St.

Pete’s Jewel on Tampa Bay

Historic
Old Northeast
Neighborhood News Published Quarterly

Volume 36 Issue 4 www.honna.org December 2009

UPCOMING Two Reasons Why Your Neighborhood

MEETINGS
ur
Is So Special
Mark yo r! Candlelight Tour of Homes:
calend a
December 21st Restore, Re-Use, Recycle
by Tracey Locke
Holiday Party
Programs and Publicity Chair
in lieu of

L
December ook for lots of new uses of space in this
Meeting year’s 12th Annual Candlelight Tour of
Homes set for Sunday, December 13th.
(See page 7)
This signature event is your chance to peek inside
homes of varying architectural styles throughout
January 18th The Historic Old Northeast. The tour o ffers an op-
Dali Museum portunity to discover holiday decorating inspirations
as well as learn how your neighbors are preserving Larelle House B&B on 6th Avenue NE
February 15 th
the historic charm of their homes. In years past, the
Crime Watch pioneer for his bride at the turn of the 20th century
tour has featured everything from mansions to mod- that has been lovingly restored for a new purpose.
program update est bungalows as well as condos, historic apartment While it is still a home that is perfect for grand
buildings, new construction meant to look historic entertaining, it is much more than a house.
HONNA Neighborhood and renovations-in-progress.
Meetings are held the Restore, re-use and recycle could be the theme
third Monday of each In 2009 you will find a home built in 1908, turned that applies to all the historic properties featured
month (except August and into apartments in the ‘50s and then turned back on the tour in 2009, but there is only one “green”
December) at Westminster into a home 100 years after its original construc- house. Learn how one family incorporated the
Presbyterian Church, 126 tion. There is the elegant Queen Anne built by a city
continued on page 13
11th Avenue NE
Social: 6:45pm Tampa Bay’s Halloween Central? Right Here in Our Neighborhood!
Business: 7pm by Tracey Locke

H
Programs and Publicity Chair alloween is my favorite holiday for decorating. The
trick or treaters, the costumes, the pranks, I love it
in this issue all. The only downside to living in The Old North-
Best east has been never being able to explore the neighborhood
New Citizens on Patrol In on Halloween because we literally get hundreds of trick or
Program................. 3 Show treaters. That is how the idea for an annual Halloween event
the night before Halloween was born: enjoy the festivities
Holiday Decorating
beyond your block without having to turn the lights off on
Tips..................... 6-7 All Hallow’s Eve!
Yard Sale?.............. 15 The Old NE’s 1st Annual Halloween Scavenger Hunt on
Friday evening, October 30th, drew about 400 visitors and
A “Green” Candlelight some outstanding media coverage of our neighborhood. WTVT/
Tour .. Fox 13 did an entire morning show from here highlighting our
20-21
history, local attractions and businesses. To view more than
30 minutes of coverage from Fox 13 as well as WFTS/ABC,
A New go to www.youtube.com. Here’s the link: www.youtube.com/
Look results?search_query=honnavideo&search_type=&aq=f
One section of the winning block We had visitors from as from away as Bradenton and Bran-
. ......... 25
on 18th Ave NEHistoric Old Northeast Neighborhood News Page161
continued on page

The President’s Perspective
Maureen Stafford
Association President
Can you believe the year is already coming to a close and
Christmas is just around the corner?
This year the holidays will be a mixed blessing for many resi-
dents in our beautiful city. There will, undoubtedly, be a number
of families who will struggle to get through the holidays and
many more who will have felt stress all year because they have
lost jobs or had to cut back on expenses. That means there will be
wonderful opportunities during this season to share a kind word or
neighborly gesture and experience the wonderful gift of giving. I
invite you to join me in remembering what the holidays are really
about, charity and compassion.
HONNA has been blessed this year to have reached almost our
maximum quota for Board members. We are now at 14. Thank you
to all who have served this year and a big welcome to those who
have recently joined the Board: Larry Smith, Jay Marshall and
Rick Kantner. What a team!
It has been a very busy year for your Board of Directors. Besides
our regular monthly meetings, your Directors have been attending
many additional committee meetings during the month. You may
have seen us at Kawah Coffee on 5th Avenue N. Yes, that would
be us, looking like that is our new board room!
There are many thanks to be given for much hard work and
dedication. There is:
Crime Watch: Ron Magray, chair, and his guys, Jay Marshall
and Bob Hunter, have done a splendid job getting this program up
and going so professionally. Thank you for making us safer.
Programs and Publicity: Tracey Locke, you must have cloned
yourself because there is NO way you are just one person. Our
programs this year have been outstanding, from our great monthly
meetings to yard sale, Easter Egg Hunt, 4th of July parade, first
annual Halloween tour, etc. You have also helped us get the brand-
ing and new web site going, beaten the drum on publicity, I could
go on and on
Porch Parties: Yea! We have had great fun, yet another year.
Thank you, Bob Hunter (and ALL your crew). Porch Parties will
be a new committee on the Board for 2010 headed up b y Larry
Smith, Board Secretary.
Ad Rates­
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Full page­ 400­ 744 1024 1280
Single page insert* ­ 400 700­ 1000­ 1300­
*Preprinted inserts that you provide are delivered within the newsletter. Due
to delivery restrictions, inserts are available on a limited basis.
The newsletter quarterly publication dates are March, June, September, and
December. The deadline for accepting new ads and ad changes is three weeks prior
to the publication month. The next deadline is February 7th. Payment for new ads
should be submitted at the same time that the ad layout is provided and should be
addressed to “HONNA Advertising.”
The newsletter is distributed by mail to all homes in The Old Northeast (boundaries
are 5th Ave N to 30th Ave N, and 4th St N to North Shore Dr/Coffee Pot Bayou Blvd).
There are approximately 2,800 active home mailing addresses.
Contact Rachel Sartain: RTSartain@yahoo.com
Ad space is limited so please make arrangements early.
Page 2 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Vice President and CONA Rep: Thanks to Bob Watts for
taking on the Candlelight Tour, on track for a record-breaking
year! You have been a fine VP, Bob.
Planning/Historic Preservation: Through Robin Reed’s lead-
ership our Souvenir of St. Petersburg Vinoy book won a Florida
Trust award! We also hosted the 13th Florida Annual Neighbor-
hood Conference. Great work, Robin! With the team of Mary
Alice Lange (Neighborhood Design Review Committee) and
Robin with their committee members, we are on track to have
our Neighborhood Plan approved, having had the neighborhood
and the Planning Commission sign off on it already.
Treasurer: Douglas Haan, treasurer extraordinaire, transi-
tioned all our records over to Quicken and streamlined our ac-
counting. Award for Best Bean Counter in The Old Northeast!
Jeannie Hedrick, Assistant Treasurer, has kept a keen eye on our
books with the deposits.
Monuments and Medians: Under Mary Alice Lange’s com-
mittee, all the lights are now on in our monuments and cleaning,
painting and landscaping are getting underway.
Membership and Meet & Greet: Barbara Marshall, outstand-
ing work! She redesigned our membership forms and completely
revamped our membership listing directory. You have put us on track
to possibly double our membership this year. Great work!
Lastly, there is a guy who has been around for a long time and
works tirelessly, without complaint, whose efforts have trumpeted
HONNA’s work for years. Rick Carson, HONNA Newsletter
Editor. We lift our glasses and toast you, Rick. Without your keen
eye, sharp pen and eye on the ball HONNA, would be unsung and
a shadow of itself. Thank you, and thanks to all the writers.
Every one of you has done more work than this column could
fit in. Special thanks go to Peter Stanhope who had to resign from
the Board this year because of a move but continues to work for
HONNA as a volunteer for our Candlelight Tour. Thanks, also, to
an “honorary” Board member who has given beyond any call of
duty to our web site, Joe O’Connor. You have made our neigh-
borhood proud! Thank you!
I want to thank all the very special people who have volunteered
for many committees and special tasks. Some of you have shared
your time and talents for years. We know who you are and have men-
tioned your names, in thanks, many times – people like Julie Feeley,
Cathy Leonard, Anne Shumate, Marc Nadeau, Nona Peebles,
Rachel Sartain. Our work could not happen without you!
It has been my great pleasure to serve as your president for this
2009 year. Thank you.
Have a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays.
The Newsletter of the Historic Old
Northeast Neighborhood Association
Published quarterly – March, June, September and December
and mailed to all households in The Old Northeast
P.O. Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734
e-mail NSNAeditor@aol.com
Editor Rick Carson
Columnists and Reporters
Mike Dailey
Mike Panetta Barbara Rhode
Yvonne Swanson John Gee Jill McGrath
Circulation Joe O’Connor
Contributors All our Old Northeast neighbors
Newsletter Layout & Design Sharon Bond: SharonBond@gmail.com
Advertising Information Rachel Sartain: RTSartain@yahoo.com
 Association News & Activities
September’s meeting (see above) was the last potluck of the
year in which about 60 neighbors participated. Also, the updated
Neighborhood Plan was accepted overwhelmingly by those pres-
ent. It has gone to the City Council for its approval [see below,
Planning/Historic Preservation Committee report]. Details about
the plan may be found on the association’s website honna.org  Larry (13th  Avenue N) is a native of Atlanta,
The October meeting was candidates’ night in which all City
Council members were invited to appear, distribute campaign
literature and answer questions one-on-with with residents. May-
oral candidates Bill Foster and Kathleen Ford were to appear in a
debate facilitated by the League of Women Voters, but Ms. Ford
was unable to appear so Mr. Ford sat down with interested residents
and informally took questions (see above).
The November meeting occurred after the newsletter went to
print. It involved the election of Board members for 2010, and
the results will be in the March issue and posted on the HONNA
website honna.org
The Board of Directors has filled three vacancies to the current
Board, naming Larry Smith, Jay Marshall and Rick Kantner
for the remainder of the current term.
Jay (8th Avenue NE) considers himself at
home. Although born and raised in Washington,
DC, he and his wife Barbara moved to St. Pe-
tersburg three years ago and have found paradise
here in The Old Northeast. He still wonders why
it took so long to get here, but he and Barbara are
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
absolutely delighted to be among great friends
and family. And residing in one of the most de-
lightful communities ever. Jay is retired from the
U.S. Department of Justice with over 30 years
of service and retired from military service with
over 23 years active and reserve duty.  He now
works from home as a consultant for homeland
security programs. 
Rick (14th Avenue NE) and his wife, Sharon,
purchased their 1922 Old Northeast bungalow
(a 2008 Candlelight Tour home) in 2003 after
moving from Tampa’s Hyde Park. They were
drawn to The Old Northeast by the quiet, family-
friendly feel and their love of old houses. They
now share their home with their two beautiful
daughters. Rick, a native Floridian, has practiced
law in Pinellas County since 1993 and concen-
trates in the areas of estate planning, elder law
and real estate with The Kantner Law Firm.
and a graduate of the University of Georgia. He
and his wife, Betty, and their three sons moved
from Memphis  to Tierra Verde in 1998, but when
their youngest entered  USF Tampa in the fall
of  2002, they moved to The Old Northeast and
bought one of the “Four Sisters” on 13th Avenue
N. Around the same time their middle son, a
Marine Reservist, had been called up and was
part of the initial invasion force into Baghdad
during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Thus, the resto-
ration of an historic home was good therapy for
beginning empty nesters. For the last 25 years,
Larry has been a financial advisor in Memphis,
Sarasota and now Tampa, with clients in 18
states. He has been involved with HONNA’s
Meet & Greet Committee, hosted a Porch Party
and will be coordinating Porch Parties in his new
position on the Board.
Julia Brazier submitted her resignation from the Board in
August and also resigned as chair of the Candlelight Tour of
Homes. The Board thanks Julia for her Board service since the
spring of 2006, which included chairing or co-chairing previous
Candlelight Tour committees. 
Committee Reports
Crime & Safety Committee
Ron Magray, Chair
Our neighborhood Crime
Watch program is moving
ahead at a great clip. One of
the more visible components
of Crime Watch is “Citizens
on Patrol,” known as COP,
which deploys volunteers
throughout the commu-
nity to be a presence, report
suspicious activities and
notify the City of potential
Page 3
 JOIN OUR COMMITTEES Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association
OFFICERS and BOARD
Your volunteer involvement in one of our com- President
mittees will help enhance your neighborhood and our Maureen Stafford 488-8154 MJStPetersburg@aol.com
association. Vice President
Please contact any committee chair for information. Bob Watts 821-8997 Bob@BobWattsRealtor.com
Secretary
Vacant
Candlelight Tour of Homes: Chair, Bob Watts, 821-8997 Treasurer
Douglas Haan 488-5514 douglashaan@aol.com
C.O.N.A. Rep: Bob Watts, 821-8997 Directors
Rick Carson 898-7834 rickcarson1@aol.com
Crime & Safety: Ron Magray, 502-9065 Jeanne Hedrick indigopenguin@yahoo.com
Bob Hunter, 898-7987 Bob Hunter 898-7987 BobHunter@tampabay.rr.com
Rick Kantner 822-4697 rick@attorneykantner.com
Planning & Historic Preservation: Robin Reed, 825-0480 Mary Alice Lange 251-2034 tlcapmal@earthlink.net
Tracey Locke 475-0287 tracey@tlsknowsmedia.com
Membership: Barbara Marshall, 385-4746 Ron Magray 502-9065 RFMagray@gmail.com
Barbara Marshall 385-4746 Barbara@marshallsite.net
Neighborhood Design Review: Mary Alice Lange, 251-2034 Jay Marshall 385-4746 Jay@marshallsite.net
Robin Reed 825-0480 rlreed@tampabay.rr.com
Newsletter: Rick Carson, 898-7834 Larry Smith 641-5810 smithlb@earthlink.net
Programs and Publicity: Tracey Locke, 475-0287 HONNA Board meetings are held the second Monday of each month
at 6:30pm and are open to the public. Check with HONNA for the location.
Traffic: Bob Watts, 821-8997

