Historic
Published Quarterly
Old Northeast Neighborhood News
www.honna.org
Volume 33 Issue 2
IN THIS ISSUE
Residents Support Needed ........... Page 3-4 New Pub........... Page 10 Garden Stroll Blooms ............. Page 12 Demolish or Not? .......... Pages 18-19 The Real Perry Snell ........ Page 24 Summertime Fun ...................... Page 32
June 2006
HONNA Neighborhood Meetings
are held the third Monday of each month except December (holiday party in lieu) at Westminster Presbyterian Church 126 11th Avenue NE 6:45 p.m., social 7:00 p.m., business
HONNA Board Meetings for 2006 are held the second Monday of each month at 7pm and are open to the public.
The Local Historic District VOTE NO group has circulated a Points to Ponder flier. HONNAs VOTE YES campaigns response to these points follows. 1. Why do I want to give up my property right to do what I wish with my property to an unaccountable committee??? Under a local historic, preservation designation, your property will become regulated by a 9 person administration board with a 20 page rules and regulation document (chapter VII) which will govern what you can, and cannot do, with anything that effects the outside of your home. Scale and proportion This process must be completed before the city Local District Preservation Ordinance. There will give you a permit. is a Historic Preservation Commission appointed 4There are no new committees under the continued on page 8
Points to Ponder? By All Means, Ponder Them!
Sharing Some Thoughts on Your Association Board and Officers
The Presidents Perspective
Association President
Cathy Martin
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Mark your calendar!
June 19th
Window Workshop:
Considering the Options Presented by Don Strobel
July 17th
General Meeting No August Meeting
It is hard not to write about the Local Historic District campaign for this newsletter, but Im gowithin The Historic Old Northeast. Brian is a busy ing to try. I would like to write about it because I attorney, and we are grateful that he takes the time care very much about it, but I care much more to work on behalf of the neighborhood. about everyones perception of the HONNA Traffic: Nicole Durkin is also an attorney Board members and their intentions, ambitions with Deeb and Brainard and we appreciate that and activities, and I want to make sure that you not only does she do her best to get City staff to all know who those folks are and what they do focus on traffic and parking matters (not an easy every day on behalf of the neighborhood. They assignment), but she also provides assistance and have jobs, families, homes and hobbies and try counsel to the Planning Committee on commerreally hard to fit a lot into their lives. cial property development along 4th Street. The This is what they do, from which we all benneighborhoods long standing determination to enefit, and they do this voluntarily no pay sure that only responsible and scaled development nearly every day. takes place along the western border of the neighCrime Watch: Brian Johnson, for the last two borhood to keep traffic and parking incursion years, has dedicated countless hours and at least to a minimum has rested in large part on three evenings a month to improving the crime Nicoles legal skills and her ability to get the job statistics that you see in the Sunday Neighbordone. hood Times. He works closely with our CommuPlanning and Neighborhood Design Review: nity Police Officer, takes calls from neighbors and Mary Alice Lange has chaired the Neighborhood has worked diligently to try to establish an effecPlan Committee for 15 years. Thats right: 15 tive Crime HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Watch program to improve safety Page 1 continued on page 22
Annual Meeting Set for November; Board Members Needed
The Board of Directors of HONNA has set the annual meeting for November of 2006, and each November thereafter. There are several reasons for this action, which revises the by-laws and restores the organizations calendar that was in place until 2003. HONNAs fiscal year is the same as the calendar year. This action ensures continuity of Board accountability through the end of the year. There is no general meeting in December so that a Board elected in November has an opportunity to elect officers and develop a transition plan. The timing of a June annual meeting historically has discouraged potential Board member participation as residents prepare for summer vacations and hurricane season. At present, there are three openings on the Board of Directors, a volunteer capacity. The committee chair open positions are Neighborhood Design Review (includes liaising with City officials on subjects like granite curb damage, development conditions, code enforcement issues and the like), Activities (includes liaison activities as well as Yard Sale and Holiday Party) and Research, a position that is responsive to initiatives raised by the membership such as homelessness on neighborhood streets which was identified as a concern last year. If you are interested in serving on the HONNA Board please contact Cathy Martin, President, or Chuck Lindeen, Vice President. You must be a HONNA member and be willing to actively participate, attend both the Board and general monthly meetings and chair a committee.
Keep Pinellas Beautiful:
Adopt-a-Shore and Adopt-a-Block
In conjunction with Keep Pinellas Beautiful, The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association has joined the Adopt-aShore Program. We have adopted the stretch of Tampa Bay shoreline that extends along the eastern edge of our neighborhood from the mouth of the Vinoy Basin to the mouth of Coffee Pot Bayou. Clean-ups are scheduled for the third Saturday in October this year and the third Saturday in March next year. We will have a neighborhood-wide clean-up in conjunction with the shore clean-up. Additionally, you can Adopt-a-Block of The Historic Old Northeast to help keep clean on a regular basis. What a great way for neighbors to make an impact all year long! Keep Pinellas Beautiful will provide you with a five-gallon bucket to take along on your walks to collect the trash. If you would like to volunteer to help coordinate or participate please contact Chuck Lindeen at 822-8444 (or
[email protected]).
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 Peter Stanhope David Forman Susan Alderson Yvonne Swanson John Gee Linda Dobbs Circulation Contributors Newsletter Layout & Design Advertising Information
Chuck Lindeen Lisa Mazinas Barbara Rhode
Postcard of North Shore courtesy Chuck Lindeen
Quinn Henderson and Joe OConnor All our Old Northeast neighbors Sharon Bond:
[email protected] Rachel Sartain:
[email protected]
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association
President Cathy Martin Vice President Chuck Lindeen Secretary Anne-Marie Stephenson Treasurer Douglas Haan Directors Rick Carson Bob Dobbs Nicole Durkin Quinn Henderson Bob Hunter Brian Johnson Steve Kipp Mary Alice Lange Wendy Mansfield Robin Reed
OFFICERS and BOARD
821-8656 822-8444 897-9398 488-5514 898-7834 823-9824 894-2222 898-7987 391-9756 823-3211 251-2034 894-1057 825-0480
Business card 1/4 page (4.75" x 3.5") 1/2 page (9.5" x 3.5") Full page Single page insert*
AD SIZE
AD RATES
1Qtr 40 80 160 320 220
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
2 Qtrs 74 147 294 589 440
3 Qtrs 102 204 408 816 660
1 Year 128 256 512 1024 880
*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 9th. 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 2,800 active home mailing addresses. Contact Rachel Sartain:
[email protected] Ad space is limited so please make arrangements early.
HONNA Board meetings are held the second Monday of each month at 7pm and are open to the public. Check with HONNA for the location.
Page 2
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Association News & Activities
Monthly Meeting Overviews
Secretary
Anne-Marie Stephenson The February neighborhood meeting was devoted to the subject of crime and safety. Community Police Officer Chris Herron shared some general statistics of crime in the area, the three main categories the police pay attention to being traffic, drugs and prostitution. The police department will be considering enforcing the dog leash law and correct parking (i.e., drivers side towards the middle of the street with wheels to the curb side and not more than three feet from the curb). Recently-elected City Council member Leslie Curran introduced herself to the audience. Kim Hinder and Rick Dunn of the Citys preservation planning and building code offices were the featured speakers at the March meeting and responded to numerous questions involving the Local Historic District (LHD) and related issues [for a detailed listing of the Q&A go to www.honna.org, under Community Hotlinks click on Local Historic District, then under More Information scroll down and click on Answers to Questions]. The April meeting featured former Old Northeast resident Judy Lowe Wells who shared from her newly-published book, C. Perry Snell: His Place in St. Petersburg, Florida, History. Many little known facts about his life were uncovered in her research, and the many anecdotes she shared provided new perspectives on this Citys famous pioneer. [See related story on p. 24] A question and answer panel regarding the Local Historic District campaign provided the format for the May meeting. Three representatives from City offices involved in preservation and building codes were present to take questions from residents seeking answers to concerns about what LHD designation would mean. Assistant Director of Development Services Bob Jeffrey brought the focus onto the compatibility of new construction with existing, noting that the intangible quality of life that is reflected through preservation can help retain the character of an historic neighborhood. Commented one resident at the close of the meeting, Bit by bit were losing the character of the neighborhood. [See Historic Preservation report below.]
Committee Reports
Robin Reed, Chair Wow! The Association meeting in May was one of the liveliest in recent memory. Westminster Presbyterian Church offered the use of their sanctuary to accommodate the crowd of 150-plus residents who turned out for the Question and Answer Panel about Local Historic District designation. To further understanding of LHD, HONNA invited three of the people most involved in the local historic district process to participate on a Q&A panel. The format was designed to allow residents the chance to express their opinions in the form of a question so that there would be time for everyone to have an opportunity to speak. Even so, the lights werent turned out until well past 9pm! Moderator Brian Johnson did a great job in seeing that those who wanted to speak were heard, with some residents asking numerous questions over the course of the evening. The panelists Rob Eschenfelder (member of the Citys Historic Preservation Commission), Bob Jeffrey (Assistant Director of the Citys Development Services department) and Rick Dunn (member of the Citys building codes office) expertly fielded questions ranging from property rights to window replacement to how the Historic Preservation Commission operates. Although there were widely differing points of view in the audience, most everyone was able to express their opinion before asking their questions. Lets hope that all of us came away with a better understanding of what it means to live in an historic district and will be better informed to cast our votes in the Local Historic District campaign.
Historic Preservation
Treasurer
Douglas Haan Semi-Annual Treasurers Report As of May 8, 2006, HONNAs account balances were: Checking Account: $19,254.08 CD: $21,724.83 Total: $40,978.91
Have you been to a
Porch Party
yet? See page 27 for the upcoming schedule
Mary Alice Lange and Steve Kipp, Co-Chairs The Rally gas station, convenience store, café and car wash development proposed for the entire block of 4th Street N, between 22nd Avenue and 21st Avenue, is slated to be considered by the Environmental Development Commission (EDC) at its June 7th meeting. This project proposes to utilize, in addition to the commercial lots abutting 4th Street, two residentially-zoned lots for special exception uses, including parking. The developer also seeks a variance and approval related to an automated car wash, the hearing on this project was previously scheduled for the May
Neighborhood Planning and Design Review
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Page 3
Brian Johnson, Chair The Crime & Safety Committee continues endeavoring to obtain pertinent information for purposes of communication concerning the reporting of crimes as well as ways to prevent crime in our neighborhood. The Committee has attempted to meet neighbors on a door-to-door basis and initially has met with little success as people are either not home or not answering their doors. Therefore, Crime Watch is planning a mass mailing to our residents with an application form to fill out and return so that we may organize our neighbors against crime. We urge each of our neighbors to participate in this program as our goal is to prevent and reduce crime here in The Old Northeast. Also, the hurricane season is here, and the Committee advises residents to prepare for the season by stocking up on bottled water, canned food goods, flashlights, batteries and portable radios and having an evacuation plan in order to be ready for the possibility of serious storms.
