning and afternoon, I have the privilege of watching the life of this natural phenomenon coexisting with us mere humans in what appears to be a happy relationship. Depending on the day, I see big and small boats, birds, schools of fish, dolphins, fishermen, sailors, windsurfers, kiters, swimmers, sunrise gazers and kayakers. Also, depending on the time and the season, I see predawn, dawn and afternoon suns that never look the same and at times are jaw-dropping gorgeous. Sometimes the sunrise is so beautiful that you just have to stop and savor. On foggy days, the bridge sometimes disappears from view and at times you can only see the tall spires sticking out from the gloom. Our bay is a beautiful thing and we are now at risk at losing it all to an oil spill. Did anyone really think that this type of catastrophe was something that could be avoided forever? Losing our bay is bad enough, but the worst feeling is that I am driving a gasoline powered car 100 miles every four days all by myself so I am a part of the problem. There has to be a better way of running this planet.

that got lost in the recession, leaving the area a sleeping ground for the homeless. I don’t know the full story about this reincarnation, but sometime over the few years that it was left to rot, some people had the notion to reinvent the area and the results are wonderful. My wife has an office in that area so I have been watching what the local entrepreneurial spirit can do when out-of-town developers fall flat. Go to the galleries and stores and buy something or sign up for an art class. There is much more to St. Pete than Beach Drive.

 An actual crosswalk has been built on 4th Street. The best part about it is that it is a crosswalk that has to be obeyed. Once you push the button, the signs start flashing and drivers are demanded to stop and obey the laws that are in effect anyway. Not only does it demand cars to stop, it also has a calm and reassuring recorded voice that explains quite clearly what is expected of the pedestrian during this crass interruption of a driver’s need to never stop forward motion. It’s great -- and now is it too much to ask for some more?

F

 A Rally Gas Station has arrived as we all knew it would. There were talks at the neighborhood meetings where many people expressed displeasure of having this station in our neighborhood but, nevertheless, there it, is-car wash and all. Our house is three blocks away and time will tell if we will hear the blowers and suffer the increase of traffic we anticipated. But since it doesn’t make any difference anyway, there it is looking every bit as out of place in our historic neighborhood as an episode of “American Idol” on a PBS station. So there you are, in spite of the relentless onslaught of progress, our town and little neighborhood continue to defy the odds and remain the place we try to hold together.

 If you haven’t gone over to see the new shops in the Crislip Arcade on the 600 block of Central, you have to go and look. This was the block that was handed over to some development group
Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

Page 21

Preserving the Character of Old Northeast Houses
if You’re Going to do it, do it Right
hat started out as a simple roof replacement for our house turned into a much larger project last year as we encountered new code requirements, new ways to solve old siding problems and new options for keeping our cooling bills low. We’d had occasional leaks in our roof and brown spots on our ceiling almost from the day we bought the house. They would start, then stop, change locations, then stop permanently and move to other locations. Finding the source of the leaks was difficult, even for the professionals. In 1999, when our house was on the Candlelight Tour of Homes, heavy rain and wind the night of the preview tour flooded our downstairs bedroom so much that we had to close it for the tour. Still, since the roof was fairly new when we bought the house, we just repaired the leaks as best we could, repainted the ceiling and postponed reroofing the house for a later date. Last summer’s rains left puddles on our dining room table and water running down the wall in a bedroom closet. The granules were coming off the shingles and ending up in piles in the gutters, and the edges of the shingles were ragged with pieces missing. It was time for a new roof.

by Mike Daily

W

The new building code required us to “harden” our roof to better withstand hurricane-force winds. Basically this requires installing metal straps at each rafter to fasten them to the top of the wall and bracing the gables (the triangular walls at each end of the roof) to keep them from blowing out in high winds and collapsing the roof. In addition, the roof must be protected by what’s known as a “secondary water barrier” by using a sticky self-sealing membrane under the shingles to protect the structure in case the shingles blow off. As a consolation prize for all this

extra expense, Citizens and other property insurers are required to give you a discount on your premium. Since we were replacing our roof, we decided to also replace our second floor siding with HardiePlank, a cement-fiber siding that almost exactly matched the siding we had on the house in size and style. The second floor is a pop-up in the middle of the first floor roof and the joint where the roof and wall intersect has leaked since we’ve lived here. Replacing the siding would allow us to get at the joint to flash it right. Cement fiber siding like Hardie is resistant to rot, termites and impact and they come with long warranties. They also hold paint beautifully -- we installed some as a test on the back of the house about eight years ago and the paint finish still looks perfect. The original cypress siding was nearing 100 years old and was badly cracked in places and letting rain (and humidity) into the walls. There was no felt paper or any other weather barrier under the siding so we also specified a layer of Tyvek housewrap over the wood sheathing. Tyvek sheds any water that does get behind the siding. With all the construction work it seemed to be a good time

