Published Quarterly

Historic
Old Northeast
Neighborhood
News
Volume 32 Issue 4 www.honna.org December 2005

IN THIS ISSUE Give Yourself a Holiday Treat

Thank You, Virginia
.......................... Page 7 Time to Enjoy the Annual
Property Tax Hit
.......................... Page 9 Candlelight Tour of Homes
Alley Rally Mark your calendar for December 11th from 3-
........................ Page 13 8pm for the 8th Annual Old Northeast Candle-
Christmases Past light Tour of Homes — a celebration of the sea-
........................ Page 20 son and a unique opportunity to visit eight beau-
tiful neighborhood homes that showcase diverse
HONNA Neighborhood architectural and decorating styles.
Meetings In addition to the festive holiday decorations,
are held the third each house will reveal its unique history. The
Monday of each month evening will unveil Mission style Bungalows and
except December Mediterranean Revival classics and a house re-
(holiday party in lieu) cently built to its owner’s personal specifications
at Westminster to take full advantage of its location. You will be
Presbyterian Church amazed at the 1898 Colonial Revival home that
126 11th Avenue NE was moved in the 1950s to its present location,
6:45 p.m., social transformed into a dance and music studio and
7:00 p.m., business has come full circle once again as an elegant pri-
vate home complete with ornate chandeliers and
HONNA Board Meetings detailed carved woodwork. Not to be missed is
for 2005/06 the house that was renovated on a tight budget
are held the second — but doesn’t show it.
Monday of each month
at 7pm and are To make your adventure more festive, a com-
Bed and Breakfast, Westminster Palms and
open to the public. plimentary trolley service will loop the neighbor-
Westminster Presbyterian Church — where re-
hood with stops close to the eight featured houses
UPCOMING MEETINGS and the three hospitality sites — the Vinoy House continued on page 30
Mark your
calendar! Minding Ps & Qs The President’s Perspective
NO DECEMBER Equals a Better Old NE
If you were present at a recent general monthly
Cathy Martin
MEETING Association President
meeting, you probably know that I got a traffic
ticket in our neighborhood, on 1st Street. I cringed mad at myself. And I immediately confessed to
December 13th even as I went slowly rolling through the stop sign the membership at the next meeting and took my-
Holiday Party at at about 21st Avenue and 1st — I never do this, I self to traffic school.
Sunshine City Grill know it is wrong and I was wrong. And the po- We all complain about traffic, parking and
[see below] lice officer who ticketed me was absolutely right speeding motorists in The Old Northeast, particu-
to do so, and I thanked him for doing his job, the larly this time of year, during festivals in the parks
job that HONNA has asked him to do. I was so continued on page 2
January 16th
To be announced Annual Neighborhood Holiday Party
Tuesday, December 13th, 6-7pm
February 20th All residents of the neighborhood are invited
Crime & Safety Sunshine City Grill – 1330 4 Street Nth