EDC meeting but was deferred by the applicant. The EDC hearing begins at 2pm in City Council chambers at City Hall on June 7th. This past month the EDC approved the development of the former St. Pete Hardware lots located on 4th Street N and 12th Avenue. This commercial strip center was approved to house a Tropical Smoothie location as well as several other as yet unidentified additional commercial tenants. In light of only knowing one commercial tenants use in this strip center, the true parking needs and potential impacts to the neighborhood remain unknown. As you may recall, due to the proposed size and square footage of the building, the adjacent residentially zoned lot on 12th Avenue N, which currently contains the bungalow pictured here, will be utilized for a portion of the developments parking lot. The reduction of the overall square footage of the building would Avenue removed the need for parking on the residentially-zoned lot where the bungalow stands. The Association has appealed the EDCs approval of the application. The appeal will be heard at an upcoming City Council meeting. Neighborhood participation at these upcoming meetings is strongly recommended and encouraged.
Crime and Safety
Nicole Durkin, Chair The City will be instituting a neighborhood-wide speed limit of 25mph in the next couple months. To the extent possible, existing sign poles will be utilized so as to minimize the need for additional poles in the neighborhood. We will be requesting that the Police Department strictly enforce the new, neighborhood-wide speed limit. Additionally, I inquired with the Neighborhood Transportation Manager regarding a few recent requests for Slow-Children at Play signs in various locations throughout the neighborhood. I was advised that the City has not installed such signs for many years and is unable to accommodate any requests for the same. It has been suggested, however, that when your children are playing outside, you display homemade signs in an orange safety cone which can be purchased at Home Depot. As previously indicated, while I will always attempt to respond to your reports of accidents, near-misses, cut-through traffic or speeding, you should also contact Michael Frederick, City of St. Petersburg Neighborhood Transportation Manager (
[email protected]) at 893-7843.
Traffic
Cathy Leonard and Jean Hunter, Co-Chairs (May thru August) Elaine Normile and Suzanne Laurencell finished their turn as co-chairs in April with a visit to the home and garden of Anna Hardwick of Dixiana. Anna lives in Bahama Shores and both the garden and her house were fabulous. In May, we planned a walk through natural Florida at Fort DeSoto Park. After the walk we enjoyed a picnic lunch, and then some of the group took another walk on the beautiful beach. The park is so dry that some areas are closed to the public. The Garden Group meets the first Friday of every month. In June, we are planning a trip to an herb farm and nursery. We invite any of you to join the fun and experience learning about the many aspects of Florida gardening. For information call Cathy at 667-5510 or Jean at 898-7987.
Garden Group
Rick Carson, Editor The newsletter is in need of someone to assist with advertisers and advertising. Rachel Sartain, who has been handling this for the past couple years, is stepping down. We wont deceive you by saying the job doesnt take any time at all, but it doesnt involve a lot of work or previous experience; there are four issues a year and much of the activity takes place within a few weeks of those deadlines. Most of the advertisers are repeat, but we do need to keep up with changes they may have with their copy as well as respond to inquiries about new ads. If youd like to discuss this, please give me a call at 898-7834. Your newsletter was the recipient of an Honorable Mention recognition at the Citys 9th annual Neighborhood Partnership Awards. It was the Newsletter of the Year in 2003.
Newsletter
Check out the HONNA website
Page 4
www.honna.org
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
June 2006 Dear Old Northeast Neighbor, We do not have to tell you how unique and special a place The Historic Old Northeast is. We are not just real estate agents doing business here, we are your neighbors. We, too, have chosen to make our homes here because of our neighborhoods distinctive historic character and the community it attracts. We earn our living showing others why they, too, want to buy a home here. We are REALTORS®, and we spend every day of the week promoting those charming qualities and characteristics of The Old Northeast that you and we value so highly. We believe the success of the Local Historic District is an essential safeguard to preserve the quality of our wonderful neighborhood, now and for future generations. This is why we are supporting a YES vote on Local Historic District designation for our neighborhood. Not only is a Local Historic District a quality of life issue for you and us, we believe it will assure untold numbers of prospective, discerning buyers that their decision to purchase a home in The Historic Old Northeast is a financially wise investment for all our futures. Sincerely, Julia Brazier Jerry Bushey Charlene DeWitt Randy Hodge Jan Kokernot* Roxanne Krauss Connie Lancaster Molly Markey Nona Peebles Ed Sanford* Rachel Sartain* Cynthia Serra Linda Snow* Deodoro Ted Thomas Helen Torres
* Although we do not live in the Old Northeast, we fully support the Local Historic District Designation.
Interested in Serving on the Neighborhood Association Board?
Residents with some time, ideas and energy to devote to the betterment of our neighborhood are encouraged to consider serving on the HONNA Board. See page 2 for details.
JOIN 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.
Activities: chair vacant Spring Garden Stroll (May): vacant Candlelight Tour of Homes (December): Co-Chairs Ann Caviness, 502-0870, and Elaine Normile, 821-3479 C.O.N.A. Rep: Chuck Lindeen, 822-8444 Crime & Safety: Brian Johnson, 391-9756 Garden Group: Cathy Leonard, 667-5510, and Jean Hunter, 898-7987, Co-Chairs Historic Preservation: Robin Reed, 825-0480 Membership: Quinn Henderson, 894-2222 Neighborhood Design Review: Steve Kipp, 823-3211 Neighborhood Plan: Mary Alice Lange, 823-5401 Newsletter: Rick Carson, 898-7834 Traffic: Nicole Durkin,
[email protected] Website: Bob Dobbs, 823-9824
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Page 5
Just The Right Number
Here are some phone numbers you may need in order to make your life a little easier: City Hall ............................................... 893-7171 Mayors Office ...................................... 893-7201 Mayors Action Center .......................... 893-7111 City Council ...........................................893-7117 Police (non-emergency) ....................... 893-7780 Community Police Officer Tom Loveland .................................... 892-5933 Codes compliance/enforcement/ assistance ............................................. 893-7373 Remodeling permits ............................. 893-7231 Fence permits ...................................... 893-7231 Design Review ..................................... 894-4120 Neighborhood Design Review (ordinances/permits) ......................... 892-5254 Historic Preservation/Urban Design ......................................... 894-7491 or 893-7153 Planning/zoning ................................... 893-7471 Neighborhood traffic/parking ................ 893-7843 Junk/debris/brush collection (alley) ........... 893-7398 Overgrown property ............................. 893-7373 Water/sewer problems ......................... 893-7261 Street maintenance .............................. 893-7421 Sidewalk repair .................................... 893-7850 Tree removal/trim (on city property) ......... 893-7298 Graffiti .................................................. 893-7394 Mulch (free) .......................................... 893-7398 Rodent control (free) ............................ 893-7360 Animal services (loose dogs) ............... 582-2600 Street Light Out (Progress Energy) ...................... 800/228-8485 Park Light Out ...................................... 893-7335 Bus schedules ....................................... 530-9911 Senior services .................................... 893-7101 Library (main) ....................................... 893-7724 Mirror Lake branch ............................ 893-7268 County Commissioners ........................ 464-3000 County building department ................. 464-3241 Property taxes ...................................... 582-7771 Senator Mel Martinez .................... 407/254-2573 Senator Bill Nelson ....................... 407/872-7161 Congressman Bill Young ...................... 893-3191
New Members
Christopher Alberts Burt Allaire Chris and Beverly Avren Nancy Bahls Clinton and Lynn Barras Paula Beatty James and Cindy Bingham Alice Boyle Barbara Braga Robert Bruce Michael Calandrino Patricia and Elizabeth Cigoi Dodd and Heather Disler Erica Downs Lawrence and Susan Emerson James Flocks Kenneth and Linda Garrity Richard Geller Jan Gentry Marjorie Hopf Steven and Janice Johnston Earl and Evelyn Korff Andre Kupfermunz Gerald and Amy Labie Andrea Lenderman Chris and Laura Lenz Edward and Jill McGrath Patrick and Rebecca McMahon Janice Mahoney Larry and Susan Martindale Joseph Miele Kirk and Maggie Mitchell Drew and Tara Newsom Bruce Noe Robert and Beverly Noun Lisa Nucci Michael and Jere OReilly Kirk and Denise Palmer Michele Passoff Peter and Kathy Plautz Joan Raskin Judith Reed Cate Scully Michael and Linda Smith Janet Strong William and Adele Visaggio DeeDee West R. Mark and Carol Wilson
Residents checking map to see if house is a contributing historic property
[Demolishing old houses in an historic district is] sort of like a nice smile. The more teeth its missing, the stranger it looks
.There is going to be a huge implosion of families coming back into the city. Eventually youre going to look around and not be able to see youre in Old Northeast.
Bob Jeffrey, Assistant Director for Development Services, City of St. Petersburg [quoted in the 3/19 St. Petersburg Times]
Page 6
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Curb Appeal
by Chuck Lindeen
This little corner of our neighborhood newsletter is specifically focused on spotlighting the homes of our neighbors who have worked magic in one way or another to create curb appeal that much sought-after quality in their little corner of The Historic Old Northeast. In this issue we would like to add our neighbors at 1650 Beach Drive NE to the Curb Appeal Hall of Fame. Like the last two previously highlighted properties, this one is also situated on a beautiful corner lot. The home at this address is one that I have admired for many years
back to the 1970s actually. It has all the elements cited in other Curb Appeal properties
and then some. Over the last couple years it has received much TLC, and it seemed each time I passed by there were workmen of some sort working inside or out. What a comfort to see the owners preparing this grand old girl for a long and healthy future! It was no surprise to find the Local Historic District Vote YES sign planted proudly out front. This house is Local Historic District 101. Built in the early days of our neighborhood, she has been occupied by local historic characters from the beginning. The family behind the old Wilson-Chase Department Store (Central Avenue and 3rd Street N now the City Parking Garage) lived there in her early years. Later, Dr. Alfred Goldsmith and his wife Maude called this their home. Dr. Goldsmith was one of the pioneers in early radio technology, holding many early patents in that field and subsequently in television as well. He was an executive with RCA in New York City for many years and remained on its board after he retired and they moved to St. Petersburg and this fine home. Fast forward a few decades. St. Petersburg is positioning itself for downtown revitalization at seemingly any cost. The Bay Plaza Group appears on the horizon to show us the way. Led by
Neil Elsey, the transformation of our downtown begins or so we are told. While demolishing many of our historic properties downtown, Mr. Elsey selected this historic property to call his home. The Bay Plaza plan never materializes, and we are left with a downtown pock-marked with bulldozed and vacant lots. And Neil Elsey rides off into the sunset, leaving this beautiful corner vacant and ready for its next caretakers to appear. This is but one story
one corner, one castle
here in The Historic Old Northeast neighborhood. There are many other corners to discover, many more stories to uncover. Dont risk missing the opportunity to do so: Vote YES for Local Historic District designation!
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association Membership
The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association was founded in 1974 to promote civic improvement of our neighborhood. We invite and welcome all residents of the Old Northeast to join the association and become involved. Annual membership dues are $20 per household.
