Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News - September 2009

Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

Published Quarterly

Old NortheastNeighborhood News

Historic St. Pete’s Jewel on Tampa Bay

Volume 36 Issue 3 www.honna.org September 2009

continued on page 2

continued on page 2

I hope your summer has been restful and not too hot. Is it I or are they getting hotter every year? Maybe I just forget

how warm the last year was during our beautiful winters.

Lots of exciting events are coming up so mark your calendars! You won’t want to miss any of them. Our third Potluck dinner for 2009 will take place at out September general monthly meeting. These dinners have been a wonderful success both in the numbers that attend and in bringing neighbors together. Thank you to those who have given us good feedback. It’s working, and we intend to keep the dinners coming for you.

With the mayoral and council elections in

Food! Glorious Food!Our September Monthly Neighborhood

Meeting is a POT LUCKAn Informal Opportunity to Enjoy Good

Food and the Company of Neighbors and Friends, Both Old and New

Monday, September 21st

Codes Compliance ....................... 8-9

Halloween ................................... 12

Out Back in our Alleys ............. 14-16

The Green Page ...................... 20-22

Orchestra in The Park ................... 25

In thIS ISSue

Mark your calendar!September 21st

Neighborhood Potluck Dinner/ Neighborhood

Plan VoteOctober 19th

Meet the Candidates

November 16th

TBA/Board of Directors Elections

hOnnA neighborhood Meetings are held the third Monday of each month (except August and December) at Westminster Presbyterian

Church, 126 11th Avenue neSocial: 6:45pm • Business: 7pm

uPCOMInG MeetInGS

by Julie LawsonFor a slice of “Americana”

take a parade, fire truck, band and kids — throw them together and enjoy! I woke up on Satur-day, July 4th, expecting a parade. What I got was so much more.

As usual, we had some won-derfully decorated wagons, scooters and bikes. The children were dressed in red, white and blue. The fife and drum corps created a festive atmosphere. However, it’s those unexpected moments that made a good day great. Was it the reporter from Fox 13 News who is from Romania and became an American

citizen two months ago? Or was it getting to know Army veteran Sgt. Michael Treat and personally thanking him for his sacri-fice? Special moments, no doubt.

Saving the best for last, hands down it has to be meeting the kind gentleman from Iraq, his wife and four beautiful girls. They had been trying since 2003 to get to the United States — and they end up living with a neighborhood family who’s husband and father has just been deployed to Iraq. The Iraqis are so grateful for the opportunity to be here. He and Sgt. Treat

The President’s PerspectiveMaureen Stafford

Association Presidentfull swing, the HONNA Board has scheduled an opportunity for you to come and meet all those who have made it to the final round at our October 19th General Meeting. This is an important year in our City’s life. It is our op-portunity to exercise our privilege to choose those whom we want to lead our City into a new and exciting future and navigate us through some challenging times. We look forward to seeing you all there.

The Crime Watch Committee has grown and they have plans to reach out to you with

Annual 4th of July Parade: America the Really Beautiful

continued on page 23


*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 November 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: [email protected] space is limited so please make arrangements early.

Ad SIze 1 Qtr 2 Qtrs 3 Qtrs 1 Year Business card 50 93 128 1601/4 page (H 4.9” x w 3.7”) 100 186 256 3201/2 page (H 4.9” x w 7.8”) 200 372 512 640Full page 400 744 1024 1280Single page insert* 400 700 1000 1300

Ad RAteS

Published quarterly – March, June, September and December and mailed to all households in The Old Northeast

P.O. Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734 e-mail [email protected]

The Newsletter of the Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association

editor Rick Carson Columnists and Reporters

John Gee Barbara RhodeJill McGrath

Circulation Cathy Leonard and Joe O’ConnorContributors All our Old Northeast neighborsnewsletter Layout & design Sharon Bond: [email protected] Information Rachel Sartain: [email protected]

Mike DaileyYvonne SwansonMike Panetta

Potluck from page 1

Come to the third of what is becoming a really enjoyable new tradition in the neighborhood.

Our March and June monthly neighborhood gatherings were pot lucks, our first two of three planned for the year. Both were big suc-cesses with over 50 folks at each, joining in the fun and bringing deli-cious foods to share. So the September meeting will be our third pot luck, to be held on Monday, September 21st, at our regular gathering place, Westminster Presbyterian Church at 126 11th Avenue NE. HONNA will provide the main entrée (meat and meatless), bever-ages and you can bring a favorite dish to dazzle our taste buds.

Here’s our request. Depending on where you reside, here’s what you can bring:

Between 5th-9th: vegetable dish (cooked or raw) 10th-14th: bread or appetizer15th-22nd: salad of some sort (examples: greens, pasta or Jell-O)23rd-30th: dessert Make enough to serve 6-8, depending on what it is you’re bring-

ing (of course, you get to take home any leftovers).If you are kitchen-challenged – or even if you’re not – we encourage

you to bring a can or package of non-perishable food which we’ll donate to the church’s food pantry to pass along to those in need.

Plan to arrive between 6:45-7pm so we can lay out all the food and begin dining by 7 or so. There will be no formal program – just neighborly conversation at tables over dinner. If you can’t arrive by 7, come when you can as the food should hold out until we start to close down around 8pm.

Have children? They are welcome, too, though you’ll know if you have to bring special food for them.

Not a HONNA member? You’re definitely invited anyway. And if you decide to join, we won’t stop you.

President’s Perspective from page 1

a well- organized group. We have been meeting with the Police Depart-ment’s Crime Watch Officers and we welcome Officer Gabriel Lopez, new assistant to Johnnie Harris, to our neighborhood.

By now you will have gotten our flyer urging you to report suspicious behavior. Yes, crime is growing, both in the City and in our neighbor-hood, so it is most important that you take extra notice of activity that seems unusual. If you see anything suspicious or out-of-the-ordinary, please call the City’s non-emergency number, 893-7780. Of course, if it is a serious in-progress or life threatening crime, call 911. October is our “victim of crime” month. We are inviting all who have been a victim of crime in the neighborhood to attend this October meeting. Crime Watch meets every third Monday at Westminster Church (126 11th Avenue NE) at 6pm just before our general meeting at 7pm.