Web Site: Joe O’Connor (interim) 894-6786 Like our neighborhood?

Want to make it even better?
Volunteer with one of our committees!
Clip and mail

Crime Watch Fact Sheet Historic Old Northeast

Name______________________________________
Address____________________________________
City/State: St. Petersburg, FL Zip:______________
Home Phone:________________________________
Office Phone:________________________________
Cell Phone:_ ________________________________
E-mail:_____________________________________
Neighborhood
Association Membership
The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association was founded
in 1974 to promote civic improvement of our neighborhood. We
invite and welcome all residents of the Old Northeast to join the
association and become involved. Annual membership dues (tax
deductible) are $30 per household.
Send this completed form to:
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association
P.O. Box 76324
St. Petersburg, FL 33734

Emergency Contact Person_____________________ Name(s): _________________________

Contact’s Phone #____________________________ Address: _________________________
________________________________
HONNA Member: Yes____ No____
________________________________
Would like more info on membership Yes___ No___ Phone:___________________________
E-Mail: _ _________________________
When did you move into the neighborhood
Signed:_ ___________________________________ (month and year)?: _______________
HONNA
PO Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734 $30 Annual Dues Enclosed

Page 4 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

crime and safety issues like abandoned cars and houses. Starting presentation on his new book, Italians in Florida.
this month, many of our neighbors will be traveling in their cars Souvenir of St. Petersburg made a respectable showing, pro-
throughout the streets and alleys of The Historic Old Northeast at moted most enthusiastically by volunteers Julie and Mark Lawson
different times and days. They have been trained by the St. Peters- and daughters Kate and Erin [see photo below]. Also helping
burg Police Department to be especially vigilant and are our mo- to staff our booth were Preservation Committee members Elaine
bile eyes and ears, a non-confrontational approach that keys upon Normile, Lynne Mormino, Bob and Jean Hunter and Stephanie
observation and reporting. We thank them for generously giving Edwards along with Souvenir author Robin Gonzalez and Sunken
their time to make us safer. Their cars will be clearly marked and Gardens’ supervisor, Bill O’Grady. 
they will be wearing special COP t-shirts, so when you see them
give them a wave and thank them for their contribution.
It seems that every week at least two Old NE neighbors are hav-
ing their homes burglarized. In a recent four week period there were
nine residential burglaries. The breaking and entering is happening
between 8am-9pm with occurrences on weekdays and weekends.
These guys can be working in teams, with alley walkers or bike
riders scoping out the homes. Let your neighbors know when you
leave your home for any longer period of time. Make sure your
alley gates are secure and all doors and windows are locked. This
may seem obvious but apparently these simple and basic steps are
being overlooked by many of our residents. 
Theft of autos and theft from autos are on the rise. Three ar-
rests on the evening of September 30th have affected the number
of vehicle burglaries, but during the first 10 days of October there
nevertheless were four vehicle burglaries. Caution is still necessary.
Don’t give the bad guys a reason to break in and cause damage to
your car. Lock your car and do not leave your GPS unit or other
valuable items in view. If you have a steering wheel lock use it. In addition to book sales, contact was made with a teacher from
Thanks to the St. Pete Police Department, “The Club” will be one of St. Petersburg’s new schools (Imagination Elementary),
available from HONNA Crime Watch free of charge for the fol- who requested books for the school. As part of the education
lowing: any Dodge or Chrysler product, Ford Taurus, Ford Pick- component of the book project, 50 books have been donated to
ups or Explorers (any year 1991-96), Saturn (1991-97), Nissan every elementary school in the City. This was so successful that
Altima (1988-1999), Toyota Camry (1990-99), Honda Accord (late the program was extended to include schools in Pinellas Park,
‘80s-1998) and General Motors vehicles. Come to a Crime Watch Seminole and Gulfport.
meeting, complete the necessary form and a club is yours. Crime To date, 31 public schools and six private schools have received
Watch meetings are held at 6pm on the third Monday of the month, a total of almost 2,000 books, and two teacher workshops have
prior to the regularly-scheduled HONNA monthly meetings, at the been held. Sunken Gardens and the Vinoy Hotel are hosting field
Westminster Presbyterian Church on 11th Avenue NE.   trips associated with Souvenir. Books are also offered for sale at
After the switch to standard time, it’s now dark when you are 15 venues throughout St. Petersburg and Tampa, with a total of
arriving home from work. It’s a targeted time so be careful and continued on page 26
attentive. Some of the bad guys are brazen and are opportunists;
be aware, be diligent and don’t be a victim. When you observe
suspicious persons and/or circumstances, phone the police non-
emergency number, 893-7780. New
If you would like to join COP, please call Nancy Bahls (727/460-
5204) or Jay Marshall (727/388-4946) to learn more about this
Members
important element of our Crime Watch effort. Eventually, we would
like to have many more Old Northeast residents participate as COP Jewell Christie & Melissa Greene....... 19th Avenue NE
members so that -- whether in cars, riding bikes or just walking Catherine and Robert Farese................21st Avenue NE
-- all of us can benefit from the presence of trained observers and Sandra Gacio and Michael Kotler....... 18th Avenue NE
crime prevention specialists.
Mary Allen............................................. Bay Street NE
Planning/Historic Preservation Jeanne Koopman........................................ River Street
Committee Jim Gilman . .........................................28th Avenue N
Robin Reed, Chair Doris Gray ........................................ 11th Avenue NE
Souvenir of St. Petersburg Lynda and Stephan Leedy . ................. 8th Avenue NE
The Association’s popular history of the neighborhood, Souvenir Denise Yettaw ..................................... 8th Avenue NE
of St. Petersburg, Views from the Vinoy, joined other authors and
publishers at the annual St. Pete Times Festival of Reading this Wilhelm A. Goetze . ............................. Oak Street NE
past October.  Glorious weather greeted visitors to the Festival and David and Mar-retta Bogart .................25th Avenue N
a number of Old Northeast residents were on hand for the many Kathleen Mullin ....................................... 3rd Street N
excellent lectures and book-shopping opportunities. Resident Gary Robert Figueroa ................................ 13th Avenue NE
Mormino, one of the Festival’s most popular speakers, gave a
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News Page 5
 Holiday Decorating
My Favorite Things
by Laura Fage
Y
ou can almost hear Ju-
lie Andrews singing…
bright copper kettles...
warm woolen mittens… and yes,
brown paper packages wrapped
up with string. And like Julie
and Martha, here is the list
of my favorite -- and easi-
est -- things to make your
season merry and bright.
Pick a Theme Most of us
reflect on childhood memories or special times with family or friends
when it comes to holiday décor. We pull out all of our favorite orna-
ments and usually decorate in the same fashion year after year. Well,
in a year that has had us all delving deep into
our pockets to pay for the basics of life, why
not add a few inexpensive touches to renew
your holiday spirit and freshen up tradition?
There’s a bounty of home decorating ideas
at this time of year so this is where your
imagination steps in. Pick a theme…and
stick with it throughout your house.
A few ideas: rustic (imagine ski lodge,
cabin in the woods, fish camp), cottage, sea-
side, contemporary, whimsical or vintage.
Or color themes such as all red (dramatic),
blue and green, white and gold (regal), blue
and silver or earth tones – especially good
if you want to carry out a “green” theme
in your home. Helpful hint: if you haven’t
used a theme throughout your house before,
rummage through all your existing decora-
tions and separate them by color or theme --
chances are you’ll come up with a favorite