Report Bring an unwrapped new gift for child or youth

Attire: festive
HISTORIC OLD Nholiday casual Refreshments will be served
ORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 1
President’s Perspective from page 1 Pedestrians, cyclists, joggers, runners and walkers — let’s watch
our position vis-a-vis approaching traffic. I’ve seen us jaywalk
and when our Old Northeast snowbird neighbors move back into and lunge in front of a car we never saw coming, or that we as-
their winter homes. The neighborhood fills up quickly with par- sumed had a stop sign or would stop at the intersection. We have
ties, festivity and more activity than we see through the summer. many intersections that are not four way stops, and some of our
However, it’s most often our own neighbors who are breaking streets and avenues run for four or more blocks without traffic
these laws every day. Most of us have seen — or been calming stop signs.
— the neighbors who drive the wrong way on 1st Cyclists, the stop signs are for us, too. And parents, our kids
— only for a block or so — to avoid going are speeding down 9th Avenue on skateboards, in the wrong lane
around the block to a one-way that’s going and with complete disregard for oncoming cars.
our way. And some of us have rolled a Dog walkers, leashes are required, even on our slow and an-
stop sign just like I did, parked the wrong cient doggy who never leaves our side. If we lose the
direction or rushed to beat the traffic dog, let’s be sure the “Lost Dog” signs are taken
heading toward us on one of our nar- down when he comes home, as we all hope he
row two-way avenues. will; those signs, while helpful, are no more
Expect to be stopped and/or ticketed. allowable than the yard sale sign or any other.
This is notice that we can’t single out Sounds like a small thing, but what if no one
the visitors when it comes to managing ever took them down? Imagine the visual
safety, crime, and culture in our neigh- effect of hundreds of flyers on every telephone
borhood. Yes, the festivals — especially pole in the neighborhood. And while we are
Vans Warped and Ribfest — bring out on the subject, please let’s not affix them to
more problems — littering, confronta- the neighbors’ trees.
tional moments and more serious crime. Please let’s not force our neighbors to turn
But day-to-day we and our guests, teen- us in to the City for building violations, parking
agers and families are the ones to watch on the lawn, or storing the 30 foot boat in the
and to hold accountable. And it’s not just driving and traffic. driveway. They hate to do it and they call me all the time to see if
they can get me to do it for them. We should ask for help from the
City staff before starting that project. Yes, the laws are different
The Newsletter of the Historic Old here than they are in Sandusky, Orlando or even Okeechobee.
Northeast Neighborhood Association Some of these issues may seem petty in the face of the much
more serious crime we all know takes place in our neighborhood,
Published quarterly – March, June, September and
but fostering a culture of lawfulness, cooperation, responsibility
December and mailed to all households in The Old Northeast
P.O. Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734
and concern for our lifestyle goes beyond our seeking increased
e-mail NSNAeditor@aol.com community policing. A few of our Board members report that
they have called on neighbors to request that they slow down,
Editor Rick Carson clean up the flyers left in their front yards, get dogs on leashes or
Columnists and Reporters
Mike Dailey Peter Stanhope pay more attention to parking protocols. We applaud them for
Chuck Lindeen
David Forman Susan Alderson Lisa Mazinas making the mission to have a better and better looking neighbor-
Yvonne Swanson John Gee Barbara Rhode hood a personal one and taking leadership one step further.
Linda Dobbs
Circulation Quinn Henderson and Joe O’Connor
Contributors All our Old Northeast neighbors Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association
Newsletter Layout & Design Sharon Bond: SharonBond@gmail.com
Advertising Information Rachel Sartain: rtsartain@yahoo.com OFFICERS and BOARD
President
Cathy Martin 821-8656 cathy@catherinebmartin.com
AD RATES Vice President
Chuck Lindeen 822-8444 ONEZ3@aol.com
AD SIZE 1Qtr 2 Qtrs 3 Qtrs 1 Year Secretary
Business card 40 74 102 128 Anne-Marie Stephenson 897-9398 petalstitch@tampabay.rr.com
1/4 page (4.75" x 3.5") 80 147 204 256 Treasurer
1/2 page (9.5" x 3.5") 160 294 408 512 Douglas Haan 488-5514 douglashaan@aol.com
Directors
Full page 320 589 816 1024 Rick Carson 898-7834 NSNAeditor@aol.com
Single page insert* 220 440 660 880 Bob Dobbs 823-9824 robert_dobbs2001@yahoo.com
*Preprinted inserts that you provide are delivered within the newsletter. Nicole Durkin nedurkin@tampabay.rr.com
Due to delivery restrictions, inserts are available on a limited basis. Quinn Henderson 894-2222 quinnalan@tampabay.rr.com
The newsletter quarterly publication dates are March, June, September, and Bob Hunter 898-7987 JNB.HUNTER@verizon.net
December. The deadline for accepting new ads and ad changes is three weeks Brian Johnson 391-9756 bjohnson@brianejohnson.com
prior to the publication month. The next deadline is February 10th. Payment for Steve Kipp 823-3211 skipp1@tampabay.rr.com
new ads should be submitted at the same time that the ad layout is provided and
should be addressed to “HONNA Advertising.”
Mary Alice Lange 251-2034 tlcapmal@earthlink.net
The newsletter is distributed by mail to all homes in The Old Northeast (bound- Nona Peebles 894-3529 Nona.peebles@verizon.net
aries are 5th Ave N to 30th Ave N, and 4th St N to North Shore Dr/Coffee Pot Bayou Robin Reed 825-0480 rl.reed@verizon.net
Blvd). There are approximately 2,800 active home mailing addresses.
Contact Rachel Sartain: rtsartain@yahoo.com HONNA Board meetings are held the second Monday of each month at
Ad space is limited so please make arrangements early. 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 Historic District campaign which will be embarking on an ambi-
tious education drive and petition-signing effort by the first of the
year. According to Mary Alice Lange (Neighborhood Plan), the
Secretary City’s new Land Development Regulations are in the review stage.
Anne-Marie Stephenson Also, zoning along the 4th Street business corridor is being studied.
Special guest Frank Farkas, our State Representative, was the Nicole Durkin (Traffic) reported that the City has done a review of
speaker for our September meeting.  Representative Farkas spoke all stop signs in the neighborhood and has identified several streets
about the 2005 legislative session in which the budget and many which go for many blocks without any, suggesting there may be a
reforms were passed.  On issues such as the budget, growth man- need for some new traffic calming measures.The Crime & Safety
agement and Medicaid, Rep. Farkas said the Legislature took a Committee (Brian Johnson) will be conducting a door-to-door
pro-active stance by viewing possible solutions to problems that survey of all households in the neighborhood to collect information
could occur.  With Florida’s (such as emergency telephone numbers) which can be helpful as
educational system being one of part of a Neighborhood Watch program.
the worst in the country, fund- [A summary of the November monthly meeting will appear
ing of $27.6 billion was appro- in the March 2006 issue.]
priated and Pinellas County will
see 5.8% spending increase per
student.  Florida taxpayers saw Committee Reports
a tax relief in certain hurricane
preparedness items and no sales Historic Preservation
tax during one summer week for Robin Reed, Chair
many “back to school” supplies What a wonderful surprise to pick up the St. Petersburg Times
and items.  The intangibles tax recently and see an article not only about historic preservation but
was cut in half, and next year one that addresses preservation efforts in our own neighborhood!
Rep. Farkas hopes to see it re- St. Rep. Frank Farkas Columnist Sandra Thompson [see box] wrote that she was “as-
pealed.  Top priority has been speaking with Old NE resident. tonished” that The Historic Old Northeast was not a Local His-
given to passing legislation to: toric District. It was interesting to note how much someone who
protect children; increase criminal penalties for looting offenses lives outside our neighborhood appreciates and is concerned about
during a state of emergency, robberies and acts of violence on the preserving the special character we sometimes take for granted.
property of a religious institution; and increase penalties and mini-
mum mandatory sentences for identity theft and fraud.  Since new When I moved to Harbor View Avenue in South
growth management laws have not been passed in 20 years, this Tampa, an attractive young blond woman came to
legislative session addressed the issue of infrastructure funding my door and welcomed me with a homemade choco-
and concurrency in three major areas: schools, transportation and late pie. That was 14 years ago. Neither of us lives
water supply (concurrency requires that the necessary infrastruc- there anymore, and the architecture that promotes
ture be in place or planned before the permitting of new develop- this kind neighborliness is under siege.
ments).  Rep. Farkas concluded his time at the podium by an- It isn’t only this street, or only South Tampa. It’s hap-
swering questions from the members of the audience.  pening in the Old Northeast, in St. Petersburg. It’s hap-
At the October monthly meeting Community Police Officer pening in any desirable neighborhood of lovely old
Chris Herron gave a report on crime in the neighborhood. Recent houses and tall trees. The neighborhoods are so ap-
activities included a prostitution sting and the apprehension of a pealing that even people who don’t want to live in old
car thief. As there has been houses want to move there. So they tear them down,
an uptick in auto burglaries, and if they decide to build a new house with an extra
residents were strongly en- 500 square feet, they’ll cut down the trees, too.
couraged to keep their cars
The only places this is not happening are neigh-
locked.
borhoods protected by a local historic designation,
The bulk of the meeting such as Hyde Park or Seminole Heights or the smaller
was devoted to reports from Roser Park in St. Petersburg. In the Old Northeast, a
HONNA committee chairper- neighborhood so much like Hyde Park, I was aston-
sons. HONNA VP and our rep ished it’s not a historic district, although an earlier
to the Council of Neighbor- effort to make it one has been revived.
hood Associations Chuck
From “Neighborhood Preservation Shouldn’t be
Lindeen gave a brief back-
Controversial” by Sandra Thompson, St. Petersburg
ground on what CONA does Times, October 29th, 2005.
Helen receiving award from City and reported that The Old
Councilman Jamie Bennett.
Northeast had received a City The article confirmed for a wide audience what the HONNA
Beautiful award. Also, Helen Torres (15th Avenue NE) was awarded Historic Preservation Committee has determined -- that we must
a residential award from the City for her water-wise landscaping. continue and increase our efforts to obtain Local Historic District
Robin Reed (Historic Preservation) provided an update on the Local designation. And we must do it soon. The recent demolition of a
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 3
beautiful Mediterranean Revival home on Coffee Pot Boulevard Garden Group
NE is just another example of disregard for the historical charac- Suzanne Laurencell and Elaine Normile,
ter of our neighborhood.
Co-Chairs (January thru April)
The Committee’s campaign to reach out to our neighbors, one-
on-one, is scheduled to officially begin in January. Our “mes- The Garden Group’s motto is to be fun, informal but informa-
sage” is contained in an educational booklet that explains what tive. It is an ideal group to join if you love gardening and are
becoming a Local Historic District will mean to you, the home- perhaps new to the area and need help with the various challenges
owner. It includes the benefits and obligations of designation and of Florida gardening. We have gardeners of all levels of expertise
goes into some detail about the process — what you will need to -- you do not need to be an “official member” to join us and our
do before starting any major renovations, when and if you will activities. We meet the first Friday morning of every month.
need to get a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA), etc. It is im- Recent programs have included a meeting at one of our
portant to note that the local designation only concerns exterior member’s garden to hear a discussion by an expert on “Feng Shui”
changes to your property. in the garden. We also had a visit to Dolin’s, a local nursery that
The Committee is also putting together a small group of archi- made a presentation to us on some of the challenges of gardening
tects and people familiar with the COA process to give assistance in Florida. We also had a “brainstorming” in another garden
to any resident who would like further advice before moving for- member’s garden which was not only a lot of fun but proved to be
ward with his or her project. Often just understanding the pro- helpful and informative to all of us who were present. We will
cess can eliminate delays and frustrations that we all occasionally conclude this year’s garden group activities with a holiday brunch
feel during our renovation projects. and plant exchange.
Historic preservation will be the focus of the January neigh- Next year we will further expand our garden horizons with ten-
borhood meeting. Because the Martin Luther King holiday falls tative plans to visit the gardens at the Vinoy, an artist’s home and
on the third Monday of the month, the meeting may be held a garden and a trip to the beach. Final plans will be made prior to
week later on January 23 . Kimrd Suzanne and Elaine assuming the
Hinder, the City’s Historic Preserva- co-chair position in January for a
tion Planner, would be on hand to talk four month period. We look for-
about and answer your questions ward to sharing more of the beau-
about the Local Historic District -- tiful, Florida West Coast landscape
an opportunity to have your questions with our wonderfully energetic
answered by a member of the City members in a relaxed and friendly
staff whose responsibilities include environment.
reviewing projects in such historic We welcome any of our neigh-
districts! Watch to see if the meeting bors to join us for any or all of our
date has changed. programs. Our first meeting in 2006
If you would like to join the will be on Friday, January 6th. For
Committee (which meets as more details and meeting locations
needed) or to become an advocate call Suzanne Laurencell at 895-
to talk one-on-one with your neigh- 5724 or Elaine Normile at 821-
bors and others, please give us a 3479.
call (825-0480; rl.reed@
verizon.net). Our neighborhood is Chuck Lindeen, Linda Santoro, Robin Reed, Wendy Sunken Gardens Volunteer
large and we must get the approval Mansfield and Julie Feeley represented HONNA’s Project
of 2/3rds of the homeowners – we Garden Stroll and Garden Group volunteers accepting The neighborhood Sunken Gardens
need and welcome your help. To- the Peggy Allen Award which honors the private volunteers, known at the Gardens as
gether, we can keep the “his- initiative of groups and organizations whose volunteer the Historic Preservation Group, con-
toric” in The Historic Old North- efforts enhance the beauty of St. Petersburg and tinue to make great strides in catalogu-
east! promote public stewardship of our environmental ing and sorting photographs and
resources. memorabilia at the Gardens. To date
over 5,000 images have been scanned into the computer!
Activities
In the next few months, the group is planning to interview former
Nona Peebles, Chair 
employees of the Gardens. Several of the ladies worked for the
There are two events in December that you won’t want to miss: Turners, the original owners, for over 30 years and have wonder-
the Candlelight Tour of Homes on Sunday, December 11th (see ful stories to tell. Concurrently, the historical bulletin board dis-
more info elsewhere in this newsletter) and our Neighborhood play in the back lobby is being updated, using some of the photo-
Holiday Party on December 13th . graphs discovered during the cataloguing project.
This year The Historic Old Northeast Holiday Party is be- The Sunken Gardens’ staff has been most appreciative of the
ing graciously hosted by Reece Youmans, owner of the Sun- group’s work. A recent issue of the Gardens newsletter focused
shine City Grill (1330 4 th Street N). Please join us for this on volunteers Pat Aitken’s (20th Avenue NE) and Dan Durbak’s
festive and fun event on Tuesday, December 13 th, from 6-7 “adoption” of the Fern Garden. The group’s accomplishments and
pm (cash bar with complimentary hors d’oeuvres). Admis- association with The Historic Old Northeast neighborhood were
sion is an unwrapped toy, book or gift appropriate for a child featured in the fall issue of the newsletter. And, finally, the group
or youth ages 1 to 18. Gifts will be donated to children in received special recognition at the recent “volunteer mixer” spon-
need in the local area. sored by the staff.
Page 4 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
 Plans are moving forward toward the group’s goal of a master
plan for the Gardens. HONNA’s Garden Stroll Committee con-
tributed $1,000 towards a matching grant application which will
be submitted in December.
The group recently moved into larger quarters, providing room
to expand the core of volunteers. If you have any interest in things
“historical” or just enjoy and appreciate the Gardens, the group
would love to have you join them. They meet on Thursday morn-
ings, from 9am to approximately noon. For more information,
you may e-mail Robin Reed at rl.reed@verizon.net.
Crime and Safety
Brian Johnson, Chair
The Crime Watch Committee is preparing to canvass the neigh-
borhood and begin compiling the names, addresses, telephone,
cell and emergency numbers and e-mail addresses of our fellow
neighbors. Each zone captain will have a special name badge and
will leave a pamphlet produced by the St. Petersburg Police De-
partment with each residence contacted. If you have any ques-
tions — or if you’d like to volunteer on this project — please call
Brian Johnson at 391-9756.
The February monthly neighborhood meeting will be devoted
to crime and safety issues.
Neighborhood Planning and Design
Review
Mary Alice Lange, Co-Chair
Steve Kipp, Co-Chair
Planning Committee
· The 4th Street Corridor Study is underway with teams walk-
ing to acquire data
· Latest revision of the proposed Land Development Regula-
tions should be available for review on the City website in the
next month
· Susie Ajoc from the City’s Neighborhood Partnership met
with the committee and is obtaining data for the neighborhood
plan
This is what we like to see happen
with old houses in our neighborhood.
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Design Review
Current projects pursuing approval from the City Development
Services
· 244 7th Avenue N. -- propose a four townhome project
· 836-846 3rd Street & 322 9th Avenue N. -- propose a seven
town home project.
Newsletter
Rick Carson, Editor
Our committee once again says good-bye to Dakota Eliason
who, with her husband Richard, has moved out of the neighbor-
hood to elsewhere in the city. We were enjoying her “Hot Dogs
and Cool Cats” feature which interviewed neighborhood pets, and
we hope she will be sharing her special writing talents with her
new neighbors in south St. Pete.
Thanks to Bob Hart (12th Avenue NE) for posting this news-
letter on the kiosk in North Shore Park (next to the tennis courts).
If you misplace your copy at home you can find it there on your
next walk to the beach.
For readers who’ve been missing the schedule of upcoming
events at the Palladium Theater, we apologize for their absence
in this and other recent issues. We have been unable to obtain this
information from the Palladium.
Council of Neighborhood Associations -
C.O.N.A.
Chuck Lindeen, HONNA Representative
Thanks to the availability of funds through the St. Peters-
burg Police Department Forfeiture Grant Program, HONNA
applied for and received a grant in the amount of $300 for
the purchase of a number of security lights/motion detec-
tors. HONNA will be making these available to residents,
and details regarding their distribution will be made in the
near future.
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: Nona Peebles, 894-3529
Candlelight Tour of Homes (December):
Robin Reed, 825-0480
Spring Garden Stroll (May): Wendy Mansfield, 894-1057
C.O.N.A. Rep: Chuck Lindeen, 822-8444
Crime & Safety: Brian Johnson, 391-9756
Garden Group: Elaine Normile, 821-3479;
Suzanne Laurenall, 895-5724, Co-Chairs
Historic Preservation: Robin Reed, 825-0480
Membership: Quinn Henderson, 894-2222
Neighborhood Planning and Design Review:
Mary Alice Lange, 823-5401
Steve Kipp, 823-3211
Newsletter: Rick Carson, 898-7834
Traffic: Nicole Durkin, nedurkin@tampabay.rr.com
Website: Bob Dobbs, 823-9824
Page 5
Traffic
Nicole Durkin, Chair
The City has completed the review of the stop-sign
grid throughout the neighborhood, specifically focus-
ing on areas of multiple blocks without any stop signs
or other traffic calming measures. The results of such
review and possible actions proposed by the City in re-
sponse thereto have not yet been finalized.
Residents continue to be encouraged to “patrol”
their blocks by observing the traffic flow and identi-
fying obvious, speeding offenders. Often it appears
that such speeders are, in fact, your very own neigh-
bors from down the block. A viable solution to such
neighborhood speeding, other than merely relying
upon police response, is vital to combat this epi-
demic. Should neighbors identify repeat speeders in
their particular area, they are encouraged to provide
such information to the Traffic Committee or directly What is wrong with this picture?
to our Community Police Officer (Chris Herron, 892-
5933).
 The cars are parked on the wrong sides of the street.  The law is:
right wheels to the curb.  This can get you a ticket (as will parking
too close to stop signs and intersections).