Recently the City of St. Petersburg hosted the 13th Annual Florida Neighborhood Conference. Around 600 attendees from all over the state were present, many of whom enjoyed a special tour of The Historic Old Northeast. Special thanks go to Robin Reed and her committee for put-ting this together and also to Mike Dailey and Rob Wertz for leading the tour. Many hours of preparation were involved and on behalf of the Board I thank all the Committee members for the efforts they gave. One of the biggest highlights of the Conference came on the final day when the winner of its prestigious Community Leader Award went to our own Mary Alice Lange. Congratulations Mary Alice!

More events to look for: Halloween Tour, October 30th; Candlelight Tour of Homes, December 13th (?) and, of course, all those monthly Porch Parties! Don’t forget Board of Directors elections in November and our Holiday Party in December.

Have you been to a

See page 18 for the upcoming schedule

Porch Party

recently?


Crime & Safety CommitteeBob Hunter, Co-Chair and Jay Marshall

The last month has been a very busy time as our Crime Watch Committee has moved forward in several ways designed to improve safety and security in our neighborhood.

We have met twice with the new Crime Watch officer, Gabe Lopez, who is assigned to our section of St. Petersburg. Of-ficer Lopez will be helping us with suggestions to make our Crime Watch more effective and in creating a Crime Watch campaign to help us get crime prevention messages into the neighborhood.

We are also working on pre-paring a forfei-ture application to the city that will provide us with additional resources to fa-cili tate our ef-forts. The State has created a pro-gram by which monies received from the acquisi-tion and/or sale of assets result-ing from success-ful prosecution of criminals can be made available to law enforcement agencies to support safety, crime prevention and drug abuse preven-tion. Last year, 25 applicants were awarded an average of $1,174 from a total of $27,007 available to the St. Peters-burg Police Department.

One of the immediate objectives of the Crime Watch Com-mittee is to gain status as a “certified” Crime Watch Program, which will allow us to start a Citizens on Patrol (COP) Program designed to strengthen our crime watch efforts.

Also, a flyer is being prepared that will be distributed through-out the neighborhood to encourage everyone to participate in The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Crime Watch Program, to be aware of what is happening in and around our neighborhood and how to report suspicious activity to prevent and deter crime.

The committee believes that the most important things that we all can do is to take personal measures to make our homes more secure, report all suspicious activity and participate in our Crime Watch Program. Everyone makes a difference and your support is needed to ensure we have a safe and secure place to live, work and play. Interested residents are wel-comed and encouraged to attend our regular meetings, which are scheduled at 6pm on the third Monday of each month at Westminster Church, just prior to the monthly neighborhood meetings. [Crime Watch sign up form on next page.]

Association news & Activities

At the May monthly meeting we learned something of the past, present and future of The Pier from Susan Robertson (The Pier’s marketing director), USF history professor, author and Old NE resident Gary Mormino and Councilwoman Leslie Curran. For more info, go to http://www.stpete.org/news/the_pier/docs/PierTaskForce_Exec_Presentation___V2.pdf.

June was largely a social gathering featuring a potluck dinner. One bit of “business” was a report from one of our Community Police Officers, updating those present on recent criminal activ-ity in the neighborhood and taking questions; a representative

from the Police De-partment is present at every monthly meeting for this purpose. July’s meeting was devoted to the Tampa Bay Region-al Transportation Au-thority and its visioning plans for an area-wide transportation network. Councilman Jeff Dan-ner was present to share insights along with reps from TBARTA (see photo left). There was no meeting in August.

Peter Stanhope, an involved resident of the neighborhood for much

of the decade as a Board member and volunteer on the Candlelight Tour of Homes and Garden Stroll, has moved out of The Old NE and has had to relinquish his seat on the Board of Directors. Hard to know where to begin in thanking him for all his contributions to our neighborhood. You’re welcome back any time, Peter – all is forgiven!

Jeanne Hedrick has been appointed by the Board to fill one of its vacancies and Jeanie will be assisting Treasurer Douglas Haan with some of his responsibilities. Jeanne’s lived in St. Pete for almost three years and has resided on 20th Avenue across from Sunken Gardens for the past two years. She’s a graduate of Michi-gan State University with a degree in accounting and moved here from Phoenix. Currently Jeanne works for an oil and gas company downtown. She says she loves the neighborhood and especially the short commute to work, which she accomplishes on a scooter to make the trip to work fun.

Committee Reports

A Community Police Officer attends and reports at every monthly meeting

(L-R) Leslie Curran, Susan Robertson and Gary Mormino


JOIn OuR COMMItteeS

Candlelight tour of homes: Chair, Julia Brazier, 895-4443

C.O.n.A. Rep: Bob Watts, 821-8997

Crime & Safety: Ron Magray, 502-9065

Bob Hunter, 898-7987

Planning & historic Preservation: Robin Reed, 825-0480

Membership: Barbara Marshall, 385-4746

neighborhood design Review: Mary Alice Lange, 251-2034

newsletter: Rick Carson, 898-7834

Programs and Publicity: Tracey Locke, 475-0287

Traffic: Bob Watts, 821-8997

Web Site: Joe O’Connor (interim) 894-6786

Your volunteer involvement in one of our com-mittees will help enhance your neighborhood and our association.

Please contact any committee chair for information.

historic Old northeast neighborhood AssociationOFFICERS and BOARD

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.

PresidentMaureen Stafford 488-8154 [email protected] PresidentBob Watts 821-8997 [email protected] treasurerDouglas Haan 488-5514 [email protected] Brazier 895-4443 [email protected] Carson 898-7834 [email protected] Hedrick [email protected] Hunter 898-7987 [email protected] Alice Lange 251-2034 [email protected] Locke 475-0287 [email protected] Magray 502-9065 [email protected] Marshall 385-4746 [email protected] Reed 825-0480 [email protected]

Crime Watch Fact SheetName _____________________________________

Address ___________________________________

City/State: St. Petersburg, FL Zip: _____________

Home Phone: _______________________________

Office Phone: _______________________________

Cell Phone: ________________________________

E-mail: ____________________________________

Emergency Contact Person ____________________

Contact’s Phone # ___________________________

HONNA Member: Yes____ No____

Would like more info on membership Yes___ No___

Signed: ___________________________________

HONNA PO Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734

Like our neighborhood?Want to make it even better?