theme or two just by taking a look at your
existing decorations with fresh eyes.
Still at a loss? Buy ribbon. Wired, beauti-
ful ribbon at a craft store. Let that be your
guide in setting a theme. The ribbon can be used on your tree, garland
and wreathes as well as gifts, candlesticks, mantle displays, drawer
pulls and more.
Whatever your choice this season, it should complement your
home’s existing décor and, for maximum impact, be carried throughout
the house for an explosion of holiday cheer.
First Impressions Once you have a theme in mind, start outside and
work in. It’s more than a tangle of lights, inflatable cartoon characters
and store-bought velvet bows -- if you have a porch create an outdoor
wonderland; architecturally interesting door, dress it in garland; empty
flower pots, fill them!
The Big Entrance Now that you’ve “wowed” family and friends
with the exterior trim, the entryway is the place to set your holiday
decorating theme. Whatever the theme, think garland and bows adorn-
ing an entryway mirror; ribbon on candlesticks, shiny ornaments in a
Page 6 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
glass bowl, small wrapped gifts displayed on a bench or tables, your
favorite holiday books stacked neatly in a vignette of holiday décor
and candles -- there’s no better time to add the warmth of candlelight
to your home. And the entryway is ideal to evoke the very “aroma”
of the holidays: cinnamon, pine, crisp red apples and gingerbread are
just few of the fragrances offered in seasonal candles.
Dine in style. Holidays are always played out in all their splendor
over food, and your dining room shouldn’t be overlooked this season.
Store-bought evergreen wreaths can serve a multitude of purposes.
Lay one on the table with your favorite serving dish inside. Hang
one (or more if space allows!) in the dining area or ring mini-wreaths
around wine goblets for a fanciful display of cheer. Tuck sprigs of
pliable, live greenery (fig or rosemary) into napkin rings. Candles
again complete the look, but remember, never use scented candles
near food.
Repurpose Tarnished tea pots, serving trays and candlesticks clut-
tering your closets? Wondering how you collected so many brass ac-
cessories? Old pieces of garden architecture? Display them in groups.
Fill them with mini-cedar trees, a bough
of red berries, miniature glass balls, pep-
permint sticks, cinnamon or candles. The
list is seemingly endless.
Think spray paint Pick a few mag-
nolia leaves and spray paint them gold
-- they look amazing tucked into your
tree, garland and centerpiece displays.
Naked branches sprayed gold or silver
take on a whole new look when arranged
in a tall glass vase. Add a few miniature
ball ornaments in the same tone for a
more festive display.
Nature calls Take a cue from nature
and incorporate sprigs of rosemary and
eucalyptus into your seasonal décor –
both are long lasting and wonderfully
fragrant. Sprigs of silk poinsettias or
mini-pine trees look great in flower boxes
mixed with ivy or other seasonal foliage.
Fill bowls with cranberries and pillar
candles or a vase of the red berries with
a floating candle.
Small spaces Tabletop trees are a wonderful way to bring the
holidays into the bedroom, kitchen or other rooms throughout your
home. Tabletop trees need not be adorned in lights…sometimes
simple is better.
Supersize it. Using thematic ribbon or double strand of clear fishing
line, hang oversized ornaments (in various heights and odd numbers)
in front of windows to catch light or fill corners or outside from tree
branches for an unexpected twinkle.
Brown paper packages A personal favorite: brown craft paper
for all gifts. The message here is to coordinate wrapping paper in a
single color palette plus fabulous ribbon, raffia or personalized trinket
or ornament on each gift. Think outside the box (no pun intended).
Try using sheet music for wrapping paper -- especially relevant for
the musical household. A holiday wrapping hint: pick the ribbon first.
Don’t skimp and go for stick-on…tying a simple knot with beauti-
ful ribbon is much more special than slapping a bow on a box. Not
only will the recipient feel incredibly special, but your gifts will look
amazing under the tree and as part of your holiday décor scattered
throughout the house in small displays.
Light the way Available in any garden center, inverted tomato
cages secured in a large planter will create the look of a pine tree.
Line several along the walkway and string with mini-white lights for
a winter wonderland welcome.
Enjoy! Make this year one to remember for you, your family and
friends. These favorite things, added to your own personal holiday
memories and mementos and sprinkled with some over the top sparkle,
is a sure recipe for holiday magic.
Laura Fage is the proprietor of Casa Terra Design. She has owned a home
and boutique garden shop, hosted a home and garden cable TV show and has
conducted workshops on all aspects of home décor. Laura may be contacted
at 727/359-6791 or laura@casaterradesign.com
Old Northeast
Holiday Party
for all Old NE residents
Monday, December 21st,, 6:30-9pm
Old Northeast Tavern, 201 7th Avenue N
Here’s a chance to mix and mingle with your neighbors
from The Old NE – catch up with old friends and add some
new ones to your list. Christmas and New Year’s will be
fast approaching and this will be a great time to take a well-
deserved break from all the hustle.
There will be a $5 per person admission charge which
will entitle you to helpings at the pizza, salad and dessert
bars; cash bar for drinks.
Please bring a new, unwrapped toy or book which we’ll
be donating to local charities committed to helping abused, home-
less and low income children and young teens and brightening
their holiday season.
We thank the Old Northeast Tavern for again hosting our holiday
party. Please join us and be a part of this festive neighborhood
tradition.
P.S. Want to liven up the party? How about “dressing up” ala
the Roaring ‘20s? Wear something reminiscent of The Jazz Age,
flappers, F. Scott and Zelda, speakeasies or the Charleston.

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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News Page 7
Local Historic Landmarks
by Robin Reed
Part 2 in a series

Planning & Historic Preservation Chair

Historic Old Northeast’s complement of local historic landmarks is growing! The Ridgely House located at 600 Beach Drive NE was
recently designated at the request of its owners, Bruce and Mary Sadler. The builder of the 1910 Craftsman Bungalow-style house, dentist
Roy Ridgely, was “an ardent booster of the Sunshine City” and a founder of the Eureka Stone and Paving Company.
In November the City Council considered final approval for designation of the Jones-Laughner House (c. 1909) at 556 Beach Drive NE.
Home to one of the City’s first physicians, Dr. Louis Jones, it was later purchased by the builder of 600 Beach Drive NE, Roy Ridgely. Dur-
ing World War I, resident Virginia Burnside made significant contributions to the war effort. In 1919, the Laughner family (of Vinoy Park
Hotel fame) moved to St. Petersburg and purchased the Craftsman Bungalow-style home. The structure was featured with a color photo in
the November 8th edition of the St. Petersburg Times’ “Neighborhood Times” section. The photo caption noted that “City officials consider
the home an ‘excellent example of the Craftsman style bungalow.’” Public hearings on December 3rd will determine if the house is to be
designated a local landmark.
According to the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance, both of these homes qualify for designation because they are significant remind-
ers of the cultural heritage of St. Petersburg and both are identified with people who contributed significantly to our City. They have the
distinguishing characteristics of the Bungalow style of architecture and retain sufficient elements of the style.
These homes will join the very select group of houses, along with Sunken Gardens, which are currently Local Landmarks in our neighbor-
hood. They are: the Whitted House at 656 1st Street N, the Robert West House (“The Pineapple House”) at 101 6th Avenue NE, the Boyce
Guest House (Sunset Bay Inn) at 635 Bay Street NE and the Monticello Apartments at 750 3rd Street N. To learn more about the fascinating
“Pineapple House” (Robert West House) currently owned by Emily and Victor Seaman, please see Jill McGrath’s second in our series of
articles below featuring these special homes.
Our neighborhood has many other homes that would undoubtedly qualify for “landmark” status. If you would like to have your home
considered for listing on this prestigious Register or would like more information, please contact Mary Alice Lange (823-5401 or maryal-
icelange@gmail.com