Send this completed form to:
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association P.O. Box 76324 St. Petersburg, FL 33734
Palm Harbor-style houses are very nice
in Palm Harbor. Not next to 75-year-old Craftsman bungalows and Colonial Revivals
read the materials being distributed and listen to the arguments being made, and if they sound unreasonable or inflammatory
vote accordingly.
Old Northeast resident Rick Carson in Letters (Neighborhood Times), Old Northeast, be sure to do homework, St. Petersburg Times 4/26
Name(s): ________________________ Address: ________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Phone: __________________________ E-Mail: __________________________
Annual Dues $20 Enclosed
When did you move into the neighborhood (month and year)?: _______________
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Page 7
Points to Ponder
from page 1
by the mayor and confirmed by City Council. They have been handling their duties admirably since 1987. To date, 97% of all projects in St. Petes two local historic districts have been approved. 2. A Local Historic District Designation is a blatant attack on your property rights. 4Blatant attack on property rights? Hardly. It helps to enhance and maintain the character of neighborhoods like Old Northeast with its wide variety of architectural styles, property sizes and unique and interesting homes that have been so carefully preserved and restored by homeowners. 3. Old Northeast is already a Nation Register Historic District. 4We have no argument with this. However, we dont recall that any leaders of the NO campaign were involved in helping during the many months of hard work that it took to achieve this honor. 4. Beautiful Old Northeast got to where it is today by the efforts of private owners using their own money and initiative for restoration and preservation over the past 100 years without any organization dictating its own wishes. 4True until the last few years when the economic boom in downtown St. Pete began to put enormous pressures on our neighborhood like teardowns for condo development and increasing demolition of older homes to be replaced by out-ofscale new properties. There will and should be teardowns of some properties (i.e. the Madrid Apartments on 17th NE) and we are not opposed to new construction. However times are changing and its possible that a flood of teardowns and new construction could transform our beautiful neighborhood into a typical new Florida suburb. 5. Individuals who want their property historically preserved can do that on an individual basis without dictating to their neighbors who do not want this designation. 4This misses the point. It is not so much any individual properties that the Local Historic District seeks to preserve, but the unique fabric and character of the Old Northeast itself. 6. The city of St. Petersburg has already enhanced its standard land use regulations with the overlay of Neighborhood Design Review (NDR). 4True, but this hasnt precluded later problems with condo conversions and teardowns mentioned earlier. 7. Local historic district ordinance of Old Northeast will empower the government to impose rather than negotiate any
changes to your home and property. 4Local Historic District designation will provide strict requirements to limit the abuses mentioned above. That is why it is needed. There is still room for negotiation, however. It is in the best interest of the city as well as the residents, to find solutions that are acceptable to both. 8. Density is already limited by the existing City Zoning Ordinance. 4Yes, but with widely differing lot sizes, it has not prevented condos and houses from being built that are out of scale with their neighbors. 9. If you want to sell your property and your land value exceeds your home value you wont be able to accept the higher price offer. 4This doesnt make any sense. You can sell for whatever the market will bear. If you are a developer and want to create the most massive project possible, then LHD may constrain the size and scale of that development if this is what is meant by this point. The Old Northeast belongs to its homeowners, not developers. 10. The overwhelming majority of studies, on file with the Appraisal Institute, that examine the impact of historic preservation suggest that Federal designation stimulates housing values but local historic districts depress the positive affects of the Federal designation. National designation attracts restoration entrepreneurs but local historic DOMINATION (i.e., designation) repels innovative property owners. 4Tell this to the folks in Rosier Park, Granada Terrace, and Tampas Hyde Park (National Designation in 85, Local Designation in 88). There are hundreds of Local Historic Districts across the US. The results have been generally positive according to the studies we have seen. One of the best studies on Florida Local Historic Districts was done at the University of Florida and is available at: www.flheritage.com/ preservation/economic_impact.pdf What kind of neighborhood do you want to live in and leave as a legacy for the future? Your neighborhood association urges you to carefully consider the facts and we think you will vote YES. The time to vote is NOW! At least two-thirds of all homeowners not just those voting must vote YES. So not voting means you have in effect voted NO. If this is your intention, we respect your opinion. If this is not your intention or if you have voted NO previously and wish to change your vote to a YES, the ballot with the most recent date will be the valid one.
Northeast Pet Sitter
When youre away, the cats will play... with Northeast Pet Sitter
Leave your loved ones in your neighborsis being a care-free trip knowing your cat care have taken care of at home!
Call Wendy Mansfield: 727-894-1057
Page 8
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Ponderings
A Mans Castle
by John Gee
When my wife showed me a cut on her arm and declared your board in the garage caused it, many thoughts passed through my mind. A small cut on anyones arm was something that rarely entered my attention span. A really bloody laceration, avulsion or amputation could spark my curiosity, but such a small cut was not important and it would heal. So why did this accident concern me so much? As best as I can remember, my stream of consciousness flowed in this logical progression: First of all, it wasnt much of a cut, but I was smart enough not to make any mention of its limited life or death qualities. If she says its a big deal that alone should make it so. Next, I wondered why women call every piece of wood, whether in the tree or milled, planed and stacked in the store, a board. I guess they dont understand the feeling a man gets when he describes dimension lumber by its proper nomenclature. There is something so satisfying in saying I put 4x8 sheets of 5/8th CDX ply on that sucker and its not going anywhere now! Or, I dont know if using 2x4 hemlock really makes a difference over 2x4 kilned pine, but it holds a nail better. My last thought was the most disconcerting and carried a heavy negative vibe. To wit: What the hell is she doing in my garage in the first place? When we bought the house, my wife loved the neighborhood while I loved the garage. We are lucky to have a spacious garage with room upstairs for storage and downstairs for a car, tools and even a bathroom. Many people (men) have commented on my garage, and for a few years I was satisfied knowing that it was the place for me to go to do whatever I liked. As men know, the interior of a house gradually becomes the domain of the woman who inhabits it. Even in a house like ours where the woman is seldom home, the man knows that it is a place she has created for her own comfort. And that is all right as long as the man of the house has someplace to disappear to and do the voodoo we do and not be bothered by anyone: in other words a garage.
At first, my garage was a haven. We had things to do to the house and I spent hours working on various projects. The upstairs storage area was sufficient to keep all the stuff that accumulates in life away from sight and life was good. Gradually, the attic got fuller and soon all of lifes detritus began to form in piles in my garage. This was such a slow and insidious process that I never realized how cramped things were until one day I realized that no cars lived in our garage anymore. Soon I had to find room for chairs, tables, cushions, boat stuff, a gigantic rococo mirror and, the last straw, a canoe. Now, along with having to endure all this superfluous stuff that is forcing me out of the garage, I have to contend with the fact that my wife is trying to navigate around this stuff and blaming me when the piles tumble down upon her head. What really bothers me is that I know what is going to happen next. She is going to look at this junk and begin a thinking process that will lead to the activity that I dread the most. Sometime, when I least expect it, she will look at me and say the chilling words, We need to have a garage sale. I cannot use the metaphor of a root canal anymore because I have had a few and compared to this they are not too bad. Perhaps having my eyeballs pierced by burning spears may work or having a tarantula lay eggs in my ear will suffice. But I knew that once that cut arm was presented to me, the garage sale was not too far behind. All I can ask is, if this happens and you want to come over to see whats for sale, Ive got some real nice CDX plywood and even some 2x4 kilndried pine
if I can move all the junk around and find it. John and his wife Kathy moved to St. Pete from New Mexico four 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.
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Page 9
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
A Work In Progress
Each issue of this newsletter introduces you to a neighborhood house which has recently or is presenting undergoing a major renovation. Perhaps some of the trials and tribulations (and joys!) experienced by these homeowners will give you ideas and inspiration as you consider a renovation or your present home. Maybe youll be motivated to bite the bullet and purchase that next house youve been thinking about. If youd like to share your renovation story or know of a neighbor with a good one, let us hear from you.
Everything Old is New Again
by Peter Stanhope
Normally I write articles about folks in The Historic Old Northeast who are renovating or restoring a home. This article is about a new business. Im glad this building with historical significance to our neighborhood has not been demolished for new development. I savor whiling away the hours browsing through the bookstore. And now I have a new discovery to share with you. To my delight, the corner of 7th Avenue N and 2nd Street is alive once more. What was once the neighborhood restaurant Ambrosia is now reinvented as The Old Northeast Tavern. Co-owners Sarah Potter and Dan Soronen have been working on this building for nine months. Their vision realized, The Old Northeast Tavern is open for the neighborhood to enjoy. Built as a commercial structure in 1925, the building also houses other businesses, i.e., laundry, personal trainer, hair salon and a wonderful bookstore but the jewel in the crown is the Tavern. The sunshine brought Sarah and Dan to the St. Petersburg area. Originally from Albany, NY, where they met in college, each brings unique skills and experience to the restaurant. They fell in love with the build-
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ing and the neighborhood it serves. Dan and Sarah really appreciated the original hex block floor in the area that once contained a small grocery store. They were able to restore the floor, and the space now houses the tavern. Restoring the floor was no small feat. There were many layers of paint and grime to get through before they could reach the block. In the tavern area, new restrooms were added as well as an antique wood bar and wooden booths. The wall between the tavern and the dining room was opened. The dining room is decorated as an outdoor courtyard. It lends itself to the casual style of the restaurant as a neighborhood gathering spot. Great care was used to take advantage of the high ceilings and large open windows. Doors and balconies create the courtyard illusion. Comfortable leather booths surround the walls of the open space with tables in the center. Executive Chef Doni Michaud offers special new world contemporary cuisine. It is a far cry from regular pub fare. The attractive presentation is nice, and the mouthwatering, delicious recipes are moderately priced. It seems like an exclusive club of culinary arts right in our own neighborhood. Servicing from a small kitchen may mean you wait longer for your food, but the wide selection of beer and wine and the atmosphere is worth the wait. I hope everyone will take the opportunity to walk, ride your bike or take your scooter over to The Old Northeast Tavern. Youll enjoy welcoming Dan and Sarah to our neighborhood and having a wonderful time.