Volunteer with one of our committees!

CLiP AND MAiL

New Members

Tracy Baer and Erik Mac Murray .....................16th Avenue NEMarilyn and Tom Blythe ...................................15th Avenue NEMatt and Christina Shinsky .............................. 13th Avenue NEJack and Glenda Bowen ..................................... 9th Avenue NEPatricia Calvert ............................................... Almedo Way NEPeter and Eileen Dilts ........................................11th Avenue NEElizabeth and Ray DeBlois ......................................1st Street NBo Brown and Beate Hughes-Brown ............... 19th Avenue NEMartin and Catherine Foxx ...................... Coffee Pot Blvd NEKathleen Gill .................................................. 112th Avenue NEUrsula and Charles Hahn ................................. 19th Avenue NEPaul Hobscheid .................................................... 9th Avenue NMolly Kottke .................................................... 18th Avenue NEHelen Lipcomb ................................................... 7th Avenue NEJean Miccio and Jane Talbot .............................. 20th Avenue NMaria and Steven Murray .................................. 28th Avenue NSuzanne Newton and Fred Rich ....................... 17th Avenue NECarlos and Ellen Ramirez ................................ 16th Avenue NEGina Rothlein ................................................... 15th Avenue NEJohn and Adelia Samaha ................................. 22nd Avenue NE


Planning/historic Preservation CommitteeRobin Reed, Chair

Florida Conference of neighborhoodsMembers of the Historic Preservation/Planning Committee responded with enthusi-

asm earlier this year when asked to sponsor a tour of our neighborhood for 45 visitors attending the annual Florida Conference of Neighborhoods in St. Petersburg. Although somewhat surprised by the request that supper be included in the tour, volunteers rose to the occasion with their usual can-do efficiency and organized what was characterized in one thank-you note as “the best tour I’ve ever participated in.”

Neighborhood tour experts Rob Wertz and Mike Dailey showcased the variety of architectural styles found along our brick streets; Ed Caldwell hosted the group at Dickens House B&B, elaborating on the time and effort needed to turn his ramshackle apartment house into a thriving business; Elaine Normile, Vinoy Resort Historian, treated tour-goers to the wonders of the Vinoy restoration; and Bill O’Grady of Sunken Gardens took the group on a brief horticultural tour of the Gardens.

Our guests were treated to wine and cheese at “The Castle,” the charming and unique Mediterranean Revival-style home overlooking Coffee Pot Bayou that is being restored to its former glory by Julie Santamaria.

And finally, Bob and Linda Dobbs graciously hosted the evening’s supper in their charming Mediterranean-style home, also on Coffee Pot Boulevard. Our neighbor-hood’s “hostess with the mostess,” Cathy Leonard, organized friends and neighbors to cook and serve a delicious dinner. Mary Alice Lange co-chaired the event and as-sisted Rob and Mike on the bus, keeping everyone on schedule. In addition to being a tour leader, Mike Dailey created the layout for our tour brochure.

The event was a huge success! At lunch the following day, HONNA representatives received rave reviews from many of those who had attended, and many asked to be contacted about our Candlelight and Garden Tours.) A grateful THANK YOU to all who participated in showcasing our neighborhood to fellow Floridians!

Above left: Tour highlighting the variety of archi-tectural styles found along our brick streets.

Above: A glimpse inside “The Castle”

Left: Supper at the Dobbs home


Preservation Award for Souvenir Of St. Petersburg, Views From The Vinoy

The Neighborhood Association was honored in May at the an-nual conference in Palm Beach of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation for our heritage education book, Souvenir of St. Pe-tersburg, Views from the Vinoy. The book received an award for Outstanding Achievement in the category of Preservation Educa-tion Media. Author Robin Gonzalez and Committee Chair Robin

Planning/historic Preservation Committee from page 5 Reed accepted the award on behalf of HONNA. If you would like to pur-chase a copy ($16) for a child, grandchild or visiting friend, please contact Robin Reed at [email protected]. The books are also available at various loca-tions in town including the Vinoy and Sunken Gardens gift shops, Haslam’s and Interior Motives Gallery.

neighborhood Plan

For the past several years, members of the Associa-tion’s Planning Committee have been working to up-date the neighborhood’s 1990 Neighborhood Plan. Professional planners Bob Jeffrey and Mike Dove were hired to work with the Planning Committee to compile and organize the Committee’s work into a document that is easy to understand and use. The result-ing “plan” provides a “vision” for the future of the neighborhood. It includes the community’s history, activities and tasks that have been accomplished over time and recommends additional activities and projects to further enhance the quality of life of residents.

Residents had an opportunity at our April general neighborhood meeting to view displays of enlarged pages of the Plan and hear about the Plan from Jeffrey and Dove. At the Association’s regu-larly scheduled monthly meeting on September 21st, at 7:00pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 126 11th Avenue NE, resi-dents will vote on the acceptance of the Plan. If passed, it will be sent to the City’s Planning and Visioning Commission for review. It will then go to a committee of the City Council, which will make a recommendation to the Council as a whole. If the Council accepts the Plan update, it will pass a resolution to that effect.

You will be receiving a summary of the Plan recommendations in the mail before the September meeting. To view the Plan in its entirety, please go to www.honna.org. A hard copy of the Plan may be viewed at the Neighborhood Partnership Office located in City Hall, 175 5th Street N, 2nd Floor.

Kudos to all who have participated in making the Plan a reality!

Photo Candlelight tour of homesJulia Brazier, Chair

The 2009 Historic Old Northeast Candle-light Tour of Homes is December 13th. Get involved now!

Very soon the subtle signs of a changing season will be upon us; new feathered friends in the bird bath, seasonal neighbors return-ing, acorns on the hex block sidewalks. Dog walkers will brave the sunshine midday and fresh air streams through open windows. All signs that the never-subtle, always grand,

This award-winning book ($16 including tax) can be pur-chased at the following locations:

Davis Anthony Home and Garden, 300 Beach Drive NE Haslam’s Book Store, 2025 Central Avenue

Interior Motives, 110 Central Avenue Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Drive NE

Renaissance Vinoy Resort gift shop, 501 5th Avenue NE Sunken Gardens, 1825 4th Street N

L-R Robin Reed, Becky Clarke (past president of the Florida Trust) and Robin Gonzalez receiving the award.