The Landmark Pineapple House

T
by Jill McGrath he Landmark designation award requires specific criteria
which must be established and verified by the City’s His-
torical Preservation Committee before the final step of the
Landmark designation request is presented to the City Council. The
history of the house must be “identified with a person or persons who
significantly contributed to the development of the City.” The house
must also contain “distinguishing characteristics of an architectural
style valuable for the study of a period.” The Robert West house (101
6th Avenue NE) generously meets these criteria. This house earned
historic Landmark designation in 1995 for its distinguished owner,
unique characteristics and architectural style. What good fortune sur-
rounds us in The Old Northeast to have five (so far) Landmark houses
in our historic neighborhood.
Robert L. West was born in Virginia in 1862. As an adult, he worked
in Atlanta, first for Southern Bell and then for a construction business
which led him to St. Petersburg. Mrs. Mary West bought the property
in 1912 (a house appears on the Pinellas County tax rolls in 1913; the
ownership of this property in her name shows a sophisticated asset
sheltering technique common in this period…among business people
prone to litigation) and was the West’s home for the next seven years.
Once settled here, Robert West made significant contributions to St.
Petersburg. He designed the first concrete bridge in 1912. He also
designed the first city-owned gas plant and was instrumental in the
design and completion of the City’s first section of the concrete sea
wall which was 1.5 miles in length. West was responsible for the 75
miles of brick streets in Pinellas County, for he “suggested the plan
for laying out, financing and building the road system” which was
completed in 1917. It is interesting to note that the street bricks here in
The Old Northeast came from Augusta, GA, which is why the bricks
are stamped Augusta Block.
West, who was involved in the early development of St. Petersburg,
also built a beautiful house here. “The architecture is an integral
Page 8 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
part of the designation of the structure as a local historic landmark,
and the building [West house] exemplifies the development of St.
Petersburg’s housing stock during the City’s first land boom.” At the
beginning of the neighborhood in 1906, the Bayshore Subdivision
created by C. Perry Snell in 1908 began to blossom and continued at
a rapid rate until the 1920s. This section of St. Petersburg is where
West decided to establish roots and make his mark, and the Pineapple
House evolved.
An historical neighborhood’s architectural diversity is a blueprint of
the developers’ and homeowners’ style preferences through the years.
Evolving within the original design and building process, many of the
houses in The Old Northeast are in the vernacular (characteristic of a
period) because people who moved here wanted
to inject various design features brought from
their own homes in other parts of the country.
The Old Northeast is showcase evidence of
this fact. An excellent example is the blend of
styles in the West house, “a good example of
vernacular Colonial Revival architecture with
Queen Anne influence.” The house is called The
Pineapple House because of the pineapple motif
found on the main entrance. Over the southern
front entrance, encased in its own elegantly
framed gable, is a colorful frieze of a pineapple,
the well-known sign of welcome. Colorful cast
cement pineapples, one on each side of the
front steps’ railings are added welcomes. The
Pineapple House is the only house in The Old
Northeast with an entablature. According to an
architectural source, an “entablature” is the “up-
per section of a classical building resting on the
columns and constituting the architrave, frieze
and cornice.” The lowest part of the entablature
is called the architrave, and it rests on the capi-
tals of the [Tuscan] columns. Another unique
design in the house “includes the two story
bay and the high pitched roof with asymmetric
gables.” The house is built on foundation piers
(in the time when Bay breezes were air conditioners), which was a
common practice in The Old Northeast. It wasn’t until 1929 that the
first “room cooler” was offered for sale.
In addition to the pineapple decorations, the large south and east
side wrap-around porch is another welcoming first sight of the two
and a half story house. The steeply-pitched hipped roof’s gable ends
are outlined with fascia trim, each gable having a central semi-circular
slated wood vent. The roof and its details are Queen Anne architectural
details “from popular architectural styles into vernacular construc-
tion.” Other Queen Anne features on the house include “the two
story, three-sided projecting bay on the western façade and…there
are two interior concrete brick chimneys with decorative corbelled
chimney tops.”
The windows are mostly double-hung, nine-over-one panes. How-
ever, the enclosed section of the front porch, a later change, contains a
series of large, double-hung (and less decorated) six-over-one panes.
Enhancing this house’s exterior or “other contributing resources” in-
clude hexagon sidewalks which includes the hexagon front entrance
from the south elevation’s sidewalk.
There have been a number of alterations such as the rear kitchen
porch wing, using concrete to replace the wood of the original front
porch (which has since been restored to wood) and there have been
door and window additions. In 1994, a lightning strike caused a fire
and serious structure damage to the roof which required replacement.
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
In 1930, a second story was added to the two car garage, adjacent
to the house on the northeast end of the property. In 1955 a frame
stairway was built on the east elevation and a second floor window
was altered into a door.
For 30 years rooms were leased to winter residents. In 1995, when
The Pineapple House was presented for historical preservation review,
it was vacant, in only fair condition and the owner at the time was
preparing for a much-needed renovation. The current owners, Victor
Seaman and his wife Emily, have nurtured the house. Victor reports
that seven years ago, they “discovered the ‘For Sale’ sign, fell in love
with the historical charm of The Pineapple House and the imperfec-
tions and history of the neighborhood.” He shares the haunting story of
the Seaman’s friendly residential ghost. A quick
glance reveals a young girl, approximately seven
years old, who places her hand on the chest of
sleeping inhabitants (owners and guests alike)
then disappears out of the room. The awakened
sleeper does see fleeting skirts and hears the
gentle taps of small, bare feet running down the
stairs. When the Seamans bought their house in
2002, they scrubbed every inch of it. Some time
later they found a torn photograph of a young
girl in a cabinet they had previously cleaned
and inspected. Perhaps their ghost loved the
magnificent house so much she never wanted
to leave. And it is The Pineapple House which
continues to be a landmark of truly beautiful
design and welcoming in the National Historic
Old Northeast.
All factual quotes originated from the
documents(HPC #95-02) submitted by the His-
toric Preservation Committee and presented on
June 1, 1995, to the St. Petersburg City Council,
resulting in the Landmark award for the Robert
West House (Pineapple House).
Jill and Ed McGrath (who grew up together in the Hudson River
Valley of New York) are restoring a 1910 cottage on the corner of
Bay Street and 6th Avenue NE.  This is Jill’s fifth (Ed’s third) com-
plete house restoration project and they have promised each other
that it will be their last.
Sunday, December 13th
Worship at 10:30am
Christmas Cantata
Service:
December 24th at 7pm
Sundays Christmas Eve Service
10:30am Come celebrate
Christmas with us.
Ad courtesy of HONNA in appreciation of Westminster’s generous support of HONNA
Page 9
 Over The Back Fence by  S
and  S
…is a collection of what we’ve heard exchanged in the aisles of the supermarkets,
shared waiting in line to pick up the kids from school, read in the papers, overheard in the
pew behind us in church and, yes, even passed over the back fence. If you have something
you’d like to share about a special recognition, award received, birth, graduation, 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!

Accolades…Some well-deserved attention directed at sev- a sign is posted

eral of your neighbors. Drexey Smith won the “Community for the coming of Over The Back Fence is a
Water Wise Award” at the City Beautiful Commission award
ceremony on October 20 th. At the City’s Neighborhood Part-
nership awards night, Mary Alice Lange received an award for
The Fresh Mar-
ket. On its website Soapbox...
The Fresh Mar- Step on up
all her work on behalf of the neighborhood through HONNA
ket promises an
and other organizations and Robin Reed was presented with a and
neighborhood award for spearheading the Souvenir of St. Pe- old-style butcher
tersburg, Views from the Vinoy book produced by HONNA. shop, European
deli, prepared
let’s hear
Curb Your Appeal…Neighbor and real estate agent Tom
O’Neill got some ink in the “HomeLink” section of November meals, specialty from you
7 th’s St. Petersburg Times. The article, by another neighbor grocery items and
and newsletter contributor Yvonne Swanson, focused on much more. e-mail: nsnaeditor@aol.com
“Best face forward” and how
to freshen your home’s “curb
appeal” when it’s on the sales
market. Featured was a house
at 605 14 th Avenue NE.
Mystery on Cherry
Street….By now most of us
have heard the story of the
elderly woman who self-im-
molated in her Old Northeast
apartment back in 1951. Her
remains had been virtually
cremated save her left foot
still in its undamaged slipper
ly !
Final
and portions of her skull and
spine; there was virtually no
other damage to the apart-
ment. The mysterious death
has generated much attention
in the media and tabloids
ever since. The incident was
recently re-visited in a lengthy
article in the “Neighborhood
Times” section of the 11/11
St. Petersburg Times.
Cornucopia on 4th… Foodies finally have something to
smile about ever since their days in the wilderness when Fancy’s
closed. The popular Mickey’s Snell Isle Market, which became
Mickey’s Kork & Kleaver when it moved to Beach Drive NE
months ago, now has a new reincarnation at 1535 4th Street N
(alongside Being) as Mickey’s Market. According to the St. Pete
Times (11/8), the soon-to-open (if not by the time you read this)
shop is carrying Angus beef, Boar’s Head meats and other deli
items that have been favorites with customers over the years.
Over at the empty Coconut Grove complex at 30th and 4th Street,
construction signs are up promising a makeover of the site and