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Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

We’ve got dinner in the bag

Fresh Meats and Seafood Prepared Meals & sides Fresh Baked Breads Beer & Wine Milk and Cookies Stop in today. You will be pleased with the prices and smiles that greet you!

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to spray foam insulate the attic. Our attic was previously insulated with blown cellulose on the attic floor and we had large gable vents at each end of the roof. Even with those gable vents there was very little air circulation, and with a cloud of hot humid air in the attic we had an ongoing problem with mold in our closets and on our ceiling registers where the hot and cool air mixed. I’d been reading about Icynene insulation for years and thought that our house would be a great candidate for the product. Icynene is a soft foam insulation that expands 100 times in volume within a few seconds of being applied and works as an air barrier as well as an insulator. It’s typically installed on the sloped underside of the roof instead of the attic floor, creating an unvented (sealed) attic. The R-value is 3.6 per inch, but the real value for us was that by sealing the attic our air conditioner and ductwork would be within the conditioned space and operate more efficiently. The installers first vacuumed out the old cellulose insulation and then sprayed 5” of new foam on the underside of the roof and onto the gable walls. Already the moisture and mold problem in the closets is gone, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the insulation performs in keeping our house cool and dry once summer comes. Our first electric bill with the A/C on was dramatically lower than the same one last year, but of course you need more than one month to really compare due to varying weather conditions. The project was a lot more complicated and cost us more than what we originally budgeted for just a roof replacement, but we’re also getting a better, longer-lasting house with lower maintenance requirements, higher comfort, and lower utility bills. Mike, an Old Northeast resident since 1996, holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of South Florida.

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ON THE dOCKET:
June 4-6 Tampa Bay Home Show, The Trop; 893-8523 Taste of Pinellas (benefits All Children’s Hospital) Vinoy Park; 767-2308 June 5-6 Living Green Expo, Coliseum/Sunshine Center June 5 Beginning Bonsai, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 JUNE 10 HONNA CRiME WATCH MEETiNG (see page 5) June 10-August 23 Summer Camp, Great Explorations; 821-8992 June 12 Hibiscus Fest Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 June 12 Tampa Bay Caribbean Carnival, Vinoy Park; 327-1277 June 12 Discover Our Classroom Weedon Island Preserve; 453-6500 June 14-August 20 Summer Art Camp, Morean Arts Center; 822-7872 x21 June 15 American Stage Summer Camp, American Stage; 823-1600 JUNE 18 PORCH PARTY (see page 20) June 19 Family Fun Fiesta, Westminster Presbyterian Church; 821-5259 June 20 Father’s Day, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 JUNE 21 NEiGHBORHOOd MEETiNG – POTLUCK (see page 1) June 23 City Budget Forum, City Hall June 25 Dancers 4 Cancer (benefits Gulfcoast Oncology Foundation), Coliseum; 424-6945 June 26 St. Pete Pride Parade and Street Festival, Grand Central district; 388-1382 June 26 Repotting and Mounting Orchids, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 July 4 HONNA 4th of JULY CHiLdREN’S PARAdE (see page 7) July 4 Opening Event: The Chihuly Collection, 400 Beach Drive NE June 26 Extravaganza and Fireworks, Pier and Spa Beach Park; 893-7441 JULY 8 HONNA CRiME WATCH MEETiNG (see page 5) July 8-10 14th Annual Florida Neighborhoods Conference Bayfront Hilton July 10 Mid-Summer Coastal Clean Up Fort DeSoto Park; 533-0402 JULY 16 PORCH PARTY (See page 20) July 17-18 Cool Art Show Coliseum; 892-5202 JULY 19 NEiGHBORHOOd MEETiNG July 23