Historic Old Northeast Candlelight Tour of Homes is just around the corner!

A popular tradition since 1997, the tour allows visitors – walk-ing, biking or riding in complimentary chauffeured vans staffed by seasoned guides – a rare glimpse inside some of our community’s loveliest homes. The 2009 tour, Sunday, December 13th from 3-8pm, features of a wide range of diverse architectural styles and sizes, from majestic to cozy, decked out in their holiday finery.

Proceeds from the tour are a primary source of revenue for our neighborhood association. The tour, which draws about a thousand visitors to our community, also supports local non-profit charities. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $15 at area outlets, us-ing PayPal on the HONNA website or through the mail, starting Thanksgiving weekend or $20 the day of the tour. As December approaches, please check the website at www.honna.org or the December issue of this newsletter for ticket outlets and more details.

If you’re interested volunteering this year, your talents are welcome! Join your neighbors and meet new friends while work-ing to showcase our distinctive community. Volunteers enjoy the perks of a private pre-tour and party (truly a gala event!) the evening of December 12th. Also, if you’re a principal in a busi-ness and would like to discuss prime advertising or sponsorship opportunities, please contact me at 727/895-4443 or [email protected].

MembershipBarbara Marshall, Chair

On behalf of the HONNA board, we are pleased to report there are 294 HONNA members to date. We’ve had 52 new members this year so far and 92 renewals (homeowners and renters). Your

From the vintage to the mod-

ern, from the re-

stored to works- in-

progress were all

on display during

last year’s tour

“Custom work my specialty”

Resident of Old Southeast

727.895.2272

Grady The

Historic Home Handyman

historic Old northeast neighborhood

Association MembershipThe 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 AssociationP.O. Box 76324St. Petersburg, FL 33734

Name(s): ________________________Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________Phone: __________________________E-Mail: _________________________When did you move into the neighborhood (month and year)?: _______________

$30 ANNuAL DuES ENCLOSED

support is greatly appreciated! And we welcome everyone to participate in many of our outreach activities: membership; home and garden tour committees; website, crimewatch, Porch Party committee; events, planning/historic preservation; beautification/landscaping, newsletter... just to name few. We thank those who have circled interests, and we’ve reached out to those who have done so. If you’ve been missed, however, please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected]. (Visit honna.org to sign up online or use membership application form below.)

Meet and Greet continues to welcome as many new residents who have purchased in the neighborhood as possible each quarter with a drop-by and a Meet and Greet packet. If someone has been missed for whatever reason, please contact Cynthia Silvestri at [email protected].


First in a Series

Have you seen a City garbage container growing roots on someone’s front lawn or an old appliance awaiting its fate in the alley? What about a large Dumpster still

sitting along the street, full of construction debris, long ago aban-doned? These are not pretty sights; they do nothing to enhance our neighborhood. For homeowners who might feel helpless about obvious code infractions there is good news. There are the

St. Petersburg Code Compliance Assis-tance and a Sanitation Department that can be contacted to help with questions and complaints.

At first glance you might think code enforcement is a dull topic or just an-other government authority waiting to flex its muscle, but when you delve into the subject with the City you will learn interesting information from experts who will help to answer your ques-tions, give you additional information and set the record straight.

According to their code information handouts, the Codes Com-pliance Assistance is “a neighborhood service,” and on a daily basis the Department’s active case load is over 6,000 cases. The report also reminds residents that permits are required for “structural repairs, most plumbing and electrical work, driveway installations and even removal of certain trees.” Construction Services and Permitting can be reached at 893-7231 for information in those areas. Before any owner takes an action which will affect their property, it would be wise to study the entire City Code to avoid compliance problems. The website is a valuable resource (www.stpete.org/codes).

A neglected property can devalue surrounding properties and an entire neighborhood, offering refuge to vagrants and criminals. A severely neglected and empty property on the corner of Beach Drive and 6th Avenue NE was the site of many uninvited vagrants until the police stepped in and secured the building. Often, partially constructed buildings can also offer shelter to wanderers and, as has happened in The Old Northeast, illegal residents take the op-portunity to rob the homes of nearby and unsuspecting, neighbors. These invasive events not only create danger and reduce the sur-rounding homes’ values, they also cost taxpayers. It is important for neighbors to take action when a violation exists; call 893-7373 to report a code violation.

If the homeowner is not compliant with property care require-ments, the City can board up an open and vacant building and mow the lot. The owner must pay for these services. Legal action may be initiated and the owner taken to court. Fines and liens may be placed against a property if the code violations are not corrected. However, when a responsible property owner finds that there is a problem being able to maintain a property, assistance can be requested.

A “Property Check List” can be acquired from the Code Compli-ance Assistance office at the Municipal Services Center, 3rd floor, One 4th Street N (892-5527). The check list is divided into six main categories: structures, yard maintenance, storage, paving/parking, business activity and rental properties. Each category is clearly explained with subcategories and maintenance requirements carefully outlined. For instance, listed under “Business Activity” is “Garage sales are prohibited Monday through Thursday.”

Codes Compliance Assistanceby Jill McGrath


St. Petersburg’s top 10 code violations are listed under the fol-lowing categories: yard maintenance; junk, rubbish and outdoor storage; inoperative motor vehicles; paint; parking; condition of structures; domestic equipment; commercial equipment; illegal dwelling units and prohibited business. This list, with detailed explanations, is available from Codes Compliance Assistance.

Bill Sundstrom, the Coordinator for the St. Petersburg Sanitation Department, has cited the code violations which are most often reported to his department: illegal dumping from another location and non-resident debris and trash which is deposited beside, rather than into, the containers. Residents are not allowed to move the containers from the home location and the large trash containers should never be moved from the alley location by any resident.

However, Mr. Sundstrom remarked that trash containers sometimes “walk around by themselves.” This department will also repair damaged trash containers.