Page 10 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News Page 11


Neighborhood Book Group
As The Pages Turn...
by Susan Coffey
ONE great book club met again for
some great book discussion in Sep-
tember and November. In September
we met at Elizabeth Hallock’s home
on Bay Street NE. The book Eliza-
beth chose was The Time Traveler’s
Wife by Audrey Niffeneggar. The
book received mostly poor reviews
from the group, most of whom found
it extremely hard to follow. We did
know it is a book club favorite but
we found it to be one of our least
favorites. Niffeneggar had said the
story is a “metaphor for her own failed
relationships.”  named Gerold whose passion for one
The novel is about Henry DeTamble, born in 1963, and Clare
Abshire, born in 1971. Henry has a condition called chromo-dis-
placement disorder in which he travels through time and is found at
different ages in his past and his future. He does meet Clare when
she is six years old in a field near her home in Michigan although
we don’t know how old Henry is at the time. From there they meet
at different intervals, times and places, fall in love and get mar-
ried. Clare never knows when she will see Henry again and waits
patiently, sometimes for years, for his return. They also end up hav-
ing a child who has inherited the same disease as her father, which
makes for quite a connection between father and daughter. The
whole plot is quite convoluted and not too believable. However,
for people who like science fiction and metaphysics, this would
be a great book. The novel has recently been made into a motion
picture. Our book club had to give this a thumbs down.
Our next meeting In November was held at my house on 27th
Avenue NE. The book I chose was Pope Joan written by Donna
Woolfolk Cross. The novel is written as fiction but there still is
controversy over whether Joan really existed and was in fact a
Pope. The story takes place in the ninth century, which is known as
“The Dark Ages.” Joan is born in a Frankland village to an English
father and a Saxon mother. She is destined as all women of the
time to be housekeeper and child bearer to a man. However, Joan
is smart, talented and defiant and learns how to read and write,
something which is unthinkable at that time. The book takes us
through her life and the compelling events that take her from Joan
to John by disguising herself as a man and becoming the only
woman to sit on the Throne of St. Peter as Pope John. The novel
is filled with suspense, betrayal, war and jealousy. There is also a
love story between Joan and a knight
another stands the test of time.
As written by the author, her research
shows that some say Joan’s papacy did
exist and was accepted as being true
until the middle of the 17th century.
The Catholic Church denies there was
ever a Pope Joan but one can read the
book and draw their own conclusion.
What made this book club especially
exciting was that one of our members,
Patricia Calvert, arranged for us to have
a conference call with the author. Ms.
Woolfolk Cross was very engaging
and, of course, we were all so thrilled
to talk with her. The group gave this book a thumbs up.
ONE great book club continues to have a waiting list. Our sis-
ter/brother book club meets the last Wednesday of the month at
2pm, and they are looking for new members. I can be reached
at cofflash@aol.com

We continue to have a waiting list for One Great Book

club that meets every other month on the second Thursday
in the evening. Our sister/brother book club meets the last
Wednesday of the month at 2pm. Contact Colleen Grant
at JAMESGRANT1140@msn.com for info.

Page 12 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Candlelight Tour of Homes from page 1
most energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly building designs Advance tickets may be purchased at
of the 21st century into a home that still looks like one of the first the following locations:
homesteads of St. Petersburg. Beach Papery & Gifts
The tour draws approximately one thousand visitors to our neigh- 553 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street N
borhood. Last year, when our home was featured, we met a family Davis Anthony Home & Garden
that came from a Frank Lloyd Wright community in Wisconsin as 300 Beach Drive NE Ste 128
well as a couple vacationing here from California. Closer to home, Dolin’s Garden Center
we met two sisters whose family lived in our home for three genera- 801 62nd Avenue N.
tions. It was wonderful to hear them remember the milestones they Florida Craftsman Gallery
experienced here such as watching on TV the first man to walk on 501 Central Avenue
the moon in what is now our reading room. Together, we discovered Marion’s
that my son’s “secret” hiding spot was also their favorite place to go 1301 4th Street N
during games of hide-and-seek (the linen cabinet beneath a window Prudential Tropical Realty
seat). I will always remember the look on their faces when I gave 2331 4th Street N
them their great grandfather’s 1933 World’s Fair walking cane that The UPS Store
I found years earlier while cleaning out the garage. 200 2nd Street S
The Candlelight Tour is sure to generate many new discoveries this Treehouse Gallery
year for all who participate. Come and explore while raising money for 2835 22nd Avenue N
some worthy causes. This is The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Uncorked
Association’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The money raised helps 2706 4th Street N
HONNA do important work -- like updating the neighborhood plan And in Tampa.. Pondscapes 4213 S. Manhattan Ave.
-- and it also allows us to host other community events such as the
July 4th Parade, Easter Egg Hunt and the new Halloween Scavenger
Hunt. This year, 25% of the net proceeds from the Candlelight Tour
will be donated to the Pinellas Coalition for the Homeless.
Advance tickets are $15 through PayPal at www.honna.org or
Please Support
ticket outlets (check HONNA website for locations). For tickets by
mail, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to HONNA Home
Tour, P.O. Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734. Tickets will be sold
Our Advertisers
the day of the event for $20. They will be available from 2:30-7pm
at Westminster Palms, located at 830 North Shore Drive NE, or
...and remember to
Westminster Presbyterian Church, located at 126 11th Avenue NE.
tell them that you
For more about two
Candlelight Tour homes, see page 20.
saw their ad here.

Crime Tip
Put your car keys beside your bed at night
This message has been making its way in e-mail blasts but it’s a helpful tip: Place your car keys beside
your bed when you’re ready to hit the sack.
If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get into your house, just press the panic
button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it
off or the car battery dies.
Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away,
think of this: It’s a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test
it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs
down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain.
It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to
break into your house, odds are the burglar/intruder won’t stick around.
After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure
enough the criminal won’t want that.
And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the
same way there. Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime. This could also be useful for any emer-
gency, such as a heart attack, where you can’t reach a phone. If you carry your car keys with you and you
fall outside near your car, you can activate the car alarm and those nearby will know there’s a problem.
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News Page 13
 Thinking in
Purple
Avoid the Blame Game Stressful times can bring out the
worst in each of us. It seems to be the perfect time to start
blaming ourselves or family members for everything that feels
wrong. This type of projection only adds more stress to each
of us and our relationships. Nothing good can come out of this
destructive habit. So, instead of blaming, try to schedule some
time to objectively look at the problems you are facing, brain-
storming solutions or ways to at least minimize the problem’s
effects. If you catch yourself blaming, identify it for what it is
and then stop! What a great role model you will be for children
who get to watch your transformation.
Declare Stress Free Zones My husband and I have been
practicing something recently that has really helped. We have
agreed to talk about certain subjects for a specific period of
time and then end the discussion with another agreement not
to bring it up again until our next meeting. This strategy has
helped contain certain stressful topics, not allowing them to
interfere and dominate every moment of our time together. I
have also noticed that we are better able to focus on the topic
more fully when we practice this. And when one of us brings
the subject up after the discussion has been closed, we try to
by Barbara Rhode, LMFT make a joke out of closing it back up and moving onto some-
thing more pleasant.
Financial stress is the number one reason couples end rela-
A Perfect Holiday Gift tionships. It is not the lack of money but the manner in which the
conflict over money is handled.

T
People who understand them-
his holiday season will selves and their beliefs about
be unique for my fam- money have a much easier time
ily. Like most of you, dealing with finances when it
we have been hit by some of the becomes a life stressor. Asking
effects of this financial recession, yourself or your partner about
so my usual extravagant habit of financial messages you heard
buying gifts for everyone will as a child can open the door to
have to be seriously curtailed. deeper understandings.
Luckily, I started making things In other words, our current
for some of the people on my list financial recession could be
a few months ago so I should be the perfect way for you to gain
in pretty good shape by the time additional insight into yourself
the holidays roll around. I have and your partner. Now that’s a
to admit -- I am enjoying this great gift to unwrap or give this
refocus and feel sort of like the holiday season.
characters in Little Women. They
The Rhode family wishes you
took a lot of pleasure in creating handmade things for each other,
and yours a peace-filled holiday season.
secretly tucking the gifts away until the holidays.
The problem is that even after the holidays are over, most
of us will still be left with the continuing effects of a financial Barbara Rhode is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who
downturn. The question is how do you continue to deal with provides trainings and workshops to corporations and non-profits
these changes in a positive way, preventing them from nega- on wellness and life balance. She lives in a very purple house in The
tively affecting you and your relationships? Old Northeast, a place where she contemplates
in shades of “purple.”
Here are some tips from the experts on ways to successfully
avoid problems when the Dow plunges: This is Barbara’s last regular column
for our newsletter – a space she has
Set Some Time Aside to Invest in Your Relationship If
productively and lovingly filled since
you think about it, this recession encourages us to make some
our September 2005 issue. She has
necessary adjustments to our attitudes and priorities. Instead
taken a position with Ceridian and
of rushing off to shop, you could spend that time with the
will be providing assessment services
special people in your life, hearing things about them that you
to our military personnel all over the
may never have had the chance to hear before. If they repeat
world from right here in St. Pete. We
something you have already heard, try listening a little more
wish Barbara well and thank her for
fully. You might be surprised at what you learn.
being such a good neighbor.
Page 14 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Demolished House Contents Donated to HONNA Got Junk? It’s Almost Yard Sale Time!
by Maureen Stafford, HONNA President
You can procras-
Recently the next-door Westminster Palms retirement complex tinate a bit longer
took over the vacant North Shore high rise building at 10th Avenue before tossing out Tre
and Beach Drive NE with plans to revert it to its former retirement asur
rove e
all that “stuff” in Barga T
apartment residence identity as the Palm View. Standing in the way your closets, the ga-
in s
was a cute bungalow on 9th Avenue NE that was to be sacrificed rage, attic and other
for extra parking. When some HONNA Board members heard overflowing storage
about the bungalow’s pending fate, a hurried attempt to relocate spaces. HONNA is
the building was put into action. All efforts to find a new home for planning another gi-
the ‘20s house came up short; alas, there were no takers. gantic neighborhood-
A combination of sagging economy, lack of interest and a looming wide yard/garage/ Old NE
wrecking ball proved to be too much for the little house to survive. attic/moving/alley/ Yard Sale
But just when we thought all was lost, a group of passionate preser- estate – whatever-
vationists made a plea to Westminster to donate the old pine flooring you-want-to-call-it –
for a preservation project already in the works. In a matter of three sale. We are looking
days all the old Southern yellow heart pine boards were harvested at one of two dates: March 13th or April 10th. Check the HONNA
and today have been installed in a website www.honna.org and/or the March issue of this newsletter
different bungalow. for specifics. If you’re a HONNA member with an e-mail address,
Their contribution to making an- we’ll keep you posted via e-mails blasts. Not a member yet? Go to
other bungalow shine with authen- the website and join so you won’t miss out knowing early about
ticity may seem small but serves as this event and others like the annual Easter Egg Hunt.
proof that when like-minds join in We have some special features in mind for this year, including
action, good stewardship benefits. accepting donations for “Clothes for Kids” which is opening a new
If you learn that another such situ- thrift store in the city. One thing is for sure, this isn’t going to be
ation is going to happen in which like your mother’s yard sale!
an old house is facing demolition, So get organized and start thinking about what treasures and
please contact me ASAP (www. trash you’ll want to part with. We’ll do our best to make it easy
honna.org) so the story might have and fun for you.
a happier ending.