Some Upcoming Events In and Nearby Our Neighborhood
Vans Warped Tour Vinoy Park AUGUST 12 HONNA CRiME WATCH MEETiNG (see page 5) AUGUST 20 PORCH PARTY (see page 20) August 21 Family Fun Fiesta, Westminster Presbyterian Church; 821-5259

RECURRiNG EVENTS
MONdAY Celebrity Critter of the Week, The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437 AMO: Art, Music, Poetry (last Mon of the month), Studio@620; 895-6620 Pilates, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 Great ART Explorations, Great Explorations Museum, 821-8992 Lunchtime Yoga, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 TUESdAY Awaken Yoga, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 Hoop Dancing fitness, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 WEdNESdAY Coffee with a Curator (first Wed of the month), Dali Museum; 823-3767 Oldies but Goodies dance (2nd and 4th Wed of the month), The Pier; 821-6443 Tea dance (1st and 3rd Wed of the month), Coliseum; 892-5202 Coffee Talks (2nd Wed of the month), Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667 Hoop Dancing fitness, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 Lunchtime Yoga, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 Terrific Tots, Great Explorations Museum; 821-8992 Great ART Explorations, Great Explorations Museum, 821-8992 THURSdAY Artist’s Table (3rd Thur of the month), Morean Arts Center; 822-7872 Awaken Yoga, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 dali & Beyond Film Series, Dali Museum; 823-3767 Artist Exhibition (thru 7/31), Weedon Island Preserve; 453-6500 Poster Exhibit: Earth from Space, Weedon Island Preserve; 453-6500 FRidAY Get downtown Music Series (1st Fri of the month), Central b/w 2nd-3rd; 393-3597 St. Pete Shuffle, St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Courts; 822-2083 Grand Central Hop (3rd Fri of the month) Grand Central business district; 643-7512 Friday Night Wine & Music Series (3rd Fri of the month), BayWalk; 824-8888 S’Real Fridays (Jul & Aug), Dali Museum; 823-3767 Terrific Tots, Great Explorations Museum; 821-8992 Great Weedon Bird Quest (2nd Fri of the month), Weedon Island Preserve; 463-6500 Artist Exhibition (thru 7/31), Weedon Island Preserve; 453-6500 Poster Exhibit: Earth from Space, Weedon Island Preserve; 453-6500 SATURdAY dali Family Fun Saturdays, Dali Museum; 823-3767 FiSH-ful Saturdays (1st Sat of the month), Pier Aquarium; 895-7437 Face Painting by Joanne Cone, The Pier; 821-6443 Saturday Afternoon Fun (2nd and 4th Sat of the month), The Pier; 821-6443

Page 24

Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

Guided Hikes, Weedon Island Preserve; 463-6500 Saturday Antiques and Green Market, Central at 13th; 895-0368 Walking & Trolley Tour “Westward Ho to the Waterfront” (last Sat of the month), starts at Central at 2nd; 824-7802 Family Flicks! Movies on the Waterfront 93rd Sat of the month), The Pier; 821-6443 Gallery Walks (2nd Sat of the month), various downtown locations; 323-ARTS Saturdays at the Morean (1st Sat of the month), Morean Arts Center; 822-7872 Walking Tour “North by Old Northeast” (3rd Sat of the month), Central at 2nd; 824-7802 Walking Tour of Historic downtown (2nd Sat of the month), Central at 2nd; 824-7802 Pancake Breakfast (1st Sat of the month), Albert Whitted Field; 821-1532 Horticulture workshop, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102 Artist Exhibition (thru 7/31), Weedon Island Preserve; 453-6500 Poster Exhibit: Earth from Space, Weedon Island Preserve; 453-6500 Super Special Saturday Family day (3rd Sat of the month); Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667 SUNdAY Music Fest on the Water, The Pier; 821-6443 Sunday Afternoon Family Fun (1st and 3rd Sun of the month), The Pier, 821-6443 Photography Hike (1st Sun of the month), Weedon Island Preserve; 463-6500

For a current and more detailed listing visit the City’s website at www.stpete.org

Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

Page 25

How does Your Garden Grow?

by Laura Fage

Pots of Pleasure
t was a tough winter for all of us when it comes to our landscaping…you can stroll through the neighborhood and see the toll the unseasonable weather took on our beloved plants. Many of us have spent the last several months trimming, fertilizing, replacing and cajoling our little bit of nature back to life – hopefully with some success. Now that the heat of the summer is upon us, the best and quickest impact we can make in our yards is with container gardening. It’s easy, mobile, there’s less weeding and stooping and it provides instant gratification – and the WOW factor if done correctly. While there are many types of container gardening, here are a few tips on creating lush, full and colorful pots of pleasure.