Please Support
Our Advertisers
Who Support This Newsletter

Barbara Rhode
LMFT

Specialized Your neighborhood association is always looking for help

on various projects – be it serving on a committee or volun-
Trainings & Workshops teering for an event like the Home Tour. And occasionally
Corporate & Nonprofit there’s a need for a person with some specific talent or inter-
Agencies est. At the moment, we can use help with:

(727) 418-7882 Data management: If you’ve got some of these computer

skills, Quinn Henderson (membership info, newsletter circu-
lation) would really like to hear from you (894-2222 or
quinnalan@tampabay.rr.com).

Advertising: Rachel Sartain (rtsartain@yahoo.com) takes

care of advertising for this newsletter and could use a hand
with some aspects of this task.

Crime Watch: Brian Johnson (bjohnson@

brianejohnson.com or 391-9756) is looking for residents will-
ing to help on the survey of neighborhood households that’s
underway.

So if you have some talent and time to share on behalf of

your neighborhood, please contact these folks and offer them
your services. Thanks!

Page 6 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Trees, Trees… Glorious Trees
The 2005 Garden
Stroll Committee voted
to use some of the pro-
ceeds from the Stroll to
plant live oak trees in
vacant rights of way
(between sidewalk and
curb) to replace or in-
crease the tree canopy
of the neighborhood.
NE) along with neighbors
This project re-
quired the commitment interested in the project
of the homeowners to (Dennis Mayer, 18th Av-
water the trees and enue NE; Mark and Su-
maintain them. Wendy san Williams, 15th Avenue
NE). The committee sur-
Mansfield (Locust
veyed the neighborhood
Street NE), co-chair of
the Garden Stroll, put for vacant spots along the
together a committee streets and then picked 15
of Stroll volunteers sites that, with the
(Jeanne and Bob homeowners’ participa-
tion, have received free
Hunter, 18th Avenue
Libby Bourlon and Phil Tyler live oaks (one homeowner
NE; Anne-Marie (18th Avenue NE) — proud
Stephenson and Bob paid for a second tree). The
caretakers of a new oak tree. Garden Stroll funds were
Hart, 12th Avenue
stretched to allow 15 trees
to be planted through the
generosity of Gulf Coast Garden Center, 4355 Haines Road N,
which supplied, delivered and planted the trees under the watch-

Thank You, ful eye of committee members The oaks were planted at various
locations from 6th to 23rd Avenues.

Virginia
Unfortunately the City does not currently have funds to assist
homeowners to plant trees in the rights of way. Wendy Mansfield
hopes that through the Garden Stroll and other HONNA fund rais-
ing activities that the Tree Planting Project can be continued in
The Officers and Board of The
coming years.
Historic Old Northeast Neighbor-
hood Association wish   to thank Vir- Please contact her ( 894-1057) if you are interested in getting a
ginia Littrell, our neighbor and City tree for your right of way.
Council member, for her four years
of unselfish service to our neighbor-
hood, community and City.
Have a Happy and Safe Holiday
We have valued the positive work-
ing relationship the Association has had with Virginia, who
addressed our interests and concerns ably, promptly and
enthusiastically. We knew we could rely on Virginia to
return phone calls and e-mails, attend meetings and trouble-
shoot issues and problems. 
We have sincerely appreciated her care, concern and
commitment: she did her homework, researched issues
thoroughly and put in the time to get answers. While we
may not always have liked what she had to tell us about
City processes or procedures or the realities of holding a
minority position, we knew that we could depend on Vir-
ginia for a frank and honest assessment.  
As Virginia moves on, we hope that our neighborhood
and City can continue to benefit from her considerable
talents, knowledge and passion for the community.

HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 7

 Ponderings
a creature to share a thought with and never have to worry
about enduring an answer. But for this relationship to last
for so long, it must go deeper than this.
Over the years, many breeds of dogs were developed to
perform some function to make it seem like living with dogs
Our Dogs provided some purpose: pugs caught the fleas before they
got on the emperor; wolfhounds kept the wolves from the
by John Gee door; St. Bernards carried the brandy; sheepdogs herded the
sheep; poodles gave people the opportunity to make dogs
look foolish and the Pekingese gave Tammy Fay Bakker the
right to air condition her dog house. But what were all those
dogs in the park doing?
Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out
While in a store last week, I found something that had
and your dog would go in.
the potential to offer escape from the caring and feeding of
Mark Twain dogs while still having them around. Apparently, the 2005
toy every spoiled child has to have is the robot dog. I am not
sure what these mechanical things do, but judging from read-

W
hile walking in the park two weeks ago, we blundered ing the box, other than not eating and excreting they don’t
into the SPCA’s Paws on Parade Pet Walk. Since one seem to do anything much different than our dogs do -- ab-
of our dogs has some “social issues” concerning other solutely nothing until we show up and activate them by our
dogs in her proximity, we usually try to avoid such events. But the presence.
number of human and animal participants was impressive, and it Although I decided it wasn’t worth the money to buy a
made me wonder just why people do these things with animals that robot, it was the visual image of
for the most part seem oblivious to such shenanigans. that plastic dog that gave me
After some research, I discovered that, on the average, it costs some insight into why
$6,500 to maintain a dog’s proper American lifestyle from its birth some of us dress up
to death. My concentration then fell upon the fuzzy 15 pounder on our dogs and parade
my bed and the 50 pounder on the floor and I silently did the math. them around the
There is no denying that $13,000 can buy a lot of interesting things park. They are real,
to make my life, if not easier, at least a little more interesting. But warm and fuzzy be-
for whatever reason, 37.3% of our country’s population has found ings that love us no
that maintaining 53 million household dogs makes this expendi- matter what type of per-
ture worthwhile. Why? son we are. They do not
care if we are a bad boss,
You don’t have to be a history teacher to know that these crea-
hate children, spend too
tures have been living within close proximity of humans for a long
time. Some resources state that the dog was the first domesticated much time on the Internet,
are bad tippers or dress
animal we ever had to snuggle up with at the nighttime fire. The
them up and put them in
benefits of this relationship are obvious -- the dog could forsake
baby carriages. They are
sleeping in the cold and insinuate itself onto our bed, forever leave
the instant love we need in
its fleas, take up too much space and we humans could finally find
a loveless world. One of
our dogs is now at my feet
Give the Gift of Time... and the other sleeps on the
GIFT CERTIFICATES couch, and while I would
AVAILABLE like to spend more time
Buy 2 gift hours, get one pondering this subject, I
for yourself @ ½ price! have to go -- the dogs need
(thru 12/31/05)
to go on a walk.
simplify your life & let us do your...

Michele Hoover a Shopping/gift buying

Personal Assistant a Party planning/prep
a Organization projects John and his wife Kathy moved to St. Pete from New Mexico
a Destination research four years ago, and he currently teaches history at a Sarasota
(727) 502-5212 a Travel arrangements high school. He has served on the HONNA Board where he co-
www.harmonyconcierge.com
a Vendor comparisons chaired its Historic Preservation Committee. You can also read
a Personal errands more from John in the Northeast Journal.
Page 8 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Preserving the Character
of Old Northeast Houses
by Mike Dailey

For this issue I have chosen three topics that are loosely related
Vinoy Park Festivals + Parking
to preserving the character of The Historic Old Northeast. Al- With cooler weather come the near-weekly festivals at Vinoy
though they are not about architectural details such as windows, Park and the occasional headaches they bring for residents in
doors, and siding — which can help define our neighborhood’s the south end of the neighborhood. While many of us enjoy
character — these three items do pertain to quality-of-life issues, being able to walk to the action and even being able to hear the
which can influence the way we feel about and take care of the music from our homes, the traffic and parking situation has
place we all call home. While there is much to celebrate in our gotten ridiculous. Although the City opens the garages down-
neighborhood’s renaissance, these improvements can sometimes town and provides shuttle buses, many people find it more
spawn negative results. We can choose to ignore these problems convenient to park on neighborhood streets, which are already
or face them head-on and develop solutions as a community. crowded with residents’ cars on non-festival days. During mid-
November’s Ribfest event, confused drivers looking for close-
Save Our Homes in parking availed themselves of every legal and non-legal spot
The Save Our Homes amendment, which was approved by they could find. Some of them received tickets for blocking
Florida voters in 1995, is beginning to have serious consequences the sidewalks and parking in clearly marked “No Parking”
on long-time Old Northeast zones. On 8 th Avenue
property owners who have NE — a typically nar-
seen a tremendous run-up row neighborhood street
lately in their property val- with only one travel lane
ues. Owners who would like for traffic and on-street
to move could be trapped, parking — cars attempt-
unable to move because they ing to pass each other
can’t afford the dramatically mid-block drove over
higher tax bills they would the granite curbs and
receive on their new houses. drove through some
This problem has existed for residents’ landscape
a couple of years now, but beds and sidewalks to
with the recent upsurge in get by each other.
property values it has become One solution to the
acute. Because property valu- problem would be resi-
ation increases under Save dent-only parking for
Our Homes are capped at the the affected area (say
greater of 3% or the Con- from 6th Avenue NE to
sumer Price Index while you 9th Avenue NE and from
are homesteaded, your taxes 1 st
Street to Beach
remain artificially low while Drive). This would pre-
you remain in your residence. vent heavy traffic from
But when you sell, the new Property at 3rd Street and 6th Avenue N. coming into the neigh-
owner will have to pay taxes continued on page 12
on the full value, and you will
have to pay taxes on the full value of whatever new home you
purchase. The long-term result of this amendment may force people

Northeast Pet Sitter

to stay in homes they no longer need to avoid paying higher prop-
erty taxes. Senior citizens, who often choose to downsize to a
smaller home or condo after raising their children in a large home,
will be particularly affected. The problem and various solutions “When you’re away, the cats will play...
have already been discussed in the state legislature, but nothing
has passed. Stay tuned for future articles on this amendment’s with Northeast Pet Sitter”
impact on our neighborhood and possible solutions. For more in- Leave your loved ones in your neighbor’s
formation about this amendment, go to the Pinellas property care • have a care-free trip knowing your cat
appraiser’s website, www.pao.co.pinellas.fl.us, and click on the is being taken care of at home!
“Save Our Homes” link.
Call Wendy Mansfield: 727-894-1057
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 9
 A Work In Progress
Each issue of this newsletter introduces you to a neighborhood
house which has recently or is presenting undergoing a major reno-
vation. Perhaps some of the trials and tribulations (and joys!) expe-
rienced by these homeowners will give you ideas and inspiration as
you consider a renovation or your present home. Maybe you’ll be
motivated to bite the bullet and purchase that next house you’ve been
thinking about.
If you’d like to share your renovation story or know of a neigh-
bor with a good one, let us hear from you.