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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News Page 15
Halloween Central from page 1
don drive here to see some amazing decorations. With the purchase
of a $5 map (sold from our sales spot next to the North Shore ten-
nis courts), you saw more than 20 decorated locations and gained
admission into a
show by Ghost
Tours of St. Pete
Best on 18th Avenue
Theme between Wal-
nut and Poplar
Streets. How
many of you
knew that the
first document-
ed case of hu-
man spontane-
ous combustion
happened here
on Cherry Street
[see “Over the Almost 40 volunteers gave their time and ideas into starting
Back Fence” what we hope will be an annual tradition here. Neighbors MJ
elsewhere in and Jerry Robinson of Robinson Brand Builders, who came up
this issue]? Not with a complete and very creative marketing package, were am
only did resi- ong the most tireless volunteers.
dents of 18th Av- We could not have pulled off this event without some won-
enue decorate to the derful sponsors. Thanks go to the following businesses for their
extent that it looked contributions:
like Universal Stu- Mariner Car Wash — 3338 4th Street N
dios, they built a
Tropical Smoothie — 1201 4th Street N
stage for the pro-
duction and brought Old Northeast Tavern — 201 7th Avenue N
in fire dancers and Old Farmer’s Creamery — 2531 4th Street N
some spectacular Rutland Storage — 898 30th Avenue N
“Thriller” perform- Valentino’s Little Italy — 1004 4th Street N
ers from the Soulful Northeast Publix — 200 37th Avenue N
Arts Dance Acad-
emy. Homeowners Special appreciation goes to our main sponsor, Old Northeast
one block over on Jewelers (1131 4th Street N). The Palladium Theater hosted
17th Avenue NE also a HONNA membership drive at their very hip Side Door Jazz
offered interactive club on Wednesday evening, October 28th. (See photo top right.)
experiences that Next year our hope is for the 2nd Annual Old NE Scavenger Hunt
elicited delicious and Ghost Show to begin at the Palladium Theater’s main stage.
screams and awe. Most
Creative
Every family t
which purchased a Creepies
map got a small
prize. The first 12 map holders to answer all the scavenger hunt
questions correctly won gift certificates to Mariner Car Wash and
Old Farmer’s Creamery.
Speaking of winners, it was very difficult choosing winners for
this year’s decorating contest held on the same night. Twenty-three
homes entered the contest and were featured on the scavenger map
along with dozens of other haunts to see. In the end, “The Adam’s
Family” (a.k.a.,Ellen and George Burkhart’s house) on 16th Av-
enue NE won for Best Theme. Homeowners on the block of 18th
Avenue (between Elm and Poplar) took Best in Show. Les and
Delene Cole certainly earned Most Creative for their handiwork
on 9th Avenue N and the judges were downright scared to drive
down 23rd Avenue N where Sean Ortiz and Doug Reed’s home
won Creepiest Award. Winning homes received cool award signs
plus complimentary tickets to Ghost Tours of St. Pete and the book,
Ghost Stories of St Petersburg.

Page 16 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

Fox 13 television personalities Russell Rhodes (R) and
Dave Osterberg (Below R) came out to film preparations
for Halloween displays in The Old Northeast.
Photos courtesy WTVT/Fox 13
We are looking to form a planning committee and are open to
feedback and suggestions on how to improve the event for the
future. Ideas and interested residents can contact me at tracey@
tlsknowsmedia.com.
And all this activity organized by your neighborhood association
was followed the Saturday night of Halloween by hundreds upon
hundreds of toddlers, kids, young teens and watchful chaperone
parents descending upon our streets. From families living within
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
The Old Northeast to those from outside our boundaries -- wel-
comed to our neighborhood by the tantalizing publicity promis-
ing lots of fun -- young and old alike experienced an evening of
memorable sights and sounds – and candy treats.
Will next year’s Halloween activities in The Old Northeast outdo
the energy, electricity and excitement of this year’s? I wouldn’t
bet against it, and I’m counting the days.
Page 17
 PORCH PARTIES
Porch Parties are held the third Friday of the

o
Y du ’ r e month from 7:30-10pm (except December).
Porch Parties are strictly social and provide
and informal and fun way to mix and mingle with

Invite
your neighbors. Bring your own beverage. Cups, ice
and light snacks are provided. Ask a neighbor to ride or
walk over with you. For more info, contact Larry Smith,
641-5810 or email: smithlb@earthlink.net.

December: No Porch Party.

(Neighborhood Holiday Party in lieu, December 21st. See page 7.)
January 15th and February 19th Porch Party locations TBA. Check www.honna.org.

Lots of interesting characters at the

Photos courtesy Susan Alderson Halloween Porch Party in October.
Source: Compiled from public records by FNBR Inc. and
Property Transfers printed in the St. Petersburg Times.

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

202 7th Avenue N Russell Gudorf 140 19th Avenue NE Louis & Elsy Gerber
166 9th Aveue N Anthony Vasillas 306 19th Avenue NE Melvin & Mary Bettcher
219 10th Avenue N Richard Wiersema 156 20th Avenue NE Jeffrey & Sarah Bogdanovich
306 15th Avenue NE Christine Warren 115 23rd Avenue NE Ernesto Luciano
338 15th Avenue NE Brian & Sabrina Young 310 23rd Avenue N Andy & Dale Tessler
446 16th Avenue NE Roma Palcan 628 2nd Street N Helen Cook
156 17th Avenue NE Michael Pastreich 638 2nd Street N Alex Ray
227 17th Avenue N Megan & Seth Firestone 1024 North Shore Dr NE #5 Robert & Angela Baisley
216 17th Avenue NE William & Sara Leslie

Page 18 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News Page 19

 The
GREEN
PAGE
by Michael Panetta
s achieve and maintain your habitat, conserve what you have, reuse
Christma
The GREEN PAGE
It is amazing that the holidays are quickly approaching again. I
originally planned the “recycling” installment for this issue, but I
learned about two “green” homes that will be part of the 12th An-
nual Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Candlelight Tour
of Homes on Sunday, December 13th, and decided to highlight
them here so you won’t miss the opportunity to experience them
firsthand. These homes were conceived and built as low impact,
sustainable, energy-efficient homes and completed within the past
year. Remarkably, they sit right alongside the rest of our homes and
blend into the streetscape, and I believe are the next generation of
building made from the best of what our community is about ... and
“green” is not the extreme that most people think of anymore.
These wonderful homes belong to Trisha and Robert Birken-
stock on 6th Avenue NE and Marianne Van De Vrede and Dean
Lampe on 13th Avenue NE. It’s impossible to do justice and high-
light all the design strategies and features that were so carefully
crafted into these two homes in this limited space, so I only hope to
pique your interest. If you are truly interested in modern living in an
historic neighborhood, this is your opportunity to see it up close.
While I think these homes are a nice study of contrasts in many
respects, they both share what I think is one of the most critical
components of a sustainable home -- owners with the vision, spirit
and sheer determination to make their commitment to responsible
environmentalism a reality, not only as a good neighbor within the
community but to the greater ecology surrounding us all.
Page 20 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Van De Vedere-Lampe home
The Homes
The basic strategies of most green buildings are relatively
straightforward: use the least amount of energy and resources to
anything already produced and harm nothing doing it. But the way
these common tenets can be achieved are limited only by one’s
imagination, fortitude and budget. As with most green projects,
the key focus of both homes was for a high performance building
shell (walls, windows, insulation and roof) and a high efficiency
mechanical system because these two elements represent the great-
est potential energy uses.
Both homes also employ “passive” strategies that take advan-
tage of natural energy characteristics – read as “free” energy. Day
lighting reduces a building’s energy budget (up to 20%) spent on
lighting by tapping into sunlight. Likewise, passive ventilation
schemes capitalize on prevailing winds and temperatures to cli-
matize the spaces. So while having similar strategies, they each
achieved them in very different manners.
The Van De Vrede-Lampe home is a brand new one-story tradi-
tional Bungalow-style home that was completed this spring after
only seven months of construction. When I first went looking for
this “new” home, I drove right past it. Marianne and Dean partnered
in the meticulous and caring contextual design and construction
on a challenging 40’ wide lot to build this 1,500sf, 3-bedroom/
2-bath home. It may look like a vintage 1920s bungalow, but looks
are where it ends.
The shell is an insulating concrete form (ICF), which is basically
insulation filled with reinforced concrete. It is highly insulating,
green and has a very strong wall system. The Hardie Board siding
is a pre-painted manufactured product that is fire, moisture and
termite proof (it’s a cementacious composite) and indistinguishable
from the wood clapboard and fish scale found on period homes.
While reminiscent of a typical shotgun-style plan, the interior
spaces are warm and generous with the living areas opening to one
another. Tall doors with functional transoms and deeply set hung
windows that bounce the daylight into the rooms lighten the space
while providing efficient passive ventilation during our outdoor-
friendly season. Claiming attic space by incorporating an elegantly
detailed exposed duct system for a 9’ tall living area, the efficiency
of the mechanical (A/C) and passive systems also increased.
For finishes, they incorporated historic old doors, hardware and
light fixtures along with three different types of sustainable wood
floors … yes there is more than just bamboo. Re-purposed furniture
was used in a wonderful coffee bar and in a few other locations
as cabinets while the kitchen features Plyboo cabinets (bamboo
plywood) with a Paperstone countertop made from remanufactured
paper. And like almost everything else in the home, these products
are formaldehyde-free, petroleum-free, non-toxic and no volatile
organic compounds (VOC).
The yard is xeriscaped with native and drought-tolerant vegeta-
tion. The rear yard opens through a covered porch designed to ac-
commodate the large resident historic oak
that helps shade the porch and yard while
the adjoining garage sports the solar hot
water panels on the roof. The house uses
everything efficiently, including the small
parcel it was built on. It seems effortless
now that it is complete but came together
so “simply” because of painstaking plan-
ning that had been going on for a couple of
years. As a result of this visioning and care
to the environment, this home feels like it
has always been a part of the community.
The Birkenstock’s project was a ground
up (well below ground) total renovation
and addition to a vintage 1908 two-story
home with a separate two-story carriage
house. Both structures were added to
and modified poorly, divided into seven
apartment units and then neglected over
its century in our community. I had the
pleasure of working with the Birkenstocks
as their architect from the very first steps
of this project, helping to select the right
home and bones that would allow for their
vision to unfold. Demolition was never
an option on any property we looked at Birkenstock home
because of commitment to community
and principle. So despite its rough condition, this was the one,
and the design began with the efficient repurposing of the existing
building shells, strong passive design strategies and very efficient
new components.
Here again, the building shell was the primary focus. Asbestos
siding was carefully stripped along with other poorly constructed
elements to reveal reasonably sound board siding and structure
original to both buildings that were reconditioned to restore the
original façade and lines. To accomplish an aggressive interior—a
new open plan—the main building was gutted. The design evolved
around a three-story north facing atrium connecting the original
floors with the new attic loft. Besides the openness and connec-
tion of the space, the atrium provides valuable day lighting and a
pathway for natural and mechanical ventilation to all the spaces.
The shell and foundation were completely re-engineered to meet
or exceed current wind codes and still retain the original siding,
window locations and other design elements. The walls, floor and
roof structures are solidly filled with foamed in place insulations
(two types). When combined with the high performance casement
windows (emulating the less efficient original double hungs), these
insulations provide a very efficient thermal shell and sound strong
modern structure. Multiple mechanical systems were installed for
maximum zone control and efficiency and take good advantage
of the interconnection of the atrium. Likewise, three hot water
zones with tankless gas heaters were installed, heating only what
is needed, on demand, and where it is needed.
A new rear porch mimics the front to extend the interior space
into a courtyard between the two buildings as well as the exterior
to the atrium. A system of Bob’s own design controls the audio
and lighting throughout the home. The finishes and materials are
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
simple but beautifully detailed and incorporate low flow fixtures,
Energy Star rated equipment, re-purposed cabinets along with
artifacts like a tub and toilet, stained glass, hardware and other
components that survived the years of neglect.
Everything in this home flows together—the interior and exte-
rior interlocking spaces and views, the
natural light and breezes along with
its century-old history. The traditional
but eclectic contemporary style of its
owners along with their clear vision
brought the spirit of the old house back
into this home.
I have glossed over so much and
could continue on about the homes,
features and inventiveness of these two
couples, but the words don’t paint the
real picture … take the opportunity to
explore them
And again, I have run out of space. I
hope this has brought “sustainability” a
little closer to your home and, if it has
please pass it on. The next Green Page
installment will be on recycling. Happy
Holidays to all.
Michael Panetta moved to the Old
Northeast in 1998 and is President of
his newly established Architectural
practice, Panetta + Associates, Inc.
For additional information or com-
ments, he can be contacted at Green-
Info@PanettaAssociates.com
From now to
in just one day!
Your home only better.
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CasaTerraDesign.com 727.359.6791
Page 21
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Cell: (727) 480-0916
Fax: (727) 895-3242
E-mail: homeshelen@earthlink.net
www.homesbyheleninc.com