The Sanitation Department also handles exterior rodent prob-lems; 8,000 locations were treated last year. If residents see or hear any signs of rodent infestation, call the City’s Sanitation Depart-ment. Although rodents travel to forage for food, the bait station is placed on the property of the complainant. This department also offers free pick-ups for household furniture and appliances, as well as tires and empty propane tanks. There is a fee to remove build-ing materials and brush debris. The Sanitation Department is also involved in rigorous graffiti abatement, handles illegal dumping, picks up dead animals and, by request, sponsors neighborhood clean-ups. Another service provided is the delivery of mulch for residential gardens; the mulch is free but there is a delivery fee.

The mulch results from the brush collections made from the City’s brush pick-ups and put through a mulcher machine. Mr. Sundstrom also reported that when sanitation workers cannot effect a remedy such as illegal dumping, police officers assist with the problem. The Sanitation Department also provides all recycling containers and recycling service.

If any resident wants to contact the Sanitation Department, the phone numbers are 893-7398 and 893-7333. You can be assured of guidance and help when you have questions or concerns. Both the Code Compliance and Sanitation departments want safe, se-cure and attractive neighborhoods and they will help us residents attain these goals.

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) complete house restoration project and they have promised each other that it will be their last.

Worship Service: Sundays 10:30am

This ad courtesy of HONNA in appreciation of Westminster’s generous support of the Association


Accolades… Strobel Design Build won a first place national award ($40K-$60K bathroom category) for the 16th annual Chrysa-lis Awards for Remodeling Excellence. The winning project was part of a whole house remodel of a ‘20s bungalow. Old NE resident Don Strobel is the company’s owner and president.

Congratulations… Jill and Rich Hollenberg’s ‘20s distinctive yellow-and-white bungalow at the corner of Coffee Pot Boulevard

NE and 19th Avenue was featured in the Sumer 2009 issue of Re-modeling Today magazine published by the Tampa Bay Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. The article highlights the home’s unique second floor addition, which was the work of Stro-bel Design Build.

The Babe…We’ve been reminded that Babe Ruth once lived in The Old North-east during spring training. He and his wife, Clair, and stepdaughter Dorothy rented at 346 16th Avenue NE from Gidge Gandy, son of the builder of the Gandy Bridge. A St. Petersburg Times ar-ticle from 1969 recounts that a later owner of the house, Harry Woods, was doing some work under the house and found an old brown quart whisky bottle, perhaps a sou-

Over The Back Fence…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!

S S and by

venir from one of the Sultan of Swat’s infamous parties.

What’s With… Homeowners who leave their auto-matic lawn sprin-

klers go-ing during rainstorms or right af-ter we’ve h a d a deluge?... Bicyclists and joggers who insist on riding and running down the middle of North Shore Drive when there’s a dedicated lane they can use?...The loudspeaker system at North Shore Pool during swim meets that’s turned on HIGH so announcements can be heard blocks away?... The big bucks slick 80-page magazine Freedom published by the Church of Scientology which arrived in neigh-borhood mailboxes this summer?...The stop sign in the parking lot of North Shore Pool that no one pays any attention to? Might as well take it out before one driver does take it seriously and gets hit by another who doesn’t.

Local CoOp… Next door to our neighborhood (in Historic Uptown) is the Round Lake Cooperative, which has organized it-

self as a “self-sufficient, sustainable and resilient community in the area within walking distance of Round Lake.” Its goal is to facilitate local, sus-tainable economic activ-ity in nearby neighbor-hoods. They recently held a cooperative meals system workshop as part of their Neighbor-hood Education Series: Survival Skills for Hard Times. You can check them out at www.round lakecooperative.org.

M e n t i o n a b l e s … Neighbor s Wendy Clark and Andy Tes-sler made their way onto the pages of re-

Over The Back Fence is a

Soapbox... STep On up

and

leT’S hear FrOm yOu

e-mail: [email protected]

“The Babe’s house” today


cent editions of the St. Petersburg Times. Wendy was quoted (8/9) on the subject of her daughter attending a fundamental school and Andy (8/15) about his backyard salt water swim-ming pool.

I Think That I Shall Never See….You know all these beautiful large oak trees that create such great shade canopies in our neighborhood? Well, they may not be as healthy and safe as they appear. A big section of a water oak near the intersec-tion of 11th Avenue and Bay Street NE that was estimated to be about 75 years old split off from the main trunk and crashed onto a parked car, injuring no one. An arborist who came upon the scene observed that years of poor trim-ming may be causing the tree to slowly die (it has been totally removed; see photo). Recently, a couple blocks away, another large oak on Cherry S t ree t NE, which o the rwi se l ooked healthy, received a death sentence from the City and had to be cut down. So, how are your trees doing these days?


Neighborhood Book GroupAs The Pages Turn...by Susan Coffey

ONE Great Book Club continues with some great books. We met in May in Kimberly Wolfe’s home at 1st Street N and the book Kimberly chose was The Soloist by Steve Lopez. The book, which is non–fiction, tells us the story of how a somewhat “burned out” Los Angeles Times reporter forms a lifetime friendship with a homeless schizophrenic. Lopez day in and day out drives past Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless man who plays beautiful music with his beat-up violin. Lopez becomes intrigued by this and being the reporter he is decides to learn more about Ayers, thus starting this unlikely friendship.

Soon it’s discovered that Ayers was an accomplished violinist at Julliard who dropped out when his schizo-phrenia became apparent. Lopez helps Ayers to regain somewhat of that back at the same time Ayers helps Lo-pez to find a new appreciation for being a journalist.

This led the group into a discussion of solving the issue of homelessness and what realistically can be done. There were different positions on this which made the discus-sion quite interesting. For the most part the book received thumbs up from the group.

Our next meeting was at Kathy Estevez’s home at 18th Avenue NE and the book Kathy chose was Waiting for Snow in Havana, Confessions of a Cuban Boy by Carlos Eire. The book was the memoirs of Carlos Erie who grew

up Havana during the ‘50s. Eire tells us of the Cuba pre- and during Castro’s regime. Pre-Castro Eire is a privileged boy whose father is a judge and highly respected. He attends school with other boys who are of the same means. Life is pretty much carefree for Eire with the typical young boy’s angst. Eire’s family is close, but there is some tension between him and his father that seems to linger throughout the book. Eire does a masterful job of describing Cuba

through a boy’s eyes with the sounds, smells and the flavor of Cuba. But his life as he knows it is slowly taken away when Castro takes over in January of 1959 when President Batista flees. His family starts to lose their privileges, schools change and friends leave the country. In 1962 Eire and his brother flee without their parents on what is called the Peter Pan airlift to America. Eire never really gets into how bad things are for he and his brother in America, only giving us written snapshots of events. His mother makes it over to the States eventually but he never sees his father again. This book is a catharsis of sorts for Eire.