Construction
in Progress
by Peter Stanhope

As I make my way
around The Historic
Old Northeast, it
seems there is work in
progress everywhere.
Renovation and resto- pane glass French doors to separate the kitchen and bath from the
ration abounds. Some main room. It must have been quite fashionable. Later, wooden
of the more controver- porches were added to the rear of the buildings. Unfortunately,
sial construction sites time and deferred maintenance had taken its toll. The buildings
are the condomini- sat vacant for two years while the owner secured financing for
ums. One of the sites, the project.
which has garnered Instead of tearing it all down and replacing it with new con-
great interest but little struction, the two main buildings still exist (the garages are gone).
controversy, is the The interiors of the buildings were gutted to convert the space
Poinciana. into eight new town homes. All the original features of the build-
Situated at the corner of 15th Avenue NE and Oak Street, the ings such as the doors with glass knobs, the windows, kitchen
Poinciana was built as a twenty- unit multifamily residence in cabinets, radiators, sinks, etc., were purchased by a local salvage
1925. Each apartment in the two main buildings had a living space, yard to be sold and recycled. According to the owner, the most
kitchen and bath, with a small front porch. The third building was difficult and time-consuming part of the project was obtaining
a parking garage for the units with four efficiency apartments the permits to begin the work. Studies were conducted to deter-
above. After nearly 80 years and many owners, it was purchased mine the impact of the project on the infrastructure of the area.
in 2002 by Allen Porkorny with plans to develop the property into Environmental testing determined water runoff rates. Many ex-
condominiums. isting code violations were settled by demolition. It was far more
expensive to restore the buildings than to tear them down. How-
Nestled in the heart of the neighborhood, the Spanish-style
ever, saving the buildings and the character of the neighborhood
buildings were typical of the 1920s. Each unit had oak hardwood
is what makes them unique and desirable.
floors. The porches were Cuban tile. The units were heated with
hot water from a central boiler. Heat was regulated by turning up Now in the eleventh month of construction, the town homes
or down the radiator. There was no air conditioning. The rooms are starting to take shape. The buildings maintain their original
had painted baseboards and crown moldings along with fifteen- character. At the same time, all the units will meet present con-
struction codes. The windows are hurricane strength and the wir-
ing is new. Other than the shell of the buildings, the only original
feature that remains is the Cuban-tiled front porches. The build-
ings look the same. It is hard to tell from driving by the site that
there is so much happening. And the good news is that the build-
ings remain part of the neighborhood as they have since 1928.
All the surprises will be inside. Projected completion is this com-
ing January. I’ll be anxious to see the finished product.

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
Projectmgr246@aol.com

Page 10 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

 Frightful Fun
2nd
T
he Old Northeast
once again enter-
tained kids and
kids-at-heart alike this Hal-
loween as neighbors went all
out to frighten and amuse
residents and visitors.
HONNA thanks Cynthia
Serra (3rd Street N) and her
troupe of witches, warlocks
and wizards (including
Allison Butler, Judy Reed,
Randy Hodge, Douglas
1st Haan, Courtney Sutter, Eric
DeWitt and Sandy Smith)
who crawled up and down all
the streets and avenues in the
1st Place neighborhood to judge all the
Jo-an and Bob Christie creatively decorated homes.
356 20th Avenue NE
The four winners received
cash awards courtesy of
Cynthia Serra/ERA Com-
pass Realty and Sandra 2nd Place
3 rd Smith/SmithBarney. Staci and Sean Goodrich,
405 18th Avenue NE

3rd Place
Jenny Noyes
and Tom
Sheehan
112 16th
Avenue N *DOOHU\ )UDPHU\

Best Theme – Roswell Area 51: The Aliens 7KHRQO\GLUHFWLRQ\RXQHHGWR

Renee Celli and Anne Glover
605 16th Avenue NE BEST NQRZIRUDOO\RXUIUDPLQJQHHGV
THEME LV(DVW:HVW

 2YHUIUDPHVWRFKRRVHIURP

 )UHHRQVLWHFRQVXOWDWLRQSLFNXS GHOLYHU\

 3URIHVVLRQDOGHVLJQDVVLVWDQFH

 &RQVHUYDWLRQ)UDPLQJ

&HQWUDO$YHQXH6W3HWHUVEXUJ‡

HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 11

Preserving the Character from page 9
borhood to search for parking and preserve the on-street spaces
for residents who need them. The neigh-
borhood association has consulted with the
City on the idea of resident-only parking
before; the cost to buy a sticker/permit for
on-street parking was very reasonable and
accommodation would be made for guest
parking with temporary passes. Of course
another “solution” would be for the City
to enforce the existing parking laws and
ticket people who are parked illegally.
Monticello
The Monticello (at 3rd Street and 8th Av-
enue N) is progressing nicely, sporting a
new pink and white paint scheme that
matches the one found in old hand-tinted
postcards of the house. Ken Grimes, the
owner, tells me that the interior framing is
nearly completed, the new roof is finished
and the Jeld-Wen wood windows will be
installed very soon. Ken, his architect Tim
Rhode and contractor Steve Buxbaum, are
painstakingly restoring this house to its
former glory, while bringing it up to date
with modern amenities and an improved
structure that should see it through the next Property at 3rd Street and 6th Avenue N.
100 years at least.
While visiting the Monticello, I noticed that several tear-downs
seem to be underway at the intersection of 6th Avenue N and 3rd
Street. The galleried three-story apartment building there, along
with one or two single-family houses, is
apparently coming down to be replaced
by new three-story townhouses. While
reasonable people can argue over the his-
toric value of the individual structures
that are being torn down at this particu-
lar corner, on a larger scale it seems a
shame that developers are deciding the
fate of our neighborhood’s historic fab-
ric over and over again, removing what
can never be replaced while we lie vul-
nerable without the protection of a Lo-
cal Historic District. HONNA’s Historic
Preservation Committee is preparing for
a door-to-door education campaign in
early 2006, looking for signatures to sup-
port our application to become a Local
Historic District. Please take the time to
read the pamphlet you’ll be receiving
and vote on this most important issue.
We need 66% of all homeowners to vote
yes in order for the City to approve our
application.
Mike, an Old Northeast resident since
1996, holds a Master of Architecture
degree from the University of South
Florida.

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Gift certificates to Lowe’s
and many other prizes to be announced
Snell Isle & Old Northeast
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held at the beautiful, historic-registered
Saturday and Sunday • January 28 - 29, 2006
What’s your next project? New landscaping? Elegant home interiors or furniture?
Splendid outdoor lighting creations? Window treatments and shutters? Driveway pavers?
Fine imported Latin-American decor? New stone kitchen countertops or exquisite wall and floor tiles?
Get even more ideas from the experts at the Snell Isle-Old Northeast Home Show.

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Page 12 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

 Alley
Décor:
My Trash – Your Treasure

Alley Rally
How do you feel about a
neighborhood-wide alley/
yard/garage sale?
HONNA is planning to
sponsor and publicize such a
sale on a Saturday in February.
Anyone and everyone in The
Your newsletter has introduced a new feature. As many of us Old Northeast can participate
renovate our homes, rather than toss into the garbage or Dumpster at no cost.
various architectural features we’ve ripped out we may keep them Stay tuned for details!
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 Association’s website). Actually,
we’ve expanded the category of items featured to include furni-
ture (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 in their transitional housing needs.
Deadline for submitting an ad for the March issue is February
14th; send the information to NSNAEditor@aol.com or mail to
HONNA, P.O. Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734.

Needs a New Home…

Free to Good Home Three 2/2 double hung windows (no
frames or weights). Each of six sashes measures 20”x38”.
Previously a bank of three 20” x 76” windows in a Mediterra-
nean Revival house. Robin Reed, rl.reed@verizon.net.
Period French Doors Three sets of solid wood interior
French doors.  One set is 12 panes and measures 6’10" x 20". 
Other sets are 15 panes and measure 6’10" x 31".  $100/set obo.
Contact Kelly and Jeff Evans,  kellyoevans@hotmail.com or
822-9494.
Piano Upright, Grinnel Bros. Very solid, excellent sound and
original finish. $250. Contact Tony Hilbert, 822-3453.
Pine Lumber 2”x8”x9’ long. Never used. 8 pieces, $60.
Contact Tony Hilbert, 822-3453.
A Total Trainer Home exercise equipment, like new, manual
and worksheets included. $200. Contact Tim or Barbara Rhode,
895-0324.

HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 13


KIDZ
KORNER
With the steady influx into our neighbor-
hood of new residents, we’re seeing an in-
creasing 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 activi-
ties and destinations nearby, especially ones
which are free or inexpensive. If you have any such good “secrets”
you’d like to pass along, let us know.
Fun Holiday Doings for Kids
by Linda Dobbs
Snow in Florida??? Yes, it’s possible — but only on a sched-
ule! Kids of all ages can experience a winter wonderland (sort
of) by going to downtown St. Petersburg (North Straub Park)
on December 3rd for “Snowfest,” winter fun for kids (shaved
snow, etc.) This is a free event that includes an arts festival and
follows the annual Holiday Parade featuring Santa Claus. Just
follow the clowns or the sounds of the local high school bands!
PLAY TENNIS >> HAVE FUN
Come Play tennis at
Northeast St. Petersburg’s
friendliest tennis community.
727.527.6553
Serving Northeast St. Petersburg for 36 years! 170 47th Avenue NE St. Petersburg, FL 33703
Page 14 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
The parade begins at 10am and is always the first Saturday of
December in case you missed it this year. Sponsored by the
Lions Club, contact Michelle Beauchesne for information (525-
5950).
If you really want to experience snow, falling snow that is,
any evening from November 19th through December 31st you
can enjoy that thrill at Channelside, near downtown Tampa. Cold
and white snow will come falling down for 10 full minutes at 6,
7, 8 and 9pm nightly! With a 34-foot tall Christmas tree in the
courtyard, it’s a winter wonderland for sure.
How about a horse-drawn carriage ride with real jingle bells
and real, live reindeer? Go to Lowry Park Zoo for “Wild Won-
derland” — a sparkling holiday treat with thousands of holi-
day light and animatronics displays. This fantasyland takes place
from 6-9pm starting November 26th through December 28th.
Check the dates online at www.lowryparkzoo.com.
Something more traditional for the
Florida folks (and closer to home)
is the annual Lighted Boat Pa-
rade on December 9th starting at
about 7pm. The best view ac-
cording to those who know is
from Cha Cha Coconuts at The
Pier. Setting sail from Harbor-
age Marina at 6:30pm, the parade
lasts about 2 ½ hours as the boats
pass The Pier and sail around Snell
Isle before returning to the marina.
Whether you are a seasoned player,
or a beginner, we will help you
improve your game and match
you up with similar players
Call today for our “First Serve” package:
> 4 clinics
> unlimited court time
> ball machine
> unlimited pool access
> and we’ll help you
line up matches
Only $50.00!
Upcoming Events:
> Oct. Team Tennis Social
> Nov. Wellness Month
> Dec. Holiday Social
$80 for family. Offer reedemable for one month only; Good
through 12/31/05. We hope to see you on the court soon!
www.raquetclubstpete.com 727.527.6553
 Speaking of The Pier, on December 10th
let’s all sing with the Tubas! It’s called
TubaChristmas! Experience a unique
holiday sing-along accompanied by volun-
teer musicians playing tubas and euphoni-
ums. To volunteer or to learn more call The
Pier, 821-6164.
Pier Pals is a program of arts and crafts and
entertainment for kids every second Friday of
the month at the Pier from 10:30am to noon. In
December the special guest is Jack Hall from
ParentGuide magazine.
If that is not enough, I saved the best for last —
FIRST NIGHT! For the last night of the year ex-
perience the annual family-oriented, alcohol-free, New Year’s Eve
celebration that takes place all over downtown and culminates
with fireworks. Starting at 5:30pm and going until 12:30am, en-
joy musical performances, drama, dance shows from all over the
world, movies, art shows, glass blowing demonstrations, jugglers,
magicians, ventriloquists and more. Join in the many games, make
masks, learn to play musical instruments, try your hand with mari-
onettes and puppets, wander through the labyrinth (a long-stand-
ing tradition), dance the night away and graze through the sam-
plings of food from diverse cultures. Advance tickets are $8 for
adults, $5 for kids age 6–12 and $10 for adults on the day of the Linda and her husband Bob moved to The Old Northeast on
event. For ticket locations and other information call 823-8906 Valentine’s Day 2003 (they wanted to be near their two grand-
or go online at www. first nightstpete. com. For Old Northeast- children who live in our neighborhood). Over the past 30 years
ers, this is one time it’s best to just join in all the fun, because Linda has been editor of a weekly newspaper, a magazine and a
you’re just going to hear it all anyway! medical journal as well as numerous newsletters.