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Page 22 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

HONNA – Putting On a New Face
by Maureen Stafford, Association President
S
o, what do you do in your business when several key
people on your team tell you they are having constant
struggles with a machine that continually malfunctions?
You have called in the mechanic and the design engineer and, even
though you have ramped it up, you still cannot get the output and
quality your business needs. Schedules are threatened with delays
and every day you are wondering if this is the day that key person
might quit! Adding to the pressure are the growing demands of your
business. The bulk of new technology pouring into your machine
is forcing it to slow down until you think it is
only half alive! Time to stop and reevaluate
your business’ future, right?
Good practice says, at this juncture, it is
time to reassess your goals and look ahead
to where and how you want to grow. You
may have to look at a new business model
and make some investment.
Ok, if you are still with me here, I would
like you to imagine that the machine is
our website, the key people are volunteers
and the future is HONNA’s. And stop to
reevaluate is exactly what we did. We spent
the first several months of this year taking
stock of where our association is going
and how it is growing. This involved a
survey that many of you took the time to
participate in earlier this year, giving us
your thoughts. This information was very
helpful in getting us to put our ideas into
alignment with yours. What showed up
for us was that we needed to reengineer
our website. We needed to leap forward
into the current technology field and stop
trying to swim upstream with our familiar
old model.
So, we called in our resident expert engineer, Joe O’Connor,
and bent his ear on how to tackle this monster. It so happened
that Joe was between jobs and dove into this monster undertaking
with both feet. Lucky us! We are now in the process of design and
engineering for this new and interactive site. Our genius, Joe, is
designing this site to meet HONNA’s special needs. We will then
be able to communicate with all of you through a more organized
and efficient model. It will, among many other facilities like
archiving greater amounts of data, provide us with the ability to
create studies and lists which will eliminate much of the heavy,
hardcopy and pencil-breaking styles of past years. That brings me
to the next faze of our new growth: branding.
Branding used to be a strange concept to me. I just couldn’t get
myself around why someone would need to have this kind of work
done, professionally. I always presumed that ordinary, creative
people with some available time could pull it together. And then
I met some professionals who asked me some questions that had
me thinking I didn’t know my head from my elbow when it came
to the study of visual concepts and their mix with language. The
branding challenge came up when one of our Board directors went
to have a banner made for HONNA. She came back to me and
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
asked me to help pick the colors because the HONNA colors she
tried using wouldn’t allow us to utilize our logo -- you just could
not see it on the banner. The only choice that would show our
sandy-colored logo was aqua blue, and it was quite a shock to
see how aqua blue went with the dark green and burgundy colors
of our banner flags so many neighbors have flying from their
porches! Suddenly we saw that we were creating the potential to
have HONNA’s banners look like the secondhand shop’s leftover
stock! When we all sat down with the wonderful team of MJ and
Jerry Robinson of Robinson Brand Builders
(Old Northeast residents) to discuss our logo,
we got quite a shock.
MJ and Jerry have done lots of work for
HONNA (mostly pro bono) in the past and
have always presented us with the highest
in quality and workmanship. Colors and
our logo were not the only items needing
attention. Surveys taken suggested, among
other items needing attention, that we could
better organize our materials like brochures,
used for our Candlelight Tour, Garden Stroll
and other events. Designing these materials
through a new system would allow them to
be protected in a computer “vault” and kept
safe for future projects. Colors could be coded
for accuracy in future use. HONNA spends
considerable money preparing for these tours
and events, and when we have turnovers in
volunteers it is not unusual for these records
(in hardcopy) to get lost or damaged. Even
in perfectly kept condition these copies can-
not be reproduced inexpensively. This new
system will give us computer access to these
materials at will and, sometimes, the ability
to reproduce them ourselves, saving time and
money. Along with cleaning up our act, the potential to save moun-
tains of time and effort began to sound like a very good idea.
So, now you have the story behind all the extra hours your
Board has been working and why we are so excited to bring you
these new developments. Come, join us --working on and with
the Board of Directors is going to be a new, great adventure!!
W atch for HONNA’s new logo which will be incor-
porated into our banner on
page 1 in the next issue of this newslet-
ter. The new logo is also appearing on
printed materials and our website.
Look out for the March issue, where
MJ Robinson will share the story be-
hind the design of the logo.
Page 23
ON THE DOCKET: Some Upcoming Events In
and Nearby Our Neighborhood
December 3-6 DECEMBER 21
Annual St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show South OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD HOLIDAY PARTY
Yacht Basin; 800/940-7642 (see page 7)
December 4
Get Downtown Music Series Central b/w 2nd-3rd; 393- December 21
3597 Celebrity Critter of the Week: Dwarf Octopus Pier Aquarium; 895-
December 5 7437
Annual Santa Holiday Parade Downtown and waterfront; December 26
813/388-1153. “Westward Ho from the Waterfront” Tour to Historic Kenwood
Snowfest. North Straub Park; 893-7441 Central at 2nd; 824-7802   
Breakfast with Santa and Holiday Extravaganza Day December 29
Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667  Celebrity Critter of the Week: Sponges Pier Aquarium; 895-7437
Horticulture Workshop: Orchid Care Sunken Gardens; December 31
551-3100 First Night St. Petersburg Celebration Various downtown loca-
FISH-ful Saturday: Science from the Sea Pier Aquari- tions; 823-8906
um; 895-7437
December 31
Green Market & Street Fair Grand Central District, Cen-
tral b/w 24th-26th ; 328-7086 Labyrinth at First Night South Straub Park; 895-7437
Saturdays at the Morean Arts Center 719 Central; 822-7872 January 8-10
December 5-23 Sunshine City Antiques and Collectibles Show Coliseum;
Santa in the Park North Straub Park; 893-7441. 892-5202
December 7 January 12
Celebrity Critter of the Week: Horseshoe Crab Pier Natural History Speaker Series: Exploring the Wild Side of
Aquarium; 895-7437 Florida Boyd Hill Nature Preserve; 893-7326
December 9 January 14
Annual Boley Centers’ Jingle Bell Run The Pier; 821- Tampa Bay Job Fair Coliseum; 892-5202
4819 JANUARY 15 PORCH PARTY (see page 18)
December 12
Christmas Jamboree Pinellas Pioneer Settlement, 2900 January 15-17
31st St. S; 893-7326 Cosi fan Tutte Palladium Theater; 823-2040
Lost in Time Fossil Show The Pier; 821-6443 January 16
Walking Tour of Downtown St. Pete Historic District Psychic Fair The Pier; 821-6443
Central at 2nd; 824-7802 Q105/WQYK Wing n’ Rock Fest Vinoy Park; 579-1925
World of Holidays Great Explorations Children’s Mu- 25th Annual MLK National Battle of Bands The Trop; 327-
seum, 1925 4th St. N; 821-8992 6555
Horticulture Workshop: Create a Tabletop Christmas January 16-17
Tree of Succulents Sunken Gardens; 551-3100 Buckler’s Craft Show Coliseum; 892-5202
Holiday Family Activities at Spa Beach Park The Pier;
821-6443 JANUARY 18 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
Holiday Drum Circle Facilitation The Pier; 821-6443
Holiday Gallery Walk Downtown galleries; 323-ARTS January 22-24
Bruce Watters Jewelers Illuminated Boat Parade
Downtown waterfront; 821-6443 Gem, Jewelry and Bead Show Coliseum; 892-5202
Tuba Christmas The Pier; 821-6443 February 9
Natural History Speaker Series: Restoring the Everglades,
DECEMBER 13 Florida’s River of Grass, Boyd Hill Nature Preserve; 893-7326
HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST CANDLELIGHT February 13
TOUR OF HOMES (see page 1) Suncoast Classic Run For Kids BayWalk through down-
town; 825-1521
December 13
Holiday Orchestra Concert Palladium Theater; 438-3149 FEBRUARY 15 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
December 14
Celebrity Critter of the Week: Sea Cucumber The Pier FEBRUARY 19 PORCH PARTY (see page 18)
Aquarium; 895-7437
December 18 February 20
Walking Tour “North by Old Northeast” Central at 2nd; Pioneer Music Jamboree Pinellas Pioneer Settlement, 2900
824-7802 31st St. S; 893-7326
December 19 February 27
Family Photos at the Poinsettia Tree Sunken Gardens; Huntington’s Care to Cure Concert Vinoy Park; 471-8557
551-3100
Classic Auto Show The Pier; 821-6443
FISH-ful Saturday Celebrates The Year of the Fish:
Once Upon A Tide Pier Aquarium; 895-7437 For a current and more detailed listing
Family Flicks! Movies on the Waterfront The Pier; 821- visit the City’s website at www.stpete.org
6443