Peter and his partner Marc moved to Florida seven years ago from their home in the historic German Village section of Columbus, OH. Peter offers renovation and interior design services. He may be contacted at
[email protected]
(727) 418-7882
Page 10
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Garden Strolls to Success!
by Wendy Mansfield
On Saturday, May 6th, more than 500 green thumb enthusiasts enjoyed our neighborhoods Sixth Annual Spring Garden Stroll. All applauded this years showcase of eight gardens, including several cozy retreats, orchid havens and Aitken Garden truly botanical standouts. Many thanks to our Garden Homeowners: Cathy and Jim Leonard (10th Avenue N), Mary and Jeff Taraschi (16th Avenue NE), Daryl DeBerry and Bill Coffman (18th Avenue NE), Diana and Marshall Craig (19th Avenue NE), Cathy and Steve Collins (19th Avenue NE), Debbie and Dick Hutchins (19th Avenue NE), Pat and Fred Aitken (20th Avenue NE), Linda and Mike Smith (20th Avenue N), and Helen Torres (15th Avenue NE) whose garden was specially featured as the City Beautiful Commissions Water Wise Award 2005 winner. The City of St. Petersburgs Sunken Gardens opened the gardens on Saturday and Sunday to all ticket holders and hosted the enchanting setting for the volunteer appreciation party. Once again The Renaissance Vinoy Resort opened its Tea Garden to strollers. For the second year Alpine Tree Service was a major advertiser and Sponsor of the volunteer appreciation party (and thanks to Rich Leitz and Peter Seidenstricker who gave free palm tree seedlings to volunteers and strollers). For the sixth year, owners of Something Different from Around the World, Nancy and Rick Montanari (12th Avenue NE), donated the crowd-favorite pottery fountain for the chance drawing. This year Costco and Shakolad contributed to the goodies provided for the volunteer party. Tickets were available in advance at our supporting ticket outlets: Dolins Garden Center, Gulf Coast Garden Center, Savannas Nursery, Jenes Tropicals, Premier Group Realty/GMAC, Sunken Gardens, A Green and Yellow Basket, Something Different from Around the World and Pondscapes (Tampa). The Stroll is always supported by many local businesses who purchase ads in the Stroll booklet. The booklet is a great directory for finding community-minded professionals and services. Please let all of these businesses know that we appreciate their contribution to the Strolls success! Neighbors who volunteer are the most important ingredient to a successful event. The Garden Stroll 06 Committee: Cathy Leonard (10th Avenue N), Marilyn Johnson (27th Avenue N), Anne Shumate (15th Avenue NE), Peg Silvergleid (16th Avenue NE), Cynthia Silvestri (16th Avenue NE), Jean Hunter (18th Avenue NE), Anne-Marie Stephenson (12th Avenue NE), Jenny DElia (19th Ave NE), Nona Peebles (19th Avenue NE), Craig Hyde (1st Street N), Douglas Haan (8th Avenue NE), Susan Alderson (19th Avenue NE), Julia McGinty (19th Avenue NE), Marsha Carson (14th Avenue NE) and Pat Aitken (20th Avene NE) started in January giving their time and talents to this project. Many of these people took on several responsibilities. I personally wish to thank this core committee and some 50 other neighbor/volunteers for making the Stroll possible, especially the Historic Old Northeast Garden Group whose members provide significant support. The Captains for the gardens: Cathy Leonard, Douglas Haan and Randy Hodge (8th Avenue NE), Yvonne Swanson (17th Avenue NE), Jean and Bob Hunter, Vince Schall and Ron McClure (22nd Avenue NE), Jane Goodman (24th Avenue N), Anne-Marie Stephenson and Linda Testa (Kansas Avenue NE) operate the Stroll by coordinating the knowledge of the gardens and organization of the day among the garden owners, volunteers and strollers. As every year where the Stroll begins is Westminster Presbyterian Church where Stroll booklets are obtained. Pastor David Keister and members provided refreshments and rest room facilities for Stroll goers. Linda, Julie and Lou Santoro (Beach Drive NE), Stephanie Edwards (1 st Street N), Kathi Harris (15th Avenue NE), David Gregory and Alan Johnson (10th Avenue NE) staffed this ticket venue. New this year as a second ticket venue was Sunken Gardens, staffed by Pam Shofner (18th Avenue NE), Mike Dailey and Rob Wertz (8th Avenue NE), Robin Reed (16th Avenue NE) and Monica and Garth Vernon (17th Avenue NE). DeBerry-Coffman garden. Ann Caviness (Beach Drive NE), Edy Finefrock (19th Avenue NE) and Bob Hart (12th Avenue NE) greeted strollers at the Renaissance Vinoy Tea Garden. Volunteers who helped at the gardens and/or party: Julie Feeley (North Shore Drive NE), Don Silvestri, Art Silvergleid, Ben Alderson, Kim Wolfe (3rd Street NE), Janet Poort (26th Avenue N), Robin Caldwell (4th Avenue NE), Laurie Bunn, Nancy Tait (12th Avenue NE), Steve Deal (8th Avenue NE), Georgia Dean, John Roll (16th Avenue NE), Cynthia Serra and Allison Butler (3rd Street N), Joe Troy (21st Avenue NE), Betty Lowes (8th Avenue NE), Elaine Normile (14th Avenue NE), Peggy and Rex Stuckey (25th Avenue N), Kathy Kronenberg and John Gee (21st Ave NE), Tom and Cathy Hilton, Bonnie Hammond, Debbie Good, Anne McMahon, Susan Biro and Dan Durbak.. Nominate a Garden! Help us discover the hidden garden treasures in our neighborhood. If you know of a garden that might be Garden-Stroll ready for next year, e-mail your nomination to
[email protected] or contact Wendy Mansfield (894-1057). Editors Note: And because it would be extremely gauche of Wendy to thank herself, everyone else involved with the Stroll heaps praises upon her for the outstanding job she did bringing this event to a successful completion. Great job, Wendy! HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Page 12
Alley Décor:
My Trash Your Treasure
As many of us renovate our homes, rather than toss into the garbage or Dumpster various architectural features weve ripped out we may keep them around for awhile in case we discover that someone can use what we no longer can. Well, this is an effort at matchmaking. If you have items like old wood doors or windows, fireplace mantels, hex blocks, light fixtures, door hardware, staircase spindles or need something specific for your 20s bungalow or 30s Mediterranean revival you can list it here at no charge (and it also will be posted on the Associations website). Actually, weve expanded the category of items featured to include furniture (please in decent condition). Also, keep in mind that Westminster Presbyterian Church on 11th Avenue NE accepts donations for furniture and furnishings to assist women from CASA with their transitional housing needs. Deadline for submitting an ad for the September issue is August 14th; send the information to
[email protected] or mail to HONNA, P.O. Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734.
Bargain browsers galore swarmed all over The Old Northeast Saturday morning, April 29th, attracted by HONNAs first annual neighborhood-wide yard and alley sale. Over 50 residents signed up with HONNA to be on a free locator map distributed from sale central at Westminster Presbyterian Church on 11th Avenue NE, and countless others also set up shop to take advantage of the larger-than-usual influx of yard sale shoppers. Fliers, signs and a classified newspaper ad in the St. Petersburg Times helped get the word out about the sale. Westminster Church sold food and refreshments along with garage sale merchandise and netted over $700 for their new roof fund. The St. Petersburg police and fire departments provided a squad car and fire engine at the church for chil-
Bargain Bonanza Blowout!
Above and right: The St. Petersburg police and fire departments provided a squad car and fire engine for children to explore inside and out. Below left: Rummaging for bargains at the church.
dren to explore inside and out. Neighborhood bookseller T. Allan Smith of Mickler-Smith on 2nd Street N also set up shop, local author Scott Taylor Hartzell was there autographing his latest book and artist David Leonard had his Florida scene paintings for sale. Resident feedback on sale success was mixed with some folks doing quite well and others having little to show for hours of planning, organizing and then waiting for customers. Traffic and parking were a problem in the lower part of the neighborhood due to an event in the park, and all the competition for shoppers created a buyers market. Suggestions for improving such an event in the future have been offered by participants so start saving up those treasures (and trash) for next years sale.
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Page 13
With the steady influx into our neighborhood of new residents, were seeing an increasing number of families with young children plus the stork is keeping pretty busy around here as it is. So we thought it might be helpful to share with parents of youngsters (as well as grandparents welcoming visiting grandkids) ideas of family-friendly activities and destinations nearby, especially ones which are free or inexpensive. If you have any such good secrets youd like to pass along, let us know.
KIDZ KORNER
by Linda Dobbs Surprise and entertain your kids or grandkids this summer with a game of 20 questions while walking or biking over to the new and improved GREAT EXPLORATIONS THE CHILDRENS MUSEUM, located at 1925 4th St. N. This is local, neighborhood entertainment that is getting good press nationally. Additionally, it is fun, inexpensive, safe, educational for all ages and a cool place to escape during hot weather. The Museum says, Great Ex is a place where you can be creative, make discoveries and have fun. Launch a tennis ball to the top of the museum, race a car, become a computer animator, sail a ship, have a party, [or] join a workshop... One of the newest interactive areas for younger kids is the veterinarians office with examining table, instruments, etc. But my favorite is still right there by the entrance the magic harp! By flicking your fingers on the invisible strings you can make beautiful music as if by magic. Admission is only $8 for seniors, $9 for all others and free to members ($100/year for a family). Executive Director David Penn has brought new and innovative exhibits, programs and future plans to the museum while
Ideas for Summer
stressing its mission of stimulating learning through creativity, play, and exploration. Some of those programs include Terrific Tots and Stepping Up classes for pre-school children and in-house programs for older kids like: theatrical programs (puppet shows, musicals, plays and acting); school vacation camps; Scout badge programs; overnight programs; field trips with workshops; Young Explorers special Saturday events; Great Stage Kids (after-school theatre partnership with American Stage); Kids Night Out/Parents Night Out (film, games, food, etc. for kids only on a weekend night). For older kids there is the Youth Apprentice Program. Even better are the summer camps running 11 weeks (May 22nd-August 4th) with over 40 choices. Camps include before and after care and tutoring at no extra cost. There are camps for onefour year olds, five12 and 13-15. The choices include: Action Camp (karate, scuba diving, cheerleading, etc.); Camp Create (painting, acting, recording studio, etc.); Camp Solve It (water mania, robotics, treasure hunters, etc.); Cool Camp and Teen Time. The cost of the camp is only $150 a week for members or $175 for non-members with some reduction if five or more weeks are selected. Do you need a great place for a birthday party for 20 (plus or minus) lively, excited kids? Great Ex is the answer for that and is available for rental for other occasions, too. So call the museum today to sign up for summer camps and programs and remember it as a wonderful surprise destination anytime (821-8992; www.greatexplorations.org). Linda and her husband Bob moved to The Old Northeast on Valentines Day 2003 (they wanted to be near their two grandchildren who live in our neighborhood). Over the past 30 years Linda has been editor of a weekly newspaper, a magazine and a medical journal as well as numerous newsletters.
Westminster Presbyterian Church Pastoral Team Wins Award
The pastoral team from Westminster Presbyterian Church on 11th Avenue NE has received the Pastor of the Year award from the Association of Smaller Membership (200 or fewer member) Churches in the Synod of the Southeast (Florida, Georgia and South Carolina) of the Presbyterian Church USA. Pastor David Keister, Sr., Associate Pastor Kathleen Trautwein and Lay Pastor Levi Duong (of the Vietnamese Presbyterian Church of Emmanuel which meets at Westminster) received this award at the Associations Conference at St. Simons Island, GA, this past May. In her nomination letter, Associate Executive Presbyter for the Presbytery of Tampa Bay, Susan Snedeker Meier, wrote, These three pastors model excellence in cross cultural ministry, sharing compassion, kindness, and integrity. All meetings of both churches are centered around our shared faith as symbolized in the cup, and the Church members selling hot dogs and open Bible. hamburgers at the neighborhood-wide yard sale.