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HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 15

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

New on 5th…We welcome to the neighborhood Kathy and
Peter Plautz, the new (as of August) owners of the Mansion
House B&B on 5th Avenue NE. They came here from Wisconsin
where they both had worked in the real estate field. When they
retired last year it was to their power boat and exploring the east
coast, hoping to find a new home somewhere in Florida. They had
never been to St. Pete until Kathy spotted an ad for a B&B that
was for sale and – since they’d always talked about owning an inn
after they’d retired – it was fate. If you’re reading this on or be-
fore December 7th, they’re planning a ribbon cutting on that day
between 5-7pm so walk on over for some holiday cheer and greet
our new neighbors. And we thank former owner Rose Marie Ray
and her late husband, Robert, for creating such an asset in our
neighborhood…. Have you noticed the sign change on the Olivia’s
Flowers shop on 5th Avenue NE? It’s now the Renaissance Flower
Boutique – still under the same ownership though.
Bombs Bursting in Air…Thanks to neighbor Helen Torres
(15th Avenue NE) for once again making possible the free Florida
Orchestra in the Park in late October. In a break from the usual,
the fireworks were launched from North Shore Park instead of
the Vinoy Yacht Basin. If you’ve never stood under a fireworks
display, it’s hard to beat (even though the proximity to the neigh-
borhood shook windows, set off car alarms and sent dogs scurry-
ing under beds).
Neighbor Helping Neighbor…A neighborhood family has been
going through a rough patch with some serious health issues. To
help with some basics friends realized that the family would wel-
come prepared meals, so the word went out and the calendar be-
came filled with casseroles, salads, soups and other fare to get
them through their down period. Probably something like this could
be a godsend to more folks in the neighborhood than we realize.
Lock Up the Small Women and Small Children…At least one
brazen hawk or hawk-like bird has been spotted in the neighbor-
hood – on the ground and not just flying around. Anyone missing
a puppy, cat… or tiny toddler? If it’s breathing and no bigger than
a breadbox it just might become some big bird’s dinner.
Neighborhood Spotlight…Several neighborhood residents have
found themselves featured in recent editions of the St. Petersburg
Times. One involved the story of Elizabeth and Ken Grimes (8th
Avenue N) moving a 100-year-old building to its new site and
restoring it to its former splendor. Another, in a “Getting There”
profile, interviewed Rich Castle (11th Avenue NE), a Continental
Express pilot, on his weekly 850 mile commute to Houston. In an
“I Live Here” feature, the Gilson family (Nancy and Mike and
daughters Kelli and Katie) (16th Avenue NE) reveal how they ended
up living in The Old Northeast.
Please Support the Advertisers
in Our Newsletter
Page 16 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
As Mike explains about their choice of a house in The
Old Northeast, “There is a ‘feel’ to this neighborhood, this
house. We felt it the first time we drove by [in 1985], and
we have felt it every day since. It’s a feeling that goes be-
yond the physical surroundings of brick, wood and mortar.
It’s a feeling that makes you say, this is more than just a
house. This is our home.”
Mystery writer Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, the book upon
which the Oscar-winning film was based) is living in the neigh-
borhood while teaching creative writing at Eckerd College. He’s
currently organizing a Writers in Paradise conference at the col-
lege set for January and plans to put on a play he’s written at
American Stage in April.
A Katrina Connection…Neighbor Ken Grimes (8th Avenue
N) was involved early and deeply in helping in the aftermath of
hurricane Katrina. When Tulane University Hospital in New Or-
leans called to Lifenet – an air ambulance/medical services com-
pany — for help on Tuesday, August 30th, Ken, as a regional VP
with a background in federal disaster responses, flew to its Den-
ver headquarters to coordinate the evacuation of patients and hos-
pital staff. He sent three helicopters with paramedics and nurses
aboard to rescue the 140 patients plus staff who were stranded in
the hospital surrounded by water. When it quickly became appar-
ent Ken was needed closer to the scene, he flew to New Orleans
to handle the logistics of landing 16 aircraft on an improvised
helipad. The operation became the largest ever civilian evacua-
tion of patients from a hospital – all without incident.
Driver Quiz Time…The words that describe driving down 9th
Avenue between 4th Street and Beach Drive are: 1) game of
chicken; 2) bumper cars; 3) Indy 500; 4) count three and pray 5)
all 4. Answer: is there really any question (it’s #5 if you need
some help)?
Odds and Ends…Is there a reason the City put up the holiday
decorations in Straub Park the weekend of November 12th? Can’t
we try and savor the approach of Thanksgiving a bit longer? Guess
not. Probably the same reason Christmas decorations are on the
store shelves before Halloween now. Pretty soon 4th of July spar-
klers will be fighting Santa for our attention…Remember when
we reported in September that the condemned Madrid Apart-
ments on 17th Avenue NE were soon to be torn down? Well,
they’re still standing (barely). Stay tuned for more on this on-
going saga….We also passed along rumors that the old Ambro-
sia location was slated to become an upscale restaurant and mar-
tini bar (that was after we’d told you it was going to be a Cuban
café). Okay, so now we’ve heard efforts are afoot to establish a
tavern on the corner. Guess we’d just better wait and see on this
one….What big event in Vinoy Park takes the prize for the noisi-
est and most inconsiderate of the neighborhood (trash strewn all
over, illegal parking and reckless driving)?
 Unique Toys, Games, Arts, Crafts & Stuff
For Everyone

New Holiday Shop & Drop

Wednesday Nights 5 pm to 8 pm
(Drop your child off to play free while you shop)
Other Store Hours:
Tues-Sat, 10am - 4:45pm • Sundays, Noon-4:45pm
1925 4th St. N. St. Petersburg, FL (727) 826-5454

HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 17

 Downtown by Chuck Lindeen
Dining Around… Downtown does Central Avenue…yet
again. If you have walked, jogged, skateboarded or driven
down Central Avenue anytime lately you know that the hub of
activity “downtown” continues to extend further west with
each passing month. There’s a new business of some sort
opened every time I pass this way. Among these one of the
newer restaurants west of 4th Street is Bella Brava at 515 Cen-
tral Avenue in the spot previously occupied by Ovo Café next
to Florida Craftsman Gallery
I happily headed downtown to Central Avenue on a recent
Friday night for dinner. It was 10:30pm and Central was hop-
ping, and I was amazed to find a parking place right across
Page 18 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
from Bella Brava on my first pass. The restaurant layout is very
open yet somehow manages to retain a “cozy” feeling at the
same time. There are separate bar and dining areas on both the
first and second floors. The hostess found that the table on the
balcony I had seen from the sidewalk was still open so I claimed
my little two-top on the balcony and settled in for what I will tell
you now was over an hour of pure delight.
For the benefit of those who may be reading this column for
the first time (or for those among us whose memory is not what
it used to be) let’s revisit the Dining Around… Downtown rating
system briefly. There are three main components: food, service
and atmosphere. The décor here does exactly what it should do — Typically a person’s home is
creates an inviting, comfortable backdrop to enjoy your meal and
your friends. Metal is used prominently throughout including the their largest investment.
tables. Amber Murano lighting provides “a sophisticated mood.”
It’s contemporary without being cold. Certain areas – like the bal-
cony – have a decidedly nautical feel to them. Put the
It was refreshing to find quite a diverse crowd settled-in com- sale of
fortably — a really good sign, not only for Bella Brava but for St.
Pete as well. Families, groups, couples and even other singles
like me were ensconced. The Friday happy-hour crowd was still
Your
there in the bar areas and a large party (children included) was
celebrating a birthday. A DJ arrived and set-up his mixing board
Largest
to custom blend the music for our listening pleasure. It was great,
some familiar sounds and some not-so-familiar and a little edgier.
Investment
There were so many selections on the menu that I didn’t even in the
want to know if there were any additional specials! There are five
cold appetizers and no fewer than six hot selections. One thing I hands of a
can guarantee you — at least on your first visit to Bella Brava --
there will be something or some combination of things that will
Rachel Sartain Professional
be new to you. That fact alone will have me returning time and
time again. I asked the server what her favorite dishes were, and
2004 Top Agent
Top Listing Agent Realtor®
when she hit on something that had caught my eyes I said “stop.”
We decided on Papa’s Gnocchi. This is Chef Mario’s home made
potato dumplings “old world style” with gorgonzola sauce and Historic Old SE Beach Front
roasted walnuts, with a choice of basil pesto, Bolognese, browned $769,900
butter sage or pomodoro sauces. That is but one of 14 choices
from the Paste section including seafood, chicken, lamb, veal and Snell Isle Corner Lot
vegetarian entrees. You will find three Risotti entrees and eight
Secondi entrees including chicken, New York strip steak, lamb, $599,900
Chilean sea bass and the Chef’s fresh catch of the day. Now if all
that’s not enough there are 12 different Pizze selections. For my
Old NE Romantic Pool Home
first course, I selected the Insalata Di Spinacino — baby spinach $599,900
tossed in house vinaigrette topped with fresh pear, Italian
gorgonzola and roasted walnuts. There were four other options. Snell Isle 3/2 Pool home
All of them sounded delicious and all are available with grilled $499,900
chicken or shrimp as well.
I am sitting outside in between the canopy of two oak trees. NE Perfection! 2/2
The air is cool and the sky is crisp and clear… the moon is over-
head and stars are visible. Happy sounds are all around me…
349,900
music… people talking and laughing. Traffic was gliding by on Tropical Shore 3/2
the avenue below and pedestrians were strolling on the sidewalk.
If I had closed my eyes and reopened them – it would have been $325,000
very easy to imagine I was someplace else. As I casually enjoyed
my dinner two tables below on the sidewalk left, only to be quickly Snell Isle Buildable Lot
taken by one larger party. It’s now after 11pm and that group is $425,000
ordering dinner as well. It is such a heartening sight to see people
going out later and enjoying a meal together. Has Central Avenue Bayshore Blvd NE double lot
arrived… again??
$425,000
I was almost finished with my dinner when I realized I had not
even looked at the dessert menu. I was very relieved to find only Please visit my website for a
six items to choose from. I quickly narrowed it down to two…
complete list of available homes,
Crema Catalana and Torta Di Ricotta Alla Toscana. The Torta is
Chef Mario’s version of authentic Tuscan cheese cake with fresh condos, and investment properties
ricotta salatta, yellow raisins, roasted pine nuts and vanilla with a
sugar cookie crust. That, along with an espresso, rounded out a www.RachelSartain.com
perfect meal and a perfect evening. Bella Brava gets three out of RACHEL SARTAIN | PRUDENTIAL GOWER REALTY
three from me: great atmosphere! great service! great food! 727-742-7939 (Cell) | (800) 771-5161 Ext 270 (Office)
Bella Brava is located at 515 Central Avenue. All major credit cards are
accepted. Hours: Monday-Wednesday from 11am-11pm; Thursday & Fri-
rachel@rachelsartain.com
day from 11am-2am; Saturday from 4pm-2am; Sunday from 4pm-10pm. ‘Going the Extra Mile’
Phone 895-5515; website (online reservations!) www.bellabrava.net.
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 19
 “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 wasn’t 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 susie2wong@aol.com.

