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Curious to learn more about preservation or ways to get involved in your community, but don’t know where to start? We’re here to help. In our blog, our preservation experts break down current advocacy issues, ways to get involved, and local St. Pete happenings.
Would we be St. Pete without the buildings that makes us special? Can you imagine downtown without the funky Crislip Arcade in Central Avenue’s 600 Block or without First Block and the city’s most historic building—the Detroit Hotel, built by the city founders in 1888? What about Fourth Street without the iconic Sunken Gardens or 22nd Street without Mercy Hospital or the Manhattan Casino? Would St. Pete be the same without these historic pieces to our built environment?
In the 1960s, the Polish American Society of St. Petersburg, anchored in their clubhouse at 1343 Beach Dr. SE, welcomed Polish-American baseball players in town for Spring Training. Over on 13th Avenue South, the Melrose Clubhouse was home to the “Colored YMCA,” a meeting place for the first Black Boy Scout troop and the local NAACP.
Have you ever wondered about the history of your house, such as when it was originally built and by whom, what did it look like, what were the building trends at the time, or why does or doesn’t your home look like the others in your neighborhood? We all know the ‘Burg has an exciting and storied past—who wouldn’t want to know the role their home and neighborhood played in it?
In an effort to help one understand the historic district designation process Preserve the 'Burg offers the following answers to frequently asked questions. Why would a neighborhood want to become a local historic district? Neighborhood character or feel is an important factor attracting people to neighborhoods.
For as long as I can remember, I've ventured from Tampa to explore the magical city just across the bay. It was just a short drive, but felt like a different world. Whether it was concerts at the historic State Theater (1924) or the iconic Detroit Hotel (1888) playing shuffleboard at the oldest courts in the nation (1927), or strolling historic Central Avenue in search of local shops and locally brewed beer, St. Petersburg has always possessed a certain powerful draw.