821-8992 www.greatexplorations.org
Page 14
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
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Page 15
Feeling Short-Tempered?
by Stacy Renz
Check Your Breathing
One of the things I say most often to students during yoga posture training is, Are you breathing? The student usually laughs and says something like, If I wasnt breathing Id be dead! In truth, it is amazing how shallow some of us breathe and are still able to walk around functioning semi-normally. In fact, certain activities seem to lend themselves to our restricting our breath. These include typing on the computer (I just checked in with myself as I am writing this sure enough, I was barely breathing!), commuting in the car (especially when we are running late), tasks requiring intense concentration (i.e., yoga poses), situations in which we have no control (i.e., waiting at the doctors office). If all of us tend to hold our breaths in these situations, it cant be too harmful, right? Wrong! When we practice shallow or chest breathing, the breathing action occurs high in the chest with very little action occurring at the diaphragm or lower. Donna Farhi, author of The Breathing Book, describes the long-term consequences of being a habitual chest breather, such as mid back, upper back, shoulder and neck tension that is difficult to resolve, even with regular body work. Over the long-term, this chronic muscle tension can lead to chronic pain, shoulder injury or debilitating headaches. In addition, because c h e s t breathers chronically tighten their abdominals, the organs of digestion, assimilation and elimination are cut off from proper circulation, leading to chronic dysfunction. Chest breathers are often accomplished professionals with Type A personalities. However, despite their outward success, they are often plagued by free-floating anxiety, feelings of inadequacy and poor self-esteem. This affects not only the chestbreather but those around him or her as well. Because of this underlying tension, he or she may have strong emotional responses out of proportion with the circumstances at hand. To determine if you are a chest breather, try this: Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly. As you inhale, see which hand moves. If it is the hand on your chest, you may be a chest breather. Here are some steps you can take to break the pattern:
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1. Avoid rushing by leaving a 15 minute cushion between obligations 2. Learn to say no to additional responsibilities without guilt or the need to explain 3. Avoid pulling in your gut to appear thinner 4. Practice staying present 5. Spend some time in nature or doing an activity that truly brings you bliss 6. Each time you finish an e-mail, hang up the phone or stop at a stop light make sure you are breathing deeply, fully and slowly 7. Practice yoga with a qualified teacher 8. Dont try to do everything on this list at once pick one thing and practice it with a smile and a breath
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Stacy, an Old NE resident, is an occupational therapist and a yoga therapist. She owns Living Room Yoga Studio and Gallery at 3015 7th Street N; www.livingroomyoga.biz.
Page 16
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
ERA Compass Sponsors
Easter Egg Roll
New Business In Our Neighborhood
As the downtown and Grand Central areas of the city continue to blossom as shopping and dining destinations, so does The Old Northeast. Here are a few commercial establishments that have opened in our neighborhood in recent weeks or will be opening soon. Give em a try!:
Acupuncture & Massage Therapy 2051 4th Street N #1 Andrew Michaels Gallery 2051 4th Street N #8 Hearth & Home Midwife 2051 4th Street N #3 IMIJ Wear 2051 4th Street N #6 IntegrityToGo Natural Food 1117 4th Street N Old Northeast Tavern 201 7th Avenue N Planet Beach Tanning Spa 740 4th Street N RRIII Auto Brokers 2051 4th Street N #7 Salon Christopher James 2312 4th Street N Weekday Gourmet, 750 4th Street N
nce again a great time was had by all the young participants in this fourth annual event held April 15th at Coffee Pot Bayou Park. ERA Compass Realtors Randy Hodge, Courtney Sutter and Eric DeWitt hid around the park more than 1000 Easter eggs full of candy or worth a prize waiting to be found. Three lucky children found Golden Eggs worth $25 movie gift certificates. If you would like to get on their notification list for future Halloween parties, holiday movie screenings or next years Easter Egg Roll, send your e-mail address to Randy Hodge at david.hodge @era.com or call 867-0161.
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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Page 17
To Demolish or Not to Demolish
That Is the Question
It seems that over the past 18 months or so the neighborhood has experienced a significant up-tick in construction activity. In many instances the construction has first required the demolition of existing houses, and in other cases property owners have decided to remodel or renovate existing structures. This activity is not limited to the very southern blocks of The Old Northeast but can be seen above 22nd Avenue, as well, and as likely near the water as off 4th Street. Commercial development along the 4th Street corridor is hot, empty lots in the neighborhood are few and far between and older housing stock tempts investors and developers. The photos on these pages show some of what has been occurring. What are your feelings about how the new con- Demolition Coffee Pot Boulevard, NE. struction looks vis-à-vis the renovation alternative?
Renovation Bay Street, NE. New construction Beach Drive, NE.
New construction 5th Avenue, N.
Renovation 3rd Street, N.
Page 18
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
New construction 30th Avenue, N. New construction Bay Street, NE.
Renovation 9th Avenue, NE.
New construction Coffee Pot Boulevard, NE
Renovation 11th Avenue, NE. New construction 26th Avenue, N. Renovation 6th Avenue, N.
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Page 19
Downtown
by Chuck Lindeen
Summertime and the Living is Easy -Moon Under Water
Summertime is here and its a lotta-hot out. So who can think of big, heavy meals? Dining Around for this issue is taking a left turn. All of the restaurants reviewed in previous issues were relatively new and firsttime experiences for me. Moon Under Water has been around for a few years now, and this was not my first visit. In recent months it has been on my beaten path each Saturday. Part of my routine each weekend has been to walk downtown to the Saturday Market with Boris, my retired greyhound. After we have loaded-up on all we can easily carry back home we head over to Beach Drive and head north. I have been able to watch the progress at the Park Shore development and more recently clearing the block for the newest tower at the corner of Beach Drive and 2nd Avenue NE. Moon Under Water is just across the alley from the Park Shore. The sidewalk in that block actually runs right through the middle of their outdoor seating area. It was just recently that I realized there were patrons sitting outside with their dogs, and I promised Boris that we would go back soon and enjoy a meal outdoors. I think it was also at that moment that I realized that as many times as I had been there I had never eaten anywhere but outside! Making good on my promise we ended up there the very next Saturday. It was beastly hot, and I didnt think Boris was going to make it all the way back home without a rest stop along the way. As we hit Beach Drive I remembered
Moon Under Water as an option. I decided if there was a table available when we walked up we would stop. As luck would have it the best spot for Boris right by the sidewalk so he could stretch out was open. We quickly claimed the table and got settled in. As I looked around I counted at least five other dogs accompanying their owners. Before even taking a drink order, the server brought a glass of ice water for me and a bowl of ice water for Boris. In my previous Saturday walkthroughs I had not noticed the special stainless steel doggie bowls
what a nice touch. It really was hot
and their gyro really is good
but all I could think about was crisp, cool salad. I asked my server, Rocky, for his recommendation and he said The Moon Cobb salad was very popular. I said bring it on. And he was right the salad was perfect. Bacon, curried chicken, egg, red onion, diced tomato and crumbled blue cheese were artfully arranged on the bed of greens. Served in a large tortilla shell, it ended up being almost too much to finish
but I managed to anyway. The cuisine at Moon Under Water could be described as British Colonial with many Indian dishes (like the curry platter) along with the traditional British dishes such as Cornish pasties, shepherds pie and fish and chips. There are multiple appetizer and soup selections from crab cakes to chicken strips. Salad selections include house, Caesar and Greek in addition to the Cobb I enjoyed. If you are in the mood for something to wrap your hands around there are no fewer than 11 sandwiches including tuna, burgers, chicken and vegetarian selections. For the heartier appetites there are multiple entrees to choose from including duck, chicken, pork, beef and fish. And of course there are desserts available. Theres a limited kids menu and an Express Lunch Special which is available weekdays. If you remember, my rating scale is very basic: food, service, atmosphere. Moon Under Water easily scored a three out of three. The food was above average. While service on previous visits had been less than memorable, the service this time was exceptional. And the atmosphere how wrong could they go?? Outdoors. Beach Drive. Vinoy Yacht Basin and Tampa Bay in the distance. You may have noticed in previous issues that if theres an option to eat outdoors Im there! With all the development along Beach Drive promising street level retail I am counting on numerous more outdoor café dining options. Moon Under Water is a hot option if you hunger for something different and enjoy taking your meals outdoors. That being said they do have indoor seating and a full service bar inside as well.
Page 20
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Moon Under Water is located at 332 Beach Drive NE in downtown St. Petersburg. It is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:30am to 11pm and Friday and Saturday from 11:30pm to 1am. Telephone 896-6160. Chuck has been a resident of The Old Northeast for over 10 years and a 33-year resident of the city. He served two appointed terms on the St. Petersburg Arts Advisory Committee and has volunteered for numerous arts organizations including the Salvador Dali Museum, American Stage/American Stage in the Park and the Arts Center. He is currently serving on HONNAs Board as Vice President.