Ed. Note: Holidays – especially Christmas – hold
special memories for us all. We asked a few residents
who go back a few years here in St. Petersburg to
share with our readers some reminiscences about
Christmases past. Perhaps their reflections will help
you recapture in your own mind some special and
pleasant remembrances of long ago Christmases.
Candy Jones Lenderman
Candy is a native of St. Petersburg, a
retired elementary school teacher and
presently writes the Lawn and Garden ar-
ticle for the Northeast Journal.
“One of my fondest memories of
Christmas was going to a poultry market
on 9th Street somewhere near downtown.  1930.  He is a retired general contrac-
It was a fresh market and my grandmother
would always get her turkey there.  There
were live turkeys, chickens and all sorts
of things.  As a child I was totally fasci-
nated by seeing all the animals there.  The
turkeys my grandmother bought there were
not as oven-ready as they are today.  She would have to singe
some of the feathers off the bird for one thing, making it a little
more work than we do today.
Having my picture taken at
Maas Brothers with Santa was
a good experience for me.  I
think it was because all around
where Santa sat were candy
canes — it was Candy Land —
so I thought they did that just
for me since my name is Candy.
When I taught school, there
were all the Christmas pageants
we used to have with all the
carols being sung.  A tradition
For years the Lajeunesses were Santa and Mrs.
that they had at North Shore
Claus greeting passing cars from their home.
was the Christmas chain.  It
Monica M. Vernon, CPA
146 17th Avenue Northeast
St. Petersburg, FL 33704
(727) 502-9397
• Individual and Business Tax Returns
• Small Business Accounting and Consulting
Page 20 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
would start with the kindergartners leaving their classroom in a
long line and snake through the hallway and pick up the next class-
room singing carols along the way. They would go to the next
classroom and then the next until the entire school was on the
move in one giant chain.
A few of the other things I remember were the live Christmas
trees we had in our classrooms, the displays in the store windows
and, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus waving from their bal-
cony at their home on Coffee Pot Boulevard. Who could ever
forget that.”
Harry F. Woods
Harry has lived in St. Petersburg since
tor, owned and operated Woods and
Lockhart Fuel Oil companies and was a
longtime resident of The Old Northeast
“At Christmas time (before WWII) all
the fraternities, mostly from the Univer-
sity of Florida, would sponsor a dance at
the Vinoy, the Soreno and the old “Pink
Lady” (the Don CeSar) You had to be
invited, but in those days everyone knew
everyone and they were well-attended.
In those days the Vinoy opened about a week be-
fore Christmas and closed the beginning of April.
The dances were ‘stag or drag’ and called tag dances.
You came with or without a date.  The ‘stags’ (young
men without a date) would stand in the middle of
the floor and tag the girls they wanted to dance with. 
We ballroom danced — we didn’t dance the way
people do today — Latin American dances, the Fox
Trot, the Tango, the Waltz, and the Rumba.
The young people danced to local big bands
dressed formally in their best tuxes. The band mem-
bers were local professional musicians but were only
paid $5 a night which was a lot of money in the ‘30s.
Men making $13 a week could get married and support a family.
As far as refreshments, before prohibition ended in 1932 or
1933 there
was no
drinking so
they would
bring their
alcohol in
flasks. The
various fra-
ternities and
civic clubs Rutland’s Department
would have Store c.1942
their own
tables with their invited guests. ness name, Wilhelm Funeral
As far as Christmas shopping, I did it all at Rutland’s Depart- Home, was on one of those trees.
ment Store. In those days, all the clerks knew my wife and would It was a tradition that continued
help me pick something out for her. They would wrap it and call for many years.
me and say, ‘Your present is ready to be picked up, Harry.’ That’s As my friend Candy
when business people knew everyone and were there to help you.  Lenderman mentioned, a trip to
Christmas is still my favorite time of the year.” Maas Brothers to sit on Santa’s
lap and have your picture taken
was a must.  However, unlike my
friend, I was terrified of Santa. It
was not such a
Hayden Knowlton great experience
Hayden is another for me, but I’ve got
longtime resident of St. a great picture to
Petersburg, having show my children. 
grown up here and also Pennflora In my case, it cer-
having lived in The Old Hotel and Williams Park tainly showed my
Northeast since 1972.  Cafeteria true feelings of being near Santa.
He is presently a Risk c.1925
My parents always made Christmas very spe-
Management Consult-
cial for me and being an only child, I had all the
ant for Waters Risk
gifts and all the attention. Their best present to me,
Management.
however, was their unconditional love which will
“My father owned last my lifetime.”
the Pennflora Hotel Photos courtesy of the St. Petersburg Museum of
which was located History and Susan Alderson.
across from the City
Hall Building.  When my four siblings and I were little (in the ‘50s) 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
my mother would dress us all up in our red Dr. Denims and we would she was five years old. She also lived in another home on 16th till she mar-
spend Christmas Eve at my father’s hotel entertaining the guests. ried. When she moved back to St. Pete from Washington, D.C., in 1977 it’s
We would help with the party, pass out the gifts they would ex- been on 19th Avenue NE.  She wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in the
change and sing Christmas carols. The guests were seasonal and world!  As Dorothy (and Susan) would say, “There’s no place like home.” 
probably missed their own grandchildren so we filled in for them.
As we got older, my parents would put all the guests on a bus
which brought them to our home on Snell Isle on Christmas Eve. 
We would have a party for them there, but this time no Dr. Den-
ims. The guests watched us grow up during those years.
One thing I think we all remember about growing up in St. Pe-
tersburg was driving around looking at the lights. One of those
special houses was Doc Webb’s home as well as what we called
“the blue house” which was all lit up with blue lights with rein-
deer on the roof.  I think that house was on 19th or 20th Avenue and
just off 1st Street.
After I was married with my own children, we would always
enjoy taking them to see the live manger scene at First Presbyte-
rian Church on Beach Drive. We would get out of our car to stand
there and watch the donkey and other real animals they had there. 
It was a special place for everyone to see.”

Susan Woods Alderson

Susan is a native of St. Petersburg. 
She has lived in The Old Northeast since
1949, a wife and mother of four, and pho-
tographer for the Northeast Journal and
writer for the Old Northeast Neighbor-
hood Newsletter.
“One of the first things I thought about
when remembering Christmases past in
St. Petersburg were the trees lining the
entrance way to The Pier.  Every Christmas businesses would light
the trees, and I was always so proud that my grandfather’s busi-
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 21
 Curb
Appeal
by Chuck Lindeen
This little corner of our neighborhood newsletter is specifi-
cally focused on spotlighting the homes of our neighbors who
have worked magic in one way or another to create “curb ap-
peal” —that much sought-after quality in their little corner of
The Historic Old Northeast.  been the case with this property. It has always been a “nice” prop-
Page 22 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
The last installment of Curb Appeal focused on the great job our
neighbors at 106 25th Avenue NE have done. Their home sits on
the southeast corner of 1st Street N and 25th in our own Local His-
toric District — Granada Terrace. Thanks again for your efforts!
In this issue we would like to add our neighbor at 1200 1st Street
N to the Curb Appeal Hall of Fame. It is really rewarding to
watch something beautiful develop before your eyes. That has
erty with a lot of curb front – a corner lot means potential for a lot
of “curb appeal” as you know! Over the last year this property has
really blossomed. The yard has become a perfect example of re-
strained elegance with sufficient plants to convey a lush feeling
without being overwhelmed. Additionally, the owner has created
a private retreat in the form of an enclosed courtyard between the
house and the detached garage. The design of the fence surround-
ing the courtyard is such that there really isn’t a “back” side. The
result is that neither the owner nor the neighbors are stuck with an
ugly view. There are decorative cast iron panels in the gate doors
and in “wall” that can be opened or left closed depending on the
level of privacy desired. All of this… combined with that extra
attention to the space where lawn meets sidewalk and curb…adds
up to Curb Appeal! Thanks for sharing your expertise in a man-
ner that benefits all those around you!
 In Case You Missed It:
Updates and Follow Ups

Keeping You Current on Some

Neighborhood Stories That
Have Been in the News

v The proliferation of new condo construction in the down-

town area continues. In early November the City gave initial
approval to five new residential high-rises that would add over
  900 units to those already okayed. Here’s the scorecard: over the
past eight years seven condo projects have been completed, hous-
ing about 450 residents; by 2006 two more should be completed,
offering more than 200 units; one more, with 91 residences, is in
initial construction; over a half dozen more are on the drawing
board and/or permitted. One of the new and largest projects, the
Arts Village and the Dale Chihuly permanent art collection, will
have more than 500 condos and, at 390 feet, exceed the Bank of
America tower as downtown’s tallest building. [source: St. Pe-
tersburg Times, 11/03]
v The Blake Whitney Thompson LLC group has bought up a
number of parcels composing about half the block at the corner
of 5th Avenue N and 4th Street, which includes the Medical Arts
building on the southeast corner. Principal Blake Thompson says
of the location, “It is a high-visibility corner in St. Petersburg.
Whatever goes in there has to be spectacular.” The developer is
also involved in a number of other projects along 5th Avenue be-
tween Beach Drive and 4th Street. [source: St. Petersburg Times,
10/12]
v North Shore pool’s extensive renovation should be com-
pleted by early 2006. The over $3 million project involves: a
second pool, a new main building, a facility for a swim club based
there, renovations to the existing bath house, a pump house and
some water playground features. The new pool, which will boast
an entry ramp for the disabled, is geared to attract major competi-
tive swim meets and thereby serve as a boost to the local economy.
[source: St. Petersburg Times, 9/11]
v Old Northeast resident Rick Baker was re-elected mayor
by a 70%-30% margin in the November election. Fourth District
Councilperson Virginia Littrell, also a neighbor, was defeated in
her re-election bid 63%-37% by former Councilperson Leslie
Curran. According to the St. Petersburg Times [11/10]:
The two women are similar in their political views. But Curran
ran on personality, emphasizing her rival’s reputation for being
caustic.
“I’m proactive and she’s reactive,” Curran said. “I always
look at things from a positive perspective. The numbers speak
for themselves.”
Littrell’s campaign may also have been hurt by a negative mail
piece she sent out criticizing Curran and saying the city was
plagued by “soaring crime rates, rampant prostitution and poor
police response times” while she was on the council.
Littrell said Wednesday she was the victim of a well-orches-
trated campaign to remove her from office.
“I’ve never been afraid to ask the tough questions,” she said.
“And judging from the phone calls I received today, some people
like having representatives who ask questions. Unfortunately,
they weren’t in the majority.”
Littrell, who regularly worked more than 40 hours a week as a
council member, said she will take some time to relax and decide
what she will do next. But she’s pleased with her record.
“I’m actually very proud of the four years of constituent ser-
vice I provided,” Littrell said. “That’s worthy of hanging on to.”