Page 24 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News

 Ponderings
The Plan
by John Gee
John and his wife Kathy moved to St. Pete from New Mexico
six years ago, and he currently teaches history at a Sarasota
high school. He has served on the HONNA Board where he co-
chaired its Historic Preservation Committee. You can also read
more from John in the Northeast Journal.
W
hile on the HONNA Board, I kept hearing references to
some sort of “neighborhood plan” that existed but never
could assume a corporeal form. So as to not appear too
ignorant, I pretended an awareness and understanding of this “plan”
hoping that someday it would be revealed and I could get with the
program. Although it never appeared, people said they had seen it and
some said that they actually had something to do with its creation.
A few months ago, I received a letter from the HONNA Board say-
ing that not only had the plan assumed visual form, it could be seen
and, by attending a series of neighborhood meetings, could be revised
to reflect more 21st century ideals. This makes me nervous.
The nature of The Old Northeast is its collection of eclectic archi-
tecture and eccentric homeowners. On any neighborhood excursion,
you can see every type of house inhabited by sometimes friendly,
sometimes odd, sometimes talkative and sometimes rude people. Dogs
bark, children act like children, cats and opossums lurk under bushes,
cars park where they can, people attend our many outdoor activities,
neighborhood parties abound and packs of bike riders streak through
on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Sometimes the sidewalks are clear
sometimes not, most yards are bourgeois clean while others are, well,
not so organized. Occasionally, people make too much noise, disregard
street signs, house construction either takes way too long or creates
Music Fest on the Water Music Series
Every Sunday 1-4pm The Pier; 821-6443
December 6 Happy Days
December 13 Nashville band
December 20 Late Night Brass
December 27 Holiday Show Review
January 3 Bobby Summers, jazz, R&B and more
January 10 Funk Monster Band, Top 40, High energy
January 17 Happy Days Show Duo
(impersonations of many celebrities)
January 24 Solid Core
January 31 Rock ‘n’ Chair Band 
February 7 Happy Days
February 14 eff Red
February 21 Lionheart
February 28th TBD
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
new structures that go beyond the bounds of normal good taste… and
with all of this we still have a comfortable place to live.
Now there are many things in the plan that make obvious sense and
who could argue about wanting to have those cool acorn street lights,
brick streets, nice trees and our beautiful parks? Who would not want
Sunken Gardens, tennis courts, that great swimming pool, the dog
park, Kids and Kubs and the many different looking alleyways? But
why worry about mailboxes, tinted glass, porch railings, private docks
and newspaper vending machines? And then there are those ethereal
things that no one can do anything about such as passing airplanes
(more people, more planes), traffic control (more people, more cars),
too many events (more events=more money) and continued home
building (more people, more homes). Although the economy may
slow these problems down, Florida will always be a destination and
these things will happen and we should accept them as proof that we
live in a remarkable place.
I fear not the errant mailbox, occasional doggie waste or garage
access but I do fear the possible overall homogenization of The Old
Northeast. Humans have a bad habit of overprotecting something into
oblivion, and since we live here because we don’t want some gated
community nightmare we should accept the fact that our neighborhood
cannot be perfect. Yes, we can have more trees, more Florida plants,
Augusta bricks and our hex blocks -- but we are an urban environment
and not all is what we like.
But I shouldn’t get too excited about all this stuff. After reading
the entire plan and cruising through all the likes, dislikes and recom-
mendations there was a brief sad moment when I thought the entire
neighborhood would be remade to look like a Disney park. However,
after a careful re-read, the saving grace loophole was found that al-
lowed me to breathe a little easier. The third paragraph of the cover
letter explained the process for acceptance as such: after HONNA
review and acceptance, the plan goes to some commission with the
new age title of “Planning and Visioning” for review, then to some
unnamed City Council committee and then to the Council as a whole.
Knowing governmental bureaucracies as I do, this Byzantine process
will never end and we can rest assured that our neighborhood will
continue with its eccentric and, at times, dysfunctional ways for more
many more years to come. I love this place.
Ed. Note: With all due respect to our resident curmudgeon and Andy
Rooney wannabe, approval of the Neighborhood Plan is actually making its
way through the legislative/administrative process and is about ready for
final consideration [see page 5].
Page 25

A Little TLC for Our Monuments
It’s the responsibility of our Homeowner’s Association to
maintain the entryways into our neighborhood. This includes
attention to landscaping. Recently several neighbors -- Ron
Magray, Randy Hodge, Bob Watts and Rick Carson -- spent
a couple of hours one Saturday morning weeding the monu-
ments at 30th Avenue N and 1st Street, and 5th Avenue N and
1st Street. Several neighbors passing by thanked them for their
efforts. If you would like to help with future weeding efforts,
contact Mary Alice Lange at 251-2034.
Page 26 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Committee reports from page 5
approximately 850 books sold to-date.
Walking Tour
Another glorious day provided the backdrop for the Associa-
tion’s fall walking tour. Notice of the tour in the St. Pete Times
brought a number of visitors to the neighborhood, many of whom
were interested in the local real estate market.
Neighborhood architecture experts Rob Wertz and Mike Dailey
gave a fascinating tour of the area in and around The Old Northeast
tavern. Pattern brickwork and Moderne style architecture were
features of this tour, with a stop and chat with the owner of the
Local Historic Landmark home, the Monticello Apartments at 750
3rd Street N. This very large and beautiful house was moved to the
neighborhood from downtown to prevent its demolition. We were
assured that the move was “a sight to see”!
Neighborhood Plan
The Neighborhood Plan, accepted by a vote of neighbor-
hood residents at HONNA’s September monthly meeting, was
presented to the City’s Planning and Visioning Commission for
review on November 10th. The committee voted unanimously
to recommend our plan to the City Council for its approval/accep-
tance. The Commissioners were very impressed with the plan and
very complimentary about our neighborhood. The presentation for
final (and official) acceptance of the Plan by City Council will be
on Thursday, December 17th, at City Hall, at 6pm. You are encour-
aged to attend this important meeting to show your support for the
Plan (a copy of the Plan may be viewed at www.HONNA.org).
The Association is most appreciative to all those Planning Com-
mittee members who spent many hours of their time and pooled
their ideas to create a vision for the future of our neighborhood.
My personal thanks also go to each and every one!
Website
Joe O’Connor, Consultant
E-mails about neighborhood news and events now have a new
appearance and new features. We provide e-mails about Crime
Watch, Porch Parties, annual and monthly events and general
neighborhood news. Anyone can now subscribe to a list from the
HONNA website (look for the e-mail announcement on the front
page at www.honna.org). If you have changed your e-mail address
or you want to change your e-mail list subscriptions, follow the
“Update your profile” link that will appear at the bottom of all
future e-mails or send a request to announcements@honna.org.
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How Does Your Garden Grow?
Will resume with the next issue
 126 11th Avenue NE Ages 2 - VPK
St. Petersburg, FL State Approved
33701 LIC. #C610108
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Individual and Business

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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News Page 27

 Next Neighborhood Meeting: Monday, January 18th, at 7pm
All Neighborhood Holiday Party: Monday, December 21st (see p.7)
All neighborhood residents invited
Prsrt Std
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association U.S. Postage Paid
St. Petersburg FL
P.O. Box 76324 Permit #1020
St. Petersburg, FL 33734
www.honna.org

In this issue
• Fox In The
Neighborhood
• Gourmet Foods
Are Back!
• The Pineapple
House
• Halloween
Happenings

Page 28 Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News