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Page 21
Presidents Perspective
from page 1
years. Many times Mary Alice has stayed up all night getting ready for a presentation to one or another of the EDC, Planning Commission, City Council or just a meeting with some of you. Like the rest of us, she has a full time job. She has worked relentlessly to develop, revise or interpret the Neighborhood Plan and make sure that City staff know the contents of the plan and the intentions of the neighborhood. This is to ensure that even when the City and The Historic Old Northeast disagree (more often than most neighbors realize) that our interests are served according to the plan, ordinance or long standing practice. Mary Alice runs the neighborhood grants program that has resulted in the decorative acorn street lighting, monuments and other amenities; the route to acquiring these depends on volunteer hours that are translated into qualifying thresholds. There is no Board volunteer job that requires as much time as the one that Mary Alice has assumed year after year. Nicole and Mary Alice are the directors most likely to be seen on the Citys TV channel opposing either a City decision or a developer on behalf of those neighbors who live near a proposed development and who object to whatever action is being proposed. Holiday Tour and Historic Preservation: Robin Reed was asked by me and the rest of the Board to assume responsibility for the Local Historic District designation campaign because she is professional, tireless, organized, focused and has a keen interest in old homes. After years of leading the beautiful, acclaimed, and successful Holiday Home Tour, we thought that Robin would be in the best position to implement a decision that had been made by the 2003 Board to support an application for Local Historic District designation that had been prepared by several residents
12-year old, Honor Student Red Cross trained
Old Northeast only
BABYErins Parents SITTING Contact
727-898-7108
for
and already submitted to the City. Robin (and her chief volunteer, her husband, Joe) have deep respect for the neighborhoods roots and traditions and have shown considerable respect for the differing opinions that have emerged in the campaign. Membership: Quinn Henderson is also an attorney, and he has organized the candidate forum for the last few elections; we hope he will do so again. He has deciphered the mail merge and the membership lists with the help of former Board member Joe OConnor and he will soon be embarking with the rest of us on a membership drive. You see him at each general meeting greeting new members, and what you dont see are the many other hours spent organizing and following up on lists, material and answering requests for information Garden Stroll: Wendy Mansfield, like the dedicated and talented Garden Stroll chairs before her, made this wonderful springtime event another one to remember and another showcase for the beautiful and well- tended gardens of The Historic Old Northeast. Wendy gives time all year long to this initiative, works around the clock on it and still has time and energy to help everyone else. Wendy, a licensed architect, has an astonishing eye for design and detail and loves the Garden Stroll and all it means to The Historic Old Northeast. Website: Managing our electronic presence falls to Bob Dobbs, who keeps the site up to date and figures out new features to include. Although we use a commercial platform that has limitations and restrictions, Bob has figured out how to use it to our best advantage. Bob spends many hours working toward the next level and a new website, and we are looking forward to publishing much more in the future. Porch Parties: We have a meet-your-neighbor movable feast feature introduced several years ago, and Bob Hunter with the help of his committee partners has kept us all aware of the next party, where it will be and who is having it. Bob co-chairs and supports several other Board committees and has been a reliable resource to the Garden Stroll, Holiday Home Tour, Historic Preservation and does whatever else we need help with. Newsletter: Rick Carson and the newsletter team have a huge and detailed job getting all that information and creativity as well as advertising (thank you, advertisers!) into the pages of the newsletter, on time and in a lively and light-hearted format that makes sense to us and to you. Rick reminded me this morning gently, as always that this article wasnt written, and I can only imagine how many others he has to remind every issue, how much he has to edit, write or rewrite. He is always on the lookout for important info to include, and he is fearless in raising ideas that he knows we wont like but need to hear. The newsletter is so important in letting you know what the Association Board is doing, and looking back over years of newsletters allows all of us to see important initiative s and changes underway. The newsletter provides continuity, not just news. Officers: Douglas Haan (Treasurer), Anne-Marie Stephenson (Secretary) and Chuck Lindeen (Vice President) all take exceptional responsibility on behalf of all of us. Doug keeps the books in order maintains tax, insurance, grant, dues, tour proceeds, donation, advertising sales and other records with enormous precision and devotion to detail Anne-Marie keeps us on track and records all the discussions at Board meetings and general meetings as well as setting agendas and reminding everyone how their work interfaces with all the other work underway. Chuck represents us at the Citys Council of Neighborhood AssociaRutlands Department tions and a lot of other places, attends c.1942 has represented Store hearings, the organization in more than one adversarial setting and is solely
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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
responsible for having stopped the random delivery of free newspapers that had been thrown on our front lawns by three different publishers. I share this information with you knowing that some of you may be skeptical of the Boards motives, performance or skill. Only Douglas and Mary Alice have served more than two years on the HONNA Board; some of these folks are still in their first year as a Board volunteer but have served on committees or projects in the past. We maintain good relationships with City staff (or try to, simply because that is the right way to conduct business and politics and we have pretty good manners), but we do not always agree with City policy and on occasion have vehemently opposed and gone to great lengths on behalf of the neighborhood in opposition to the City. We most often take up the issues or ideas raised by you, our neighbors, and facilitate as much understanding as we can about ordinances, zoning, appeal processes and City policies and practices. Some of us are Republican, some Democrat, others independent; when election time comes around we will all have different signs in our yards, I guarantee it. If you are interested in serving on the Board, we have some openings that wed like to fill before the annual meeting in November. We welcome volunteers and, as you can see, we dont always agree with one another. Have no fear that your opinion is a qualifier for service it isnt, you just have to be a HONNA member, be willing to chair a standing committee and attend perhaps three evening meetings per month. We are simply happy to have you as a neighbor, a friend and a fellow volunteer, devoted as we all are to improving the quality of life in The Historic Old Northeast.
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
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The
*Restrictions
udy Lowe Wells has recently pub lished a biography of Perry Snell. Her book, C. Perry Snell, His Place in St. Petersburg, Florida, History, discusses his childhood, education and travels as well as his years in St. Petersburg. His life was not always smooth sailing the 1930s were fraught with much turmoil from tax problems, court disputes with two ex-wives and his loss of the Snell Arcade Building and his lovely Brightwaters Bou- Author Judy Lowe Wells autographing her book after her levard home. presentation at the HONNA meeting. This man is responsible for so much more than developing The Historic Old Northeast and Snell Isle, and building the Snell Arcade Building. There will be a book Many people do not know that he is the one responsible for the signing at Haslams very personality of St. Petersburg. His vision for the city included a beautiful waterfront, upBook Store, 2025 scale homes and public parks with Central Avenue, on meandering walkways such as he had seen along the French Riviera. Saturday, June 10th, He donated a significant amount from 2-4pm. Judy will of land to enhance the beauty and well-being of St. Petersburg. Perry be giving a Power Snell owned Coffee Pot Bayou Point presentation, and dredged and filled as he pleased, essentially determining with a Q&A time, at the outline of the northeast shoreJUST AROUND THE CORNER, the St. Petersburg line from 5th Avenue N up into JUST DOWN THE STREET, Coffee Pot Bayou and around JUST IN TOWN Museum of History, Snell Isle into Placido Bayou. The WE ARE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WINE MERCHANT 335 2nd Avenue NE, on book offers a great deal more information to give a thorough study Wine-of-the-Month Club Private Wine Tastings June 15th at 7pm. of the life of this man. Gift Certificates On-Staff Certified Sommelier Gift Baskets Private Label Wines & Cigars Free Delivery* Uncorked Wine Academy
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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
Petersburg Times columnists invitation to discuss street roundabouts. A few chimed in specifically on the one at 30th Avenue at 1st Street N. One person said she had yet to encounter anyone who knows who has the right of way
Four yield signs. If two cars approach the rotary simultaneously, who is supposed to yield? Another wrote: As to who has the right of way, the yield sign is confusing and does not match state law. Section 316.121 states that whoever is in the rotary has the right of way, and those vehicles approaching from the right have the secondary right of way
There is no need for the yield sign. Another who lives six houses from the roundabout said: You would be surprised at the number of cars that do not stop for a woman, two dogs and two kids on bikes
Even in the afternoons and on weekends, cars go through entirely too fast. Most of the cars traveling on First Street assume they have the right of way. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 3/5]
v Several folks wrote into Dr. Delay in response to the St.
the former St. Pete H a r d w a re property at 1203 4 th Street N. Developers won the right to cross the 150 foot line that normally restricts commercial development into the residential neighborhood. HONNA and several neighbors objected to the exception with one resident commenting, You are really knifing the homeowners of the Old Northeast. The proposed building a 5,800sqft retail space with parking in the rear will contain a Tropical Smoothie Café and as yet other unspecified businesses. The existing building and a bungalow will have been demolished to make room for this project. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 5/7]
v Resident and attorney Thomas Wadley painted a flag of Denmark and a drawing of Mohammeds head on two pieces of plywood and placed them in front of his 8th Avenue N house to make a statement about free speech. This resulted in the local director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations sitting down with the lawyer to discuss the issues of free speech, Islam and the Middle East. They ended up agreeing on some matters (like the war in Iraq) but not on the controversial issue of media publication of what many feel are offensive cartoons of Mohammed. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 2/24] v The Citys Environmental Development Commission gave the go-ahead to a controversial redevelopment project involving
v The Environmental Development Commission also approved (4/5) a special exception and related site plan to convert into a three-guestroom bed and breakfast an existing seven-unit apartment building at 657 3rd Street N. (see above right) Over 100 years old, the building originally was a single family residence and later a boarding house. The owners, William and Adele Visaggio, have invested about $1 million in the buildings renovation. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 4/9] v The family which owns the mangrove patch in Coffee Pot Bayou known to many as Bird Island is looking to sell the property and has a potential buyer. The island is a bird rookery hosting some 500 breeding pairs including several species considered worthy of protection. Environmentalists are alarmed and are considering ways to purchase and preserve it; several groups have expressed interest in assisting. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 5/10]
200 Central Avenue, Ste 620 (Bank of America Tower)
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
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Thinking in
Purple
by Barbara Rhode, LMFT
Barbara Rhode is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who provides trainings and workshops to corporations and nonprofits on wellness and life balance. She lives in a very purple house in The Old Northeast, a place where she contemplates in shades of purple. Barbara can be reached at 418-7882. Editors Note: Barbara Rhode, the usual author of this column, has taken a one-issue break and turned over the computer keyboard to her husband, Tim. If after reading his commentary you are inspired to check further into the subject of paint colors for your house, the September 2003 issue of this newsletter and the November/December 2005 issue of The Northeast Journal contain relevant articles. (You do save back issues, dont you?) My wife, Barbara, who usually writes this column, calls it Thinking in Purple because we live in a purple house. Many people want to know, Why did you paint it purple? Usually the people who ask me this dont like it. Some people tell me this politely while others yell at our house that they HATE IT.
Many others tell me they love the colors. Very few are neutral. I thought Id better explain why we painted it purple. There are four buildings on our property. The purple one is my house and it is two stories. On the other side of the pool/courtyard is a one story house where my wifes parents live and it is painted two shades of bright blue. Between those two houses at the end of our pool is a two story building with a studio apartment on the second floor and a guest suite on the first. This building is painted bright yellow. The last building is one story and used to be a one-car garage. It has been divided in half into a workshop on the street side and an architectural studio for me on the courtyard side. This building is painted fuchsia red. Now, I can really hear some of you thinking, My God, thats four different very bright colors, all on one property. He really has gone crazy. But there is a method to my madness and it all begins with LIGHT. As you all know, we live in the Sunshine State, so there is a lot of light. Also, because of the semi-tropical location, the light comes in more directly overhead than it does in the northern states where a lot of us came from. Its brighter in Florida. This brightness can overwhelm most colors but not bright colors. Bright colors complement the quality of our tropical light. Many areas around the world at our latitude such as Mexico, Africa and India have the same angle of sun that we do and use very bright colors in their clothing and buildings. I believe the light is related to their choice of colors. My inspiration for choosing these bright colors for our property actually comes from traveling through the Caribbean. I saw how well the bright colors worked there in similar light conditions to ours. My painter called them happy colors, and I like that thought. Most of our houses in The Old NE are modeled after houses from the northeastern part of our country because the builders
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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
PORCH PARTIES
Porch Parties are held the third Friday of the month from 7-10pm (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 Julie Feeley (822-4969;
[email protected]).
PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE: 7-10pm June 16th Bob and Linda Dobbs 2296 Coffee Pot Blvd NE July 21st Ken and Elizabeth Grimes 750 3rd Street N August 18th Jim Kaiser and Kathy Hansen 419 12th Avenue NE Thinking in Purple
continued...
came from those areas. They built what they knew. Many people believe that the colors of our houses in St. Petersburg should use the same palette of colors that those northeastern houses used. But I believe that the colors should be appropriate for the quality of the light we have here in Florida. I consider houses and neighborhoods to be similar to living things in the sense that, like living things, they change over time. So my house will change. I will be painting the windows another color to complement the purple. When I can afford to I will remove all the asbestos siding to bring the house back to the original clapboard siding on the first floor and cedar shakes on the second floor. I will have to remove the purple. I dont know if I will paint it purple again but it will probably be a BRIGHT color. I hope this article might inspire others to use brighter colors as well. They are happy colors.