Most ready-made containers have one or more holes in the bottom to provide good drainage. Drill holes, if possible, in containers you’ve made or found. Layer shards of terra-cotta pots or pebbles on the bottom so roots won’t clog drainage holes and instead of garden soil use soilless potting mixes, which are lighter, absorb more water, drain better and many of which include a slow-release fertilizer. To be more economical with the potting mix, you may want to use a “false bottom” for pots larger than 18” (a small disposable plant pot from the nursery works well). While plants in containers are generally less susceptible to pests and diseases, be mindful that containers need to be watered regularly and fertilized at least once during the season.

I

So Many Choices Consider the traditional container choices: stone urns, half whiskey barrels, troughs, hanging baskets and containers made of concrete, terra-cotta, clay or lightweight synthetic materials. Your choices are limited only by your imagination and some of the most beautiful “portable gardens” are found in the most unique containers from vintage and flea market finds – including a water garden in an old claw foot bathtub to a coco fiber liner inside a bicycle basket. When choosing containers, make sure they will be the right size for the plants, have excellent drainage and coordinate with your home and surrounding landscape. Scale is very important to overall success in any landscape. Vary your levels of containers by placing plants on a sturdy pedestal, benches or stairs. Suspend hanging baskets at chest level where people can see them or more than six feet high where there is no danger of bumping into them. Plants at waist level or lower should be located off beaten paths and out of the way of rambunctious pets and children. As a practical matter, you may want to group and locate containers to ease watering. First Steps First Virtually any form of flowering or foliage plant and compact vegetables or edible herbs will feel at home in a container if you provide the proper conditions for growth. First of all, there must be drainage.

The WOW Factor Flowers, color, texture and varying heights are the most important elements of a great-looking container. The wrong combination can be boring, but the right combination will instantly create the WOW factor for your garden. The best plants for a container garden will be a variety of upright, mounding and trailing plants – or the thrill, fill and spill as they are sometimes referred to. The upright plant will be the focal point, so choose one with a pleasing flower, color or texture. The mounding plant will fill in the dead spaces. The trailing plant spills over the edge of your container for added dimension and interest. A mistake often made when planting containers with a mix of flowers is the gardener doesn’t use enough plants; a trade secret is to pack the container with plants from the get-go for that “magazine-cover” look. If you think of containers as simply seasonal accessories to your landscape, you’ll find your choices of plants are limitless. You can use all annuals for high-impact color or use an evergreen perennial as the upright focus and then change the surrounding plants with the season. Make sure you choose plants that have the same light and moisture requirements, and from there choose the ones you think look great together. Keep in mind where you’re going to be putting your container garden, and buy plants that will thrive in that amount of lighting. Once you have the right plants, in the right pot, in the right place, ENJOY!
A resident of the Old Northeast, Laura Fage is the proprietor of Casa Terra Design which specializes in curb appeal, outdoor rooms, interior redesign, staging for sale and inspiring home owners to live a more beautiful life. She has owned a home and garden boutique, hosted a garden TV show and conducted workshops on all aspects of home decor. www.casaterradesign.com or [email protected]. Author’s Personal Note: My husband Frank and I recently moved into our dream home in The Old Northeast and have been revitalizing our landscape – complete with interesting and colorful containers. We look forward to seeing you in the neighborhood!

Page 26

Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

126 11th Avenue NE St. Petersburg, FL 33701 727-822-5906

State Approved LIC. #C610108 APPLE ACCrEdItEd

Ages 2 - VPK

Historic OLD NE APARTMENTS

727 895-6090
www.TerrierProperties.com
Individual and Business Tax Returns Small Business Accounting & Consulting
Monica M. Vernon • Garth A. Vernon

St. Petersburg 424 22nd Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33704 Seminole 7700 Seminole Blvd, Ste 200, Seminole, FL 33772

(727) 393-1922 office • (727) 392-3266 fax

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Page 27

Neighborhood Potluck: Monday, June 21st, at 6:45pm
(see p.1) All neighborhood residents invited
PRSRT STd U.S. POSTAGE PAid ST. PETERSBURG FL PERMiT #1020

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

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