This led to a great discussion about government, power and people having to leave everything behind because of one man’s power. We almost all knew someone in this pre-dicament and how they survived and became successful in America but still carried a profound sadness of having to leave their homeland in this way. We all gave the book a thumbs up.

We continue to have a waiting list for One Great Book club that meets every other month on the sec-ond Thursday in the evening. Our sister/brother book club meets the last Wednesday of the month at 2pm. Their next book is Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. Contact Colleen Grant at

[email protected] for info.

Plans are underway for a very unique neighborhood Halloween celebration the likes of which The Old Northeast and St. Petersburg have

never seen. This is in addition to our traditional Hal-loween house decorating contest which will take place on All Hallow’s Eve eve — Friday night October 30th.

As we go to press, the details for the festivities haven’t been finalized so we can’t yet share with you what we’re hoping to do. But if it happens, it will be different and lots of fun. We ask that you check the HONNA website (www.honna.org) for the latest news on these plans. HONNA members for whom we have e-mail addresses will receive up-to-the-minute messages about our Halloween plans.

In the meantime, think about how you might decorate your house for Halloween. But don’t stop there —why not think about how your block might decorate itself for Halloween.

The Historic Old Northeast has been building a reputation in the Bay area for going all out over Halloween.

Let’s not disappoint.

Make Plans for Halloween


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Bringing You the Best Property of St. Pete

PROPERTY TAXES TRIM TABS TIME: On August 24th Trim Tabs will be sent to all property owners in Pinellas County.

DO SHORT SALES COUNT: YES. Short Sales are a well-negotiated transaction which include the bank, the seller, and the buyer.

DO FORECLOSURES COUNT: �ey might if they spend approximately 60 Days on Market and sell within 20% of the Current Appraised Value. Nearly 1000 are being used in this year’s valuation.

WHO DETERMINES MY TAXES: �e county property appraiser only sets the value of property. �ey do not determine the millage rate or the resultant tax.

HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IN THE MILLAGE RATE DISCUSSION: A meeting will be listed on your trim tab notice, where you can attend and hear the discussion.

nd

Camoufl aging Replacement Windows on Your historic home

A recent forum post on an old house restoration and renovation website asked what they could do to hide the bright white vinyl replacement windows that the previous owners had installed. They didn’t have the money to replace the windows, and the windows were still working fi ne but were glaringly inappropriate for their historic home.

For situations like this, an affordable solution is to install traditional wood window screens over the windows. When trying to hide inappropriate non-his-toric windows, full height screens are recommended set fl ush with the exterior casing or within the brick-mold trim. Using charcoal or other dark color screen-ing helps mute the bright white of the vinyl windows behind the screen.

Painting the screens a contrasting accent color also draws attention away from the windows behind and adds an attractive element to your home. Forest green, black, deep brown and burgundy were common screen accent colors. Install the screens with stainless face-mounted hangers and your replacement windows will no longer detract from the historic appearance of your home.

For more information, go to www.historicshed.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-to-camofl age-inappropriate.html


Preserving the Character of Old northeast housesOut Back: Exploring Historic Old Northeast Alleys

– Part II of II

by Mike Daily

It’s time for the second installment of my alley explora-tion adventures. The idea behind the original article – which appeared in the March 2009 issue — was to

highlight some of the often overlooked architecture of the outbuilding. Most folks know their own alley pretty well but have few occasions to walk or drive down someone else’s. The first installment covered alleys south of 13th Avenue, where a rich mix of vernacular and high-style outbuildings mix with apartment buildings and even some commercial uses. In the northern half of the neighborhood, it’s generally a different story.

The northern part of the neighborhood, especially east of 1st Street, has more high-style houses and outbuildings than other areas of the neighborhood. There are very few commercial properties or apartment buildings. Details such as brackets, moldings, types of siding, windows and doors that are seen on the main house are frequently faithfully replicated on the garage. To be sure, there are some exceptions – some places where a simple garage might have been built later as money became available or garages built during the Depression. But overall the quality of the architecture along the alleyways in the northern part of The Old Northeast is exceptional. One additional thing to note is that, strangely, the alleys feel nar-rower in the northern part of the neighborhood. Many have

vegetation crowding in from both sides but others just seem to have narrower pavement. Also, there seem to be fewer brick alleyways in the northern part of the neighborhood than in the southern. At least a couple are double track with grass growing in the middle, and many are asphalted. I began my tour at Beach Drive and 13th and worked my way up to 22nd Avenue. It is by no means an exhaustive tour, and surely there are many fine outbuildings not covered here.

Residing at the northeast corner of 13th and Beach sits a pale green and white heavily stuccoed house I like to call the “Wedding Cake House” – the stucco looks like frosting on a cake - and it has a garage apartment to match. Both structures are Mission style with crenellated parapets and flat roofs with attached overhangs surrounding the structure on all sides. (Photo 1)

Proceeding west on 13th, at the northwest corner of Poplar and 13th, sits a fantastic brick Tudor Revival with loads of authentic detail that is repeated in the garage apartment building on the alley, including clay tile roof, steel casement windows and pat-terned brick walls with stucco and half-timbering in the gables. (Photo 2)

At the northwest corner of 13th and Bay I spied a Dutch Colonial Revival garage apartment with its characteristic gambrel roof and quarter-round attic vents to match the house. Nice touches include the returns on the fascia where it meets the gable end. (Photo 3)

The northeast corner of 13th Avenue NE and 1st Street has a row

Confronted with a lazy Sunday afternoon with nothing to do (or nothing you want to do)? Well, how about a nice walk through the neighborhood…but in the alleys. Back in March 2008, Jill McGrath wrote of “Hidden Gems in The Old North-east” and some of the treasures she discovered beyond our back doors. John Gee, who writes our “Ponderings” column, has told of his joy being led by his dogs as they sniff their way from trash can to trash can. Back in March, Mike Daily took us on a tour of alleys in the southern section of the neighborhood. Here, Mike leads us through some of the more interesting backways in the mid portion of The Old NE.

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2


of eclectic high-style houses mixing Italianate, Prairie and Tudor Revival influences. The garage serving the blond brick house on the corner is a miniature copy, with triple wood corbels supporting the soffit at each corner, hip roof and matching brick detailing. Several garages in this vicinity have side doors instead of alley doors, which give easier access when the garage is located close to the alley. (Photo 4)

The dark brick Prairie Style mansion at 14th Avenue N and 2nd Street, while very impressive from the front, has sprouted an enormous addition that is perhaps even more spectacular than the

original house. With the addition the house now extends all the way back to the alley – the detached original garage apartment sits beside the new addition on a second lot. The builders matched the old brick and glazed green roof tiles perfectly in the new addition. Huge, gravity-defying overhangs are continued from the original house onto the new addition and the garage, which grew from two stalls to three in the renovations. (Photo 5)

3

45

Consumer tipWhen contracting services from any business it’s

always a good idea to check with the Better Business Bureau for prior complaints. Ask for references and

confirm that your contractor is licensed.


A large multi-colored Craftsman at 15th Avenue NE and 1st Street extends all the way back to the alley with the large addition com-pleted a few years back. What’s really notable with the addition is how they made it look as though it had always been a part of the original house. Proportions match the original structure, the window sizes and shapes are the same and the overhang depth and siding are dead on. (Photo 6)

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Mike, an Old Northeast resident since 1996, holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of South Florida.

Check out the

hOnnA web site www.honna.org

Up on the east side of Cherry Street between 18th and 19th Avenues NE a large three-car garage apartment was built on a separate parcel of land on the north side of the alley; its parent house is so large that it takes up the entire lot on the south side. The backyard for this house is across the alley and fronts 19th Avenue NE. (Photo 7)

A few blocks east, almost to the waterfront at Elm and 18th, a “California Craftsman”-style house and its matching garage sit on a double corner lot. The garage structure is detailed better than most houses, with heavy timber outrigger beams, original wood windows and shingle siding. A slight flare of the siding at the bottom of the wall kicks rainwater away from the foundation, a functional and aesthetic detail that also matches the house. (Photo 8)

Standing tall on the east side of Cherry Street, between 19th and

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20th Avenues NE, a Mediterranean Revival garage apartment turns its main entrance to face the street rather than the alley. The de-tailing is wonderful, with heavily textured stucco, a tiled parapet, heavily trimmed windows and porthole attic vents. A horizontal band above the garage doors breaks up the visual height of the two-story structure. (Photo 9)

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The Historic Old Northeast is unusually blessed with an abundance of historic architecture lining its avenues and alleys. Generous construction budgets and an awareness of the contribu-tion quality design makes to the quality of the community gave us this outstanding legacy. It is ours to enjoy and preserve for the next generation.

[A version of this article appears in the September issue of The Northeast Journal.]


In Case You Missed It: Updates and Follow Ups

Keeping You Current on Some Neighborhood Stories That Have Been in the NewsMickey’s Snell Isle Market is closing shop on Snell Isle

and moving to 1545 4th Street N. The market carries staples and specialty items in its deli. The strip mall in which it had been lo-cated for 22 years is being demolished. The market’s owners also own Mickey’s Kork and Kleaver on Beach Drive NE opposite the St. Pete Yacht Club. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 7/12]

The vacant Cocoanut Grove Shopping Center at 4th Street and 30th Avenue N is slated to become the home of a specialty gro-cery store. The City has okayed a site plan put forward by the Fresh Market grocery chain which would see an 18,000+sqft located at the property though company officials wouldn’t immediately confirm the plans. Fresh Market stores specialize in perishable products such as meats, produce and baked goods. A City official remarked, “We’ve always thought that in terms of a specialty grocery store, that area was underserved.” [source: St. Petersburg Times, 7/29]

The home of Mayor Rick Baker on 25th Avenue N was burglarized on August 6th around noon, when the Mayor returned home to find burglars in the process of running out of the home with electronic equipment. He noted the license number, which enabled the police to question two suspects later in the day and eventually arrest two others later who admitted to the crime. The house is equipped with an alarm system, but it was not on at the time.

[source: St. Petersburg Times, 8/7&8]

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September 18th

Gary and Lynne Mormino

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October 16th the Annual

Pre-halloween Costume dress Rehearsal PartySteve deal and

Frank hay315 8th Avenue ne

November 20th Barbara and Jay

Marshall255 8th Avenue ne

PORCH PARTIESPorch Parties are held the third Friday of the month from 7:30-10pm (except December). Porch Parties are strictly social and provide and informal and fun way to mix and mingle with your neighbors. Bring your own beverage. Cups, ice and light snacks are provided. Ask a neighbor to ride or walk over with you. For more info, contact Julie Feeley (822-4969; [email protected]).

Property Transfers

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.

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

555 5th Avenue NE #411 ............. Thomas and Colleen Egan555 5th Avenue NE #533 ............ Vincent Bowen221 9th Avenue N #B .................. Edward and Carol Cole345 10th Avenue NE ................... Michael and Angela Carley246 15th Avenue NE ................... Thomas and Marilyn Blythe434 15th Avenue N ...................... Christy and Steven Brown135 16th Avenue NE ................... Adam and Courtney Ellis656 16th Avenue NE ................... Teresa Cromwell336 17th Avenue NE ................... Suzanne Newton

You’reInvited

636 18th Avenue NE .................. Brian Anderson526 19th Avenue NE ................... Hilda Christie217 22nd Avenue N ..................... Steven Grande210 22nd Avenue NE #5 .............. Nadine Simon167 24th Avenue N ...................... James and Rhonda Gagliardi932 3rd Street N .......................... Michael and Katie Bernas2714 Coffee Pot Blvd NE .......... Robert Rudnicki1120 North Shore Dr NE #401 .. Dennis and Carol O’Malley1200 North Shore Dr NE #212 .. Robert and Jan Crawford

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The

Green PAGe

by Michael Panetta

The first two GREEN PAGE articles (March and June 2009) spoke to the broad topics of what is an ecological system and how we fit into it. In this GREEN PAGE I

will try to bring it a little closer… right into your own home. We will look at simple habits and projects that give you a handle on how you consume energy as well as more involved projects that can make a serious dent in your carbon footprint but may take a healthy investment of time and/or money. But in the long term, these investments will have very significant benefits to both your finances as well as our ecology.

In the beginning of the environmental movement, a green logo was developed that represents the three basic tenets of sustain-ability: reduce, recycle and renew (or reuse). This GREEN PAGE will focus on:

REDUCE This is the best place to begin because it is about you — your own consumption and your own discretion. But reduce what? The answer is… simply everything! Everyone has undoubtedly been told to turn off the water while brushing your teeth. What difference does it make? The faucet spills out 2.5 gallons per minute. So, shutting the water between wet a brush and rinsing would use 1/2 instead of 2 1/2 gallons. The savings for brushing two times a day over a year would be 1,500 gallons; a family of four would save 6,000 gallons. In contrast, fresh water is a priceless commodity in developing nations where a family of four could survive for four months on the savings of one American family brushing their teeth. The message here: with little or no cost and a better understanding of and personal involve-ment in the issues, coupled with simple changes in behavior and better

efficiencies, great benefits can add up very quickly.If you’re looking for change and you want to know how well

your changes are doing, you need to mark the beginning, like get-ting weighed and measured before starting an exercise routine. I started simply by charting my usage and cost by month and year (Excel works nicely) from several years of my water and electric utility bills. I then began to tweak “everything” to see how much I could save by reducing my usage. I reduced them each by 20% by changing habits and simple fixes alone. It developed into a game I shared with family and friends: “Reduce My Use.” This game became a simple method to be mindful of energy behavior and provide a baseline to compare how actions affect the “meters” and finances. You can then use the Carbon Calculator to see the Green savings.

Charting this info I saw the cost of electricity here in The Old NE almost double in 10 years, from 7.5 to 14 cents per KWK. 80% of the increase occurred within the last five years. If you follow current legislation and utility requests for utility rate increases, you’ll see our rates are heading one place – up!

So on to “Reducing Your Use” with a few simple ideas to get the wheels turning:

FIX LEAKS ~ in ANY of your systems whether it’s the air conditioner, ductwork, fixtures, piping, windows, doors, walls, whatever. Your maximum efficiency is getting what you have to where you need it, and then keeping it once you do. Air condition-ing an attic or crawl space only makes termites and other critters feel more at home and a leaky faucet or toilet is putting valuable resources and money down the drain (FYI: you’re paying twice with leaks because the sewer fee is based on your water use). So, replace worn seals or install some around poorly fitting doors and windows to keep cold air in and critters out and don’t let that toilet or sink continue to drip.

There are “leaks” overlooked as even being “leaks.” One is your bathroom or kitchen exhaust fans which can “exchange” a typi-cal bedroom’s worth of cool, dry, conditioned air with hot, humid outside air in about three-four hours, so don’t run them longer than needed. Another “leak” is the “open door” on your house, your refrigerator or freezer. If a gap in a window warrants attention, what does staring into an open fridge or leaving the front door open while you’re ferrying packages, getting the mail or chatting with a neighbor mean? Conversely, and this is no small point, when it is 72 and beautiful outside, open the windows to cool a hot, closed-up space. A few screens and ceiling fans can save very big dollars during our temperature-friendly seasons; I so rarely see windows open in these months and wonder why.

ECONOMIZE ~dishwasher and laundry washes. Avoid light loading and evaluate their “drying” cycles. Do you really need them for the full duration or at all? (Note: electric “resistance” heat is very power-consumptive, and this happens to be the most common* heat source for dishwashers, air conditioners, dryers, water heaters, etc.) New equipment using natural gas or other very efficient green systems have an upfront cost but have great economy in the long run.

TURN DOWN ~ the air conditioning and hot water heater to the lowest temperature you actually need and use them only when you actually need them. There’s no benefit in cooling or heating an empty house, but there is a cost. A simple programmable ther-mostat is well worth the investment for the savings and comfort. Cold water can clean as well as hot with new laundry products and a few experiments. You can also turn off the A/C and hot water heater when they aren’t used. By understanding the “rebound” characteristics of your house and hot water system from a shut-


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down, you can have greater savings and comfort, too. FANS ~ even with air conditioning, they are valuable in mixing

the air for your comfort. The forced air movement will allow you to raise the thermostat settings for the same comfort level. (Note: ceiling fans should be “reversed” in flow/direction depending on whether cooling or heating is desired.)

CLOSE THE SHADES ~ on the south and west sides of your home, especially when no one is in the spaces because these ori-entations produce the highest solar load. But to darken a window and room and then need to turn on lights? That is something you’ll need to ponder.

Your shades/blinds should limit solar radiation. Think of the shiny car windshield shades and sunburn. The more reflective the blinds are, the less radiant heat enters the space (white aluminum minis are inexpensive and effective). Some blinds and window films (different than a tint) are specifically designed as a radiant barrier to drastically reduce solar load. The south and west areas around your home are also prime areas to plant trees that will shade the roof, windows and walls. You can reduce outside air temperature along with your cooling load and power bills. This is a very cost effective plan, but it will take time.

TURN OFF A LIGHT ~ but replace them first with compact fluorescents lights or LEDs. Does $50 for a new LED bulb sound absurd? While CFLs are much more efficient than standard bulbs and cost less than LEDs right now, they contain traces of mercury which will become another environmental issue down the road. These CFL bulbs were also similarly expensive when introduced but dropped dramatically in cost with increased demand and better technology, as I believe LED bulbs will do. So you can pay now or pay later, but LED users will steadily increase savings while dramatically reducing their carbon footprint.

WATERING Make sure your irrigation system has ground moisture metering to eliminate watering in the rain. Check that there are no breaks in the system (that “leak thing” again). Con-necting to a reclaimed water supply if available is an imperative but a well is a reasonable alternative because spilling treated, clean potable water into the ground is not a good practice. Xeriscape plantings, underground irrigation and rain-capture cisterns are the absolute “best practices” for a sustainable yard. When combined with composting and gardening, you’re getting right to the heart of a sustainable life.

INSULATION ~Check the levels in your attic, exterior walls, ceilings, floors and crawl spaces. Investing in more or better insulation is one of the better value returns for your upgrade