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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Page 27
Dave Forman emigrated here from Los Angeles where he wrote for the entertainment industry. He, along with his wife and young daughter, are trying to adjust to the Florida heat and humidity (which he has gratefully exchanged for the traffic, smog and attitude of LA).
oofers p S
DISCLAIMER: The stories you are about to read are not true. Not even the names have been changed to protect the innocent.
by D.S. Forman
Enquirer
OLD NORTHEAST MOVING TO CAYMANS
Disenchanted with skyrocketing property taxes, insurance costs and encroaching over-development, the entire Old Northeast neighborhood decided to pull up stakes from St. Petersburg and relocate to the Cayman Islands. The decision was made by voice vote at a recent HONNA neighborhood meeting addressing invasive parking lots. The motion to secede from Florida came up as an afterthought but passed unanimously. As soon as our insurance dropped us, we decided to drop Florida, claimed long time city resident Arthur Bendix. A panicked Mayor Baker urged The Old Northeast to stay put, promising more festivals and parades. However, real estate speculators, eying a potentially huge development opportunity in the vacated neighborhood, have already offered to pay moving expenses for all Old NE residents.
The Old Northeast
The Florida legislature reached an agreement with the insurance industry that would put an end to dropped policies on Old NE homes and prevent any more insurers from fleeing the state. The legislators reluctantly gave the insurers the go-ahead to triple premiums this year, quadruple them in 2008 and remove all limits in 2010. In return, the insurance companies will guarantee coverage to every home in The Old Northeast up to a maximum $1000. Any property damages incurred over that amount would be the sole responsibility of the homeowner. This is the kind of successful bi-partisan legislation our constituents deserve, beamed state rep Hank Slicker.
INSURANCE CRISIS FIXED ALL HOMES INSURED UP TO $1000
GIGANTO CONDO FLATTENS FLIPPERS
INVESTORS CASH IN ON BANKERS ROW
Owners of a property on 4th Street N have passed on their expansion plans in favor of developing a new bank building. Their lot will be the new home of the St. Petersburg Corner Sunstone Mutual Lending Bank of Florida. This will be the 96th bank building fronting 4th Street N from downtown to Gandy practically a bank on every block. Meanwhile, in a nod to the Bank Robbers lobby, the state legislature has refused to add any more stoplights along 4th Street.
The grand opening of The Magnum, the 2,500-unit, 75 story mega-condo tower that takes up what was left of downtown St. Pete, has resulted in a glut of condo units. It finally broke the back of the citys real estate boom, claimed Realtor Doug Trapjack. There are now more condos than people. The overabundance of condos is forcing real estate speculators who drove up housing prices in St. Pete to actually live in their overpriced new digs. Several speculators, concerned they wont be able to afford their own pricey rents, have declared bankruptcy and fled to the Caymans.
Spoof is a noun which the dictionary defines as a light humorous parody. Actually the word is an acronym devised in the early 20th century from the phrase St. Pete: Our Outlandish Funtasyland. SPOOFers was a column in the local newspaper, The Leningrad LAMPOON (the precursor to the St. Petersburg TIMES).
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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
ON THE DOCKET: Some Upcoming Events In and Nearby Our Neighborhood
For a current and more detailed listing go to the Citys website at www.stpete.org
Taste of Pinellas (benefits All Childrens Hospital) Vinoy Park; 767-4193 June 3 Darlene Clark Bikini Cup Off The Pier; 822-3873 June 4 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443 June 10 Gallery Walk downtown locations; 821-6767 June 10-11 Tampa Bay Caribbean Carnival Vinoy Park; 327-1277 June 11 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443 JUNE 16 PORCH PARTY (see p. 27) June 17 Fish-Ful Saturday The Pier Aquarium; 821-6443 June 17-18 Pinellas Living Green Expo Coliseum; 892-5202 June 18 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443 JUNE 19 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING June 23 Warped Tour Vinoy Park; 896-2276 June 23-24 Purina Dog Chow Incredible Dog Challenge Spa Beach Park; 893-7465 June 24 Mayors Downtown Historic Preservation Summit Coliseum; 893-7143 June 24 St. Pete Pride Parade and Street Festival Central b/w 22nd-28th; 214-4102 June 25 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443 July 2 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443 July 4 Fourth of July Celebration downtown waterfront parks and The Pier; 893-7441 July 7 Get Downtown Music Series Central b/w 2nd-3rd; 393-3597 July 8 Fish-Ful Saturday The Pier Aquarium; 821-6443 July 8 Gallery Walk downtown locations; 821-6767 July 9 Share the Road Ride North Shore Park; 327-3935 July 9 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443 July 16 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443 JULY 17 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING JULY 21 PORCH PARTY (see p. 27) July 22 Fish-Ful Saturday The Pier Aquarium; 821-6443 July 22-23 Cool Art Show Coliseum; 736-2976 July 23 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443 July 30 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443 August 4 Get Downtown Music Series Central b/w 2nd-3rd; 393-3597 August 12 Gallery Walk downtown locations; 821-6767 August 16-20 Old Salt Loop Tournament Spa Beach Park; 893-7465 AUGUST 18 PORCH PARTY (see p. 27) June 2-4
The Sticks and Carrots of Historic Preservation
June 24th, 2006, 9am-4:30pm Coliseum 535 4th Avenue N
Subjects to be covered include: overview of Citys Historic Preservation ordinance; progress and direction of Pinellas Countys Preservation Task Force; Defining St. Petersburgs historic character and elements critical to it; economics of historic preservation; the Federal tax credit, ad valorem tax exemption and grants; adaptive reuse and transfer of development rights, state building code, local case studies Attendance is free but limited in number; advance registration is required (893-7153).
Mayors Downtown Historic Preservation Summit:
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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
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How Does Your Garden Grow?
by Yvonne Swanson -- Master Gardener
Storm Warnings
Its a harsh reality that summer gardening in Florida includes the potential for tropical storms and hurricanes. Preparing your landscape for a hurricane ideally should begin well before storm season approaches with such measures as trimming or removing questionable trees and planting storm-hardy plants throughout the yard. Add these projects to your summer to-do list to safeguard your landscape and preserve your plants:
+ Any item in your yard or your neighbors can become a dangerous projectile in high winds. Be sure to bring loose garden items indoors including flags and awnings, garden hoses, wind chimes, birdfeeders, hanging baskets and lawn ornaments such as gazing balls and birdbaths. House ornaments that arent secure, such as wreaths or plaques, should be brought in as well.
Before a storm: + Inspect trees for rotten or dead limbs, which can break off easily in high wind and crash through your own or neighbors windows. In addition, remove seed pods and old fronds from palms. Cut low-lying limbs using a pruning saw or lopper, being careful not to tear branches. Hire a professional arborist or tree service to remove out-of-reach limbs. + Stake small trees and tall garden plants that could snap in high winds. Use three stakes placed a few feet around the root ball and drive them about eight inches into the soil or deeper, especially in loose, sandy soil. Next, secure the stake to the trunk with hose-covered, heavy-duty wire. Its a good idea to flag the wire to prevent accidents. + Bring potted plants indoors. If thats not possible, lay them on their side in a sheltered location. Top-heavy plants are especially prone to blow over, even those in heavy ceramic containers.
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After a storm: + Some fallen and leaning trees can be saved as long as they can be propped back up. Trim any broken branches, set the tree upright and firmly stake for support. Treat the tree as if it were transplanted by providing adequate water over the next six months. The Florida Extension Service recommends leaving the support stakes and hose-covered wires in place for one year. + With some TLC, you can bring storm-damaged plants back to life. Prune off torn and damaged ends to reduce stress on the plant. If roots are exposed, cover with soil, moist burlap sacks or moist sphagnum moss. + Inspect trees for damage, including broken branches, cracks or splits at the limb-trunk juncture and breakage of the root system. You should prune or saw broken branches back to major limbs or the main trunk, always making clean, even cuts. If a crack or split extends into the trunk, the tree could be dangerous and may need costly removal. + Inspect the root area of trees and shrubs for hollowing of the soil that can occur when plants are blown back and forth during a storm. Add soil and water to eliminate air pockets around roots. + If your plants have been exposed to salt water, dont wait for symptoms to appear. Thoroughly douse them with fresh water as soon as possible after the storm. Monitor them closely for the next six months, supplying more-frequent watering, especially during periods of drought. + If your turf grass has taken a beating, the Florida Extension Service recommends using a flat-headed shovel to remove fallen leaves, mud or silt left by tidal surges or flooding. Grass exposed to fresh water flooding should start growing when standing water is drained. Salt water damage can be mitigated by hosing thoroughly with fresh water. + Long periods of sustained winds will quickly dry out potted plants despite abundant rainfall so water those that were left outside during the storm. Trim off dead or broken ends and delay fertilizing.
Yvonne Swanson is a master gardener for Pinellas County. She also writes a garden column for the St. Petersburg Times.
ES
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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
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. 125 5th Avenue NE #160 125 5th Avenue NE #190 125 5th Avenue NE #230 125 5th Avenue NE #290 125 5th Avenue NE #390 555 5th Avenue NE #533 555 5th Avenue NE Pth#3 500 6th Avenue NE 210 7th Avenue N 224 7th Avenue N 123 8th Avenue N 231 8th Avenue N 376 9th Avenue N 321 10th Avenue N Mildred Brown Anne Harowski Jennifer Casper Andrzej and Longina Przyborowski Terri Anderson and Lisa Ulrich Gene and Robyn Melamud Ian and Jean Irwin Paul Evans Dennis Raymond Jeffrey and Karol Hirschberger Barbara Danielle Stefan William Thomas Wadley Zachary Haisch Justin Dean
445 11th Avenue NE 116 12th Avenue NE 309 13th Avenue NE 216 14th Avenue NE 436 14th Avenue NE 515 14th Avenue NE 216 15th Avenue NE 545 16th Avenue NE 138 17th Avenue N 155 19th Avenue NE 303 20th Avenue N 145 21st Avenue N 146 22nd Avenue NE 185 22nd Avenue N 301 24th Avenue N 756 Bay Street NE 1014 Bay Street NE 1033 Bay Street NE #1 1215 Beach Dr NE #2 2156 Coffee Pot Blvd NE 1048 North Shore Drive #3
Robert Bruce Jennifer OConnor Paul and Andrea Kowalski Alfred Neal Tashtego and Emily Kilene Elwyn Kris and Theadora Kubiak Chad and Lauren Kersting James and Mary Camp Victoria Brook Geoff and Whitney LeCain Erica Downs David Wing N. Denise West Adele and Louis Dalessandro Ronald Legore Maureen Stafford Shandy Nachsin Joan Eastman Jody Boone Todd and Barbara McCallister Charles and Rosemary Sexton
Compiled from public records by the Florida New Business Report.
For Local Historic District
VOTE YES
But no matter how you vote, respect your neighbors opinions
4
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Page 31
I Remember When...
Although The Old Northeast neighborhood continues to experience a renaissance of its own along with the downtown, not everyone who lives here is a relative newcomer. Some of us have lived here all or most of our lives and remember when life in the northeast (it wasnt always Old) was quite a different experience. I Remember When
provides an opportunity for one of your more senior neighbors to share with us newer kids on the block a personal reflection of what it was like way back when. If you know long-time Old Northeast residents who might like to share some memories of the area from previous years, please contact Susan Alderson at
[email protected].
Shannon Knowlton Shannon has lived in The Old Northeast since 1950. Honey Brown Lefter One of the best things I remember about growing up here in St. Honey was born in St. Petersburg and has lived in The Old NE Petersburg was going to the movies at the Pheil Theater on Saturall her life. day mornings. It was usually a double feature and they showed Summer time, and the livin is easy... The tourists had all scary movies. I can remember sitting in the balcony screaming. gone home and we were back to being a sleepy Southern town. I used to swim in Coffee Pot Bayou and jumped off the Snell My friends and I would ride our bikes up to Wests Drug Store Isle Bridge. It was one of my favorite things to do. and order Cokes at the fountain. My friends and I loved to ski in Coffee Pot as well. We would go That whole area was marble and had high ceilings with fans. up to Bob Lees and fill up the gas tank for the boat There were little with the money we had all saved. The boat was kept at tables and chairs Location of Wests Drug Store at Dr. Ferrells dock on Coffee Pot. That home is no set up, they had Locust Street & 13th Avenue NE longer there but was located across from the old tile floors and Willingham home. We would get an early start skiing swinging screen because later on it would get crowded with other boats. doors. It was a popular place to ski. We would ski till the gas Those were tank ran out and then our day was over. the days before I remember riding our bikes over the gravel streets leash laws, so all up to Wests Drug Store on Locust Street where we my friends and I would sit at the fountain and drink cherry Cokes. had our dogs folAnother fun thing for my friends and I to do was to lowing us everyplay kick the can in the Willinghams big yard. We did where we went... that for hours and when it rained, we would make dams including going in the street. inside with us to Postcards courtesy Joe OConnor. My friends and I made our own fun and life was Wests. It was the place to go. We different then. spent much of our time in the waThe La Plaza, one of many ter either at Sunset Country Clubs long-gone movie palaces. Susan Woods Alderson pool or swimming and skiing in Susan has lived in the Old Northeast Coffee Pot. When it rained, we since 1949. made dams in the streets. It was June, hot as heck as it was from Everybody ran around bare 1949 to the early 50s and that was before footed. My mother, being from everyone had air conditioners in their the North, didnt approve of that homes. We lived on 16th Avenue NE in a so I wore my shoes until I got five bedroom, two story Tudor home which around the corner and then hoped was built with ventilation in mind with lots and prayed nobody would tell of windows. The attic fan would rumble her. and at least keep the air moving. The Lowe family lived across I didnt care or even know that it was the street, and I grew up playing hot. It was summer, school was out, I was with the two oldest brothers. Mr. Lowe would have a huge load a kid and the heat was of no concern to me. My friends and I cooled of sand delivered to the empty lot next to their home and spread ourselves by swimming in our rubber wading pools and eating it out so we could play softball. Another fun thing we did was to popsicles which dripped down our hands and arms. carefully place match sticks in our neighbors door bells so they would keep on ringing and then run. My best buddy and I would love it when our fathers pulled us up to Wests Drug Store in our big red metal wagons to get a cool The Lowe boys and I spent a good deal of our time climbing drink at the soda fountain. That was a big deal and a real treat. trees, and even though I was not too good at it they would push me up. Of course, once I got up there I would be stuck but I was Those were the days even before TV. My grandmother, who determined to do what they did. lived with us, bought one of the first TVs in the neighborhood. My friends and I would actually gather and stare at the test patSummer was such an easy and laid back time and seemed endterns until we finally got Channel 13. That brought in such shows less. as Captain Mac. Does anyone else remember Captain Mac?
Reflections from
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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Coffee Pot Bayou
We also watched all the westerns such as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. My buddy and I were Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and rode pretend horses made of palm branches. For sure, TV did not occupy our time. We were outside making up games like seeing who could get across a sandspur and pine cone-filled lot barefooted the fastest. Ouch! I can still remember how those sandspurs felt stuck to the bottom of my foot. What was I thinking? My father would bring home huge cardboard boxes from refrigerator dealers and we would make forts out of them putting them together in a long tunnel and cutting out windows. We spent hours in those boxes. It must have been hot in those boxes, but we didnt care. How many times did I stub my toes running barefooted down these hexagon and very cracked sidewalks? I also fell many times on those old-type roller skates that you would have to wear over your shoes. Try as I did, I never seemed to be able to wind them tight enough with those keys. Does anyone else remember those old metal skates? Boy, am I ever dating myself! My friends and I rode our bikes everywhere with wild abandonment (no helmets!), climbed trees, made mud pies in the back yard with good old black dirt and the hose and played till our mothers called us in for dinner. Summer went on forever or at least it seemed that way to us. The Old Northeast...I have the best memories any child could have growing up here. It doesnt get any better than that!
Susan Woods Alderson is a wife and mother of four children. She moved to a home on 16th Avenue NE with her mother, father and grandmother when she was five years old. She also lived in another home on 16th till she married. When she moved back to St. Pete from Washington, D.C., in 1977 its been on 19th Avenue NE. She wouldnt want to live anywhere else in the world! As Dorothy (and Susan) would say, Theres no place like home.
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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
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Recently Joseph Miele, an Old Northeast homeowner, distributed a letter to other residents about the Local Historic District petition drive. Some of the information presented in his letter was inaccurate. A response to Mr. Mieles points from The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association follows (please note that Mr. Mieles points are written just as he wrote them.)
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association Response to Joseph Miele Letter
1. We are already a National Historic District. Response: Yes, we are a district which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This does not afford preservation protection, such as protection against teardowns, which is left to local law and that is why we are pursuing Local Historic designation. 2. You are buying a PIG in a POKE !!! Sections 446 through 485 are reserved. This means that they may enact such other regulations they have planned at a later date. There must be a reason they wont tell you what they are upfront. They are asking for a blank check. Response: Mr. Mieles statement is incorrect. The City Ordinance (Article VIII) is not a Pig in a Poke or a blank check. It has been on the books since 1985. It spells out in detail what it means to be a Local Historic District. As is common in government ordinances, it provides for reserved sections so that the code has room for expansion if needed. These are found throughout St. Petersburgs Code of Ordinances and in other City Codes throughout the United States. Any change to this ordinance or any other City ordinance requires public notification, meetings for public input, and an open process providing for public comment prior to a vote by City Council. To date no changes have been made to this ordinance and none are planned. 3. Most of the provisions for maintenance of your property are already controlled by other city boards. Response: This is irrelevant. The Local Historic District ordinance (Article VIII) does not address routine property maintenance at all. It does require that buildings cannot be deliberately run down to the point where they can fall into a state of disrepair whereby demolition is the only solution. 4. The AD VALORUM tax break is already available to you as a member of the NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT. You voluntarily apply for it. Response: Yes, the ad valorem tax exemption has been available since we became a National Historic District in 2003. As was pointed out in HONNAs booklet Local Historic District How Will It Affect Me? this is a valuable tax exemption for someone who plans to do a major renovation of a qualifying property. The important point that should be understood is that to take advantage of this exemption, the administrative procedure is almost the same as the proposed Certificate of Appropriateness process. Many of your neighbors have gone through this process without incident. 5. Sec. 525-7 Empowers the committee to INITIATE PLANS for YOUR property. Notice the absence of your consent. Response: Mr. Mieles statement is incorrect. There is no
Section 525-7. Local designation will not empower anyone to initiate plans for your property. Section 525 describes how Historic Landmarks and Local Historic Districts are designated. All of St. Petersburgs neighborhoods have been subject to this provision since 1985. This is how the thematic Granada Terrace Historic District was set up and is the same process The Old Northeast is using to establish a Local Historic District. Incidentally, there are no committees mentioned in the entire ordinance. There is a Historic Preservation Commission appointed by the mayor and confirmed by City Council. They have been fulfilling their duties for 20 years. To date, 97% of all projects in St. Petersburgs two local historic districts have been approved. 6. Sec 525(b) provides that repairs to your property may be initiated by a petition signed by any resident of St. Petersburg, any ORGANIZATION in St. Petersburg, or by the City itself. WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT!!! Response: Mr. Mieles comments are simply untrue. Section 525(b) lists the application requirement. It does not address property repair at all. It does say that individuals outside of The Old Northeast can nominate local or thematic historic districts. Since 1987, weve only had Granada Terrace and the current Old Northeast campaign, both initiated by local residents, not outsiders. However, the most important point is that we are already subject to the provisions of Section 525 which is the application process we are using to create The Old Northeast Local Historic District. 7.&8. Sec. 533 and 534 provide for PENALITIES !!! $50.00 per day violation. This goes on while you fight their determination that your property is in violation of their regulations. Sec. 533 THE PROPERTY OWNER shall pay all administrative expenses, ATTORNEY FEES and costs associated with such action. These fees and costs could run into tens of thousands, which you pay even if you win; and you have to pay your own attorney fees. Response: Mr. Mieles statements are misleading. As with other City Codes, there are penalties for violations. However, fines are not imposed when the property is in process or in appeal. The penalties referred to in sections 533 and 534 are for violations of the COA and ad valorem tax exemption processes. Violations specifically address demolition or alterations without COA approval. Without oversight and penalties, certain developers will continue to threaten the character of our neighborhood.
Residents of The Historic Old Northeast Please base your vote on the facts and not misinformation. Take a look at the ordinance (Chapter 16, Article VIII) yourself, and you be the judge (www.stpete.org/ldr.htm). You may use the ballot on the facing page. Thank you.
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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
APPROVAL BY PROPERTY OWNERS OF LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION FOR HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST
(NORTH SHORE HISTORIC DISTRICT)
We have read the historic district Local Landmark Designation Application for North Shore Historic District (Historic Old Northeast Residential Neighborhood) dated June 10, 2003, to designate the area bounded by 5th Avenue North, 4th Street North, 30th Avenue North, and Tampa Bay as a local historic district under St. Petersburg, Florida, City Code Section 16-525.
_____ _____ _____ _____
We are property owners within that area. We have read about and understand the COA process. We approve. We do not approve.
(Please check above, print clearly and sign your name below.)
Date: ________________________________________________________ Signature(s):___________________________________________________________ Printed Name(s):________________________________________________________ Property Address:________________________________________________________ Telephone:_______________________ Fax:__________________________ E-mail: _______________________________________________________
Please return this petition form to: Robin L. Reed 705 16th Ave. NE St. Petersburg, FL 33704 Tel (727) 825-0480 Email:
[email protected] Read about local historic district designation at:
Www.HistoricStPete.com
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
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Next Neighborhood Meeting: Monday, June 19th, 7pm
All neighborhood residents invited
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association P.O. Box 76324 St. Petersburg, FL 33734
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