Check out the HONNA website

www.honna.org
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 23
 Thinking in
Purple
by Barbara Rhode, LMFT
Barbara Rhode is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
who provides trainings and workshops to corporations and non-
profits 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.
My Top Three Holiday Stressors
(or Bah Humbug?)
The holidays are already here, and it is hard to believe that
another year is winding down. As “joyous” as this season prom-
ises to be, it can inadvertently bring with it stressors that can tire
us out and make us downright cranky if we are not careful. Here it
is just the beginning of November as I am writing this, and I have
already seen more than a few commercials that do their best to
send us scurrying to the mall, plastic in hand, determined to charge
everyone we love (or even just like) the biggest present they have
ever seen.
Which leads me to Holiday Season Stressor #1 – Pressure.
There is an enormous amount of pressure this time of year to over-
spend, throw caution to the wind and dive headfirst into a sea of
debt. I can almost feel it pulling me in. The pressure to be festive
and expansive is almost impossible to ignore. It urges you to spend
on everyone when that might be the worst thing you could do to
yourself and your family right now. And then there is the pressure
to party and over indulge with delicious treats and tempting hot
toddies. If you don’t join in the festivities you run the risk of in-
sulting friends and neighbors. But reality can be different for some
of us even during the holiday season. I remember standing in my
living room about 24 years ago a week before Christmas cursing
like a sailor while I wrestled a tree into its plant stand, trying to
force it to stay upright. It was my first holiday alone as a single
mom and I was determined we would have it all, whether I felt up
to it or not. That tree had the audacity to fall over three times
before Santa could get anywhere near it. A special Kodak mo-
Page 24 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
ment had me sitting on the floor weeping with half of the tree in
my lap. Not the scene I had pictured for next year’s holiday card.
Perhaps instead we can just admit honestly to ourselves and oth-
ers where we really are emotionally and financially and live within
those bounds. Maybe we don’t have to let our expectations get so
outlandish at this time of year. Let’s give ourselves and each other
the gift of authenticity this year and take some of the pressure off.
Holiday Stressor #2 – Juggling. By
now you would think most of us have
realized that our lives on any given day
are pretty much maxed out. We run in
a million different directions, we
multitask, and we rarely take time to
breathe and check in with ourselves or
our loved ones. Recent research says that
leisure time has become a thing of the past.
Yet here we are caught up in the swirl of the
holiday season adding countless extra tasks to
our already overwhelmed workload. Let’s
all take a deep breath and simulta-
neously agree to drop some of the
crazy projects we assign ourselves dur-
ing the holiday season. Will the neighbors re-
ally notice if you don’t bake each of them eight
dozen of your grandmother’s favorite treats? Will the
house really look “unfestive” if you don’t hang out 35 indi-
vidual strings of sparkling lights that flash on and off in case
carolers walk by? I promise not to notice anything other than the
fact that you look a bit more rested and tranquil this season!
Stressor #3 – Resolutions. Einstein said that insanity is doing
the same thing over and over again, expecting a different out-
come. How insane is the tradition of marking January as the month
you will finally drop those 27 lbs. you have been carrying around
for the last decade and also finally quit smoking after 77 failed
prior attempts? More people join gyms in the month of January
than any other time of the year. The problem with this practice is
that most of us don’t stick to these resolutions and are quick to
label ourselves as failures when nothing has changed. We start
the New Year out with a bang and swear that this time will be
different. The experts state that the reason most of us fail is be-
cause we have jumped into these changes without a well thought
out plan. Habits are difficult to change and creating new, healthier
ones takes planning, time and energy. So this year do yourself a
favor and, instead of rushing into your resolutions, set aside some
time to examine the pros
and cons of the changes
you are considering and
then devise a plan. En-
list support and en-
couragement
from trusted
loved ones
and promise
yourself that
you will start by
taking baby steps.
Healthy changes are wonderful
goals for the New Year that require careful thought and deliber-
ate planning.
And from me to you -- have a peace-filled holiday.
PORCH PARTIES
Porch Parties are held the third Friday of the month from
8-10pm (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; fridayporchparty@hotmail.com).

December 13th
Neighborhood
Holiday Party in lieu
[see front page]

January 20th
Ben and Susan Alderson
426 19th Avenue NE

February 17th
James and Angie Landers
2234 Coffee Pot
Boulevard NE

Saturday Morning Market

Dozens of vendors
every Saturday morning
in Downtown St. Petersburg
Central Avenue at 2nd Street
9 am to 1 pm
October through May

HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 25

 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).

The
poofers Old Northeast
S … by D.S. Forman
DISCLAIMER: The stories you are about
to read are not true. Not even the names
have been changed to protect the innocent. Enquirer
“BULLDOZE OUR BUNGALOWS” OLD NORTHEAST
GAINING STEAM SHRINKING
Fed up with the constant renovations their century-old homes demand, scores City surveyors have discovered that St. Pete’s
of Old NE homeowners are looking forward to a new construction project: tearing oldest neighborhood, The Historic Old Northeast, is
down their aging Craftsmans and bungalows and replacing them with modern losing approximately two inches per year due to ag-
luxury homes. “My crooked floors used to be charming, but after nine years my ing.
whole body is now leaning,” “This area is well over a hundred years old, so
claimed homeowner Richard it’s bound to show signs of old age,” claimed lead
Frock, “I’ve had enough charm!” surveyor, Kurt Thenman. “Its boundaries are sagging
Frock, along with over 75 other neigh- and its elevation is stooped, but its nose and ears are
borhood residents, wants to clear The growing.” The discovery also suggests the
Old Northeast of its aging wood-framed neighborhood’s western border along 4th Street could
houses and establish a gated community of shrink half a block inward, thwarting plans for new
state-of-the-art luxury homes made of con- retail development.
crete. The “Bulldoze Our Bungalows Bri- To prevent any further wrinkles, city engineer
gade” is awaiting a decision from the city’s Fred Michaels will infuse The Old Northeast with
Historic Commission which has been hos- massive doses of Ensure.
pitalized indefinitely due to acute stress.

MAYOR GOES CONDO

NEIGHBORHOOD PANICS
OVER EVIAN FLU
City health workers caused a near riot when they
began confiscating bottles of Evian water from
thirsty joggers in North Shore Park, warn-
ing of the deadly Evian flu. “We have a
job to protect our citizens from any
viral outbreak caused by the
Evian flu, and if that means de-
stroying every last bottle of
Evian, then that’s what we’ll have
to do!” asserted Glenda
Goodenpleny of the health department. When asked if the real
threat was from the avian flu and not Evian flu, Ms. Goodenpleny
immediately redirected her staff to the nearest Chick-fil-A.
After winning a landslide re-election, St. Pete’s
towering Mayor, Rick Baker, revealed his plans to
become the city’s 500th condo tower. “Downtown
is going condo, and so am I!” proclaimed the long-
legged Mayor. The lanky Baker will need months of
renovation before his towering frame will open to
prospective homeowners, but already investors have
been clamoring to get in on the ground floor, which
will be located in the mayor’s extra-wide
Florsheims. The mayor will be sited on a down-
town block overlooking Mirror Lake, with shoes
starting in the low-sevens and the penthouse unit
above his moustache fetching “well over a million.”

“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).

Page 26 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

ON THE DOCKET: Buy or Sell Your Property with
Some Upcoming Events In and Nearby “The Rob and Richard Team”
Our Neighborhood and
For a current and more Use Our MovingTruck FREE!*
detailed listing go to the
City’s website at www.stpete.org

Dec 1-4 Fall Boat Show

Bayfront Center Yacht Basin; 800/940-7642
Dec 2 Get Down Town Music Series
Central b/w 2nd-3rd; 393-3597
Dec 3 Santa Parade & Snowfest
Downtown and
North Straub Park; 525-5950
Dec 4 Music Fest on the Water
The Pier; 821-6164 Also available for use to non-profit organizations
Dec 9 Marine Max Lighted Boat Parade *Local Moves Only
The Pier to Vinoy Yacht Basin; 821-6164 Richard Waugh and Rob Elkins
Dec 10 TubaChristmas Singalong
The Pier; 821-6164 “Your Neighborhood Specialists”
Dec 10 Gallery Walk
Downtown locations; 821-6767
Dec 11 Music Fest on the Water
The Pier; 821-6164

Dec 13 Neighborhood Holiday Party

Sunshine City Grill, 6-7pm 2100 Dr. M.L.K. Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33704
Dec 14 Boley Centers’ Jingle Bell Run (727) 525-5600 (866) 523-5600 www.robandrichard.com
The Pier; 821-4819
Dec 18 Music Fest on the Water
The Pier; 821-6164
Dec 25 Music Fest on the Water
The Pier; 821-6164
Dec 31 First Night
Historic Old Northeast
Downtown locations; 823-8906 Neighborhood
Jan 14 St. Petersburg Stroll
(proceeds benefit The Hospice of the Association Membership
Florida Suncoast) The Pier; 523-3398 The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association was
Jan 15 Martin Luther King Annual founded in 1974 to promote civic improvement of our
Festival of Bands neighborhood. We invite and welcome all residents of the
Tropicana Field; 327-0085 Old Northeast to join the association and become involved.
Jan 16 Martin Luther King Annual Parade Annual membership dues are $20 per household.
Central Avenue to Vinoy Park; 327-0085
Send this completed form to:
Jan 16 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association
JAN 20 PORCH PARTY (see p. 25) P.O. Box 76324
St. Petersburg, FL 33734
Jan 26-29 St. Petersburg City Fair
Vinoy Park; 893-7171 Name(s): ________________________
Feb 11 Suncoast Classic Run for Kids
BayWalk; 767-8221 Address: ________________________
_______________________________
FEB 17 PORCH PARTY (see p. 25) _______________________________
Feb 20 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
Phone: __________________________
Feb 25 APDA Walk-a-Thon E-Mail: __________________________
(benefits American Parkinson Disease Assn) When did you move into the neighborhood (month and
North Shore Park
Feb 26 Festival of Speed year)?: _______________
(featuring exotic cars, boats, cycles) Annual Dues $20 Enclosed
Vinoy Park

HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 27

 How Does Your Garden Grow?

by Yvonne Swanson -- Master Gardener

up prepackaged flowers and greenery

Holiday
at the supermarket to add to your ar-
rangements. Even quality silk
flowers from the craft store can

Decorating
spice up an arrangement.
Any leak-proof container
can hold cuttings. Raid your

Hints
Now that it’s holiday time, many gardeners are turning their
focus to the indoors, creating festive floral arrangements using
cuttings from the yard mixed with items such as fresh fruit, pine
cones, cinnamon sticks, colorful bows and tinsel.
If you’ve got a good selection of plants in your yard, put on
your gloves and get your hand pruners ready. You’ll find a virtual
floral shop of greenery and more right in your own garden.
Some plants last longer than others once cut. Evergreens, in-
cluding magnolia, pine, holly, ferns and juniper, hold up well in
an arrangement. So, too, do tropical plants such as schefflera,
croton, xanadu philodendron, ginger and robellini palm fronds.
Steer clear of hibiscus, allamanda and bougainvillea. They are
beautiful in the yard, but extremely short-lived once cut. Poison-
ous plants, particularly oleander, are best left in the landscape
and away from children and pets.
Linda Santoro, a member of The Old Northeast Garden Group,
likes using glossy green magnolia leaves in holiday arrange-
ments. “Gather up a few on a branch and tuck in an artifi-
cial magnolia flower. No one will ever know
the difference — or they never say so,” she
notes.
Make your cuttings with sharp pruners,
cutting each stem at an angle. Immediately
immerse entire stems in a bucket of water
for four hours or longer to hydrate stems and
flowers so they will last longer. When prun-
ing stems of flowers, make generous cuts.
If your garden selection is limited, swap cut-
tings with a neighbor or gardening friend. Or pick
kitchen cabinets for pretty
glassware and bowls. You can
even use a large plastic tumbler
— just wrap it with a large pothos
leaf from the garden and secure with
raffia, twine or ribbon. To make a
wreath, start with a metal or Styrofoam
wreath mold from the craft store.
Don’t forget potted herbs, which thrive
during our winter months. Garden Group member Rita Knorr
enjoys creating herb gardens in rectangular clay pots and training
rosemary into a Christmas tree shape. “It makes a lasting present
in a lovely clay pot,” she says. Holiday rosemary pots are avail-
able now at local garden centers. They require a full-sun location
and regular pruning to maintain their shape.
Each year I create a fragrant fruit arrangement for the table
or kitchen island using cut greenery from the yard and store-bought
apples, oranges, lemons and pomegranates. I place podocarpus,
schefflera and palm cuttings on an 18-inch high Christmas tree-
shaped metal frame that I purchased at a craft store. In the frame’s
dozen or so grooves I place small fruits, sometimes adorning them
with whole cloves. When the greenery looks
tired, I simply make new cuttings and replace
worn stems. The arrangement lasts for weeks and
the spicy fruit aroma is delightful.
Use your imagination this holiday season to cre-
ate a homegrown floral arrangement or wreath.
It’s a great way to enjoy the fruits of your
gardening labor and decorate your home for
the holidays.
Yvonne Swanson is a master gardener for
Pinellas County. She also writes a garden col-
umn for the St. Petersburg Times.

Denis “Doc” Mortham’s

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Page 28 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Property Transfers 605 16th Avenue NE
656 16th Avenue NE
Renee Celli
Eric Higgs
355 17th Avenue NE Elke Hoo
Following is a listing of recent property transfers in our North 506 18th Avenue NE Elizabeth and Laurent Vanneste
Shore neighborhood. The individuals listed are new owners 815 18th Avenue NE Glicia Valdez Spencer
of the properties cited but not necessarily the residents of 406 19th Avenue NE Jason and Ann Marie Leigh Meder
those properties. The properties are listed in chronological 625 19th Avenue NE Lisa DelVecchio
avenue and chronological and alphabetical street order. 309 20th Avenue N Elka Harms
If any of these folks live near you, make sure you welcome 221 21st Avenue N Lewis and Laura Dunton
them to the neighborhood. 275 21st Avenue NE Justin Destoppelaire
105 5th Avenue NE Peter and Kathleen Plautz 405 21st Avenue NE Johanna Jill Plaice
555 5th Avenue NE Robert and Barbara O’Malley 556 21st Avenue NE Victor and Sharon Gardner
132 6th Avenue N Timothy Burns 217 22nd Avenue N Todd Haughey
206 7th Avenue N Barbara and Todd McCallister 226 23rd Avenue N Alicia Olazabal
208 7th Avenue N Timothy Moore 301 24th Avenue N Ronald Legore
217 7th Avenue N Fred and Mitsuko Staley 135 25th Avenue N David and Marretta Bogart
218 7th Avenue N Kirsten Wallace 176 25th Avenue N Leo and Nichole Leonardi
222 7th Avenue N Paul Carder 140 26th Avenue N John and Suzanne Swisher
317 8th Avenue N Stacy Slaughter 206 29th Avenue N William Harwood
357 8th Avenue N #5 Lena Begin 218 29th Avenue N Lyn Ryman
236 9th Avenue NE Eric Page 129 30th Avenue N Robert Williams
325 9th Avenue NE Kevin Wilderman 129 30th Avenue N Michael Cudnoski
129 11th Avenue NE Monica Mikesell 2000 1st Street N Robert and Jonni Watts
425 11th Avenue NE Jeanne Wolfe 916 2nd Street N Haike Abraham
445 12th Avenue NE Thomas Wiemken 724 Bay Street NE Heidi Culbertson
224 13th Avenue N Alfred Clark 940 Bay Street NE Rebecca Daniel
446 13th Avenue NE James and Janet Hunt 700 Beach Drive NE #801 Wallace and Virginia Guthrie
536 13th Avenue NE Hans Anderson 2431 Brevard Road NE Christopher Stearman
536 13th Avenue NE John Vinciguerra 2020 Oak Street NE Keith Muchler
106 14th Avenue NE Marc and Jody Spencer
436 14th Avenue NE Jojo and Meghan Young Compiled from public records by the
138 16th Avenue N Joshua Rovin Florida New Business Report.

HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 29

 Candlelight Tour from page 1

“Just The
freshments and restrooms will be available.
Purchased by mail (HONNA, P.O. Box 76324, St. Petersburg
33734) or at selected outlets prior to the Tour, tickets are $15 and

Right
will be available beginning Thanksgiving weekend. Tickets may
be purchased at the following locations:
Dolin’s Garden Center Uncorked

Number” 801 62nd Avenue N

Green & Yellow Basket
2706 4th Street N
Simply Splendid
205 1 Street N
st
1301 4th Street N
Gulf Coast Garden Center Something Different
4355 Haines Road N 3252 Tyrone Blvd., and
GMAC Real Estate 9425 Ulmerton Road,
Here are some phone numbers you may need 2332 4th Street N Largo
in order to make your life a little easier: On the day of the Tour, tickets are $20 and will be available
beginning at 2pm at either Westminster Presbyterian Church (126
City Hall ................................................... 893-7171 11th Avenue NE) or Westminster Palms (corner of 9th Avenue and
Mayor’s Office ......................................... 893-7201 Beach Drive NE).  
Mayor’s Action Center .............................. 893-7111 The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association spon-
City Council ..............................................893-7117 sors the Candlelight Tour with proceeds benefiting The Historic
Police (non-emergency) .......................... 893-7780 Old Northeast decorative lighting project and the YWCA Family
Community Police Officer Village Shelter. For more information, please call 825-0479.
(Chris Herron) ....................................... 892-5933
Codes compliance/enforcement/assistance . 893-7373
............................................................ or 892-5548
Remodeling permits ................................ 893-7231 New
Fence permits ......................................... 893-7231
Design Review ........................................ 894-4120 Members
Neighborhood Design Review
(ordinances/permits) ............................ 892-5254 Michael and Angela Carley – 8th Avenue N
Historic Preservation/Urban Design ........ 894-7491 Chris and Jennifer D’Elia – 19th Avenue NE
............................................................ or 893-7153 Rita Knorr and Rick Neal – 14th Avenue NE
Planning/zoning ....................................... 893-7471 Martha McAndrew – North Shore Drive NE
Neighborhood traffic/parking ................... 893-7843 Mike and Robin Murphy – 1st Street N
Junk/debris/brush collection (alley) ......... 893-7398 Mark and Susan Williams – 15th Avenue NE
Overgrown property ................................. 893-7373
Water/sewer problems ............................ 893-7761
Street maintenance ................................. 893-7421
Sidewalk repair ........................................ 893-7850
Tree removal/trim (on city property) ........ 893-7335
Graffiti ...................................................... 893-7394 New
Mulch (free) ............................................. 893-7398 Business
Rodent control (free) ............................... 893-7360
Animal services (loose dogs) .................. 582-2600 In Our
Street Light Out (Florida Power) ....... 800/228-8485
Park Light Out ......................................... 893-7335
Neighborhood
Bus schedules ..........................................530-9911 As the downtown and Grand Central areas of the city
Senior services ........................................ 893-7101 continue to blossom as shopping and dining destinations,
Library (main) .......................................... 893-7724 so does The Old Northeast. Here are a few commercial
Mirror Lake branch ............................... 893-7268 establishments that have opened in our neighborhood in
County Commissioners ........................... 464-3000 recent weeks or will be opening soon. Give ‘em a try!:
County building department ..................... 464-3241
Property taxes ......................................... 582-7652 Chipotle Mexican Grill Washington Mutual
Senator Mel Martinez ....................... 407/254-2573 780 4th Street N 785 4th Street N
Senator Bill Nelson ........................... 407/872-7161
Congressman Bill Young ......................... 893-3191 Menemsha Companies
765 4th Street N
Page 30 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
 $100,000 PER YEAR
HEALTH & WELLNESS INDUSTRY

To learn more, call Robyn Lyle 727.827.3808

Visit us at: www.hwb.myarbonne.com
*Income based on individual efforts

HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Page 31

 Neighborhood Holiday Party: Tuesday, December 13th, 6-7pm
All neighborhood residents invited [see front page]
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association PRSRT STD
P.O. Box 76324 U.S. POSTAGE PAID
ST. PETERSBURG FL
St. Petersburg, FL 33734 PERMIT #1020
www.honna.org

IN THIS ISSUE
• Home Tour
• Ps & Qs
• Bah, Humbug?
• Trees and
More Trees
• Holiday Fun

Plus Spoofers
and more

Page 32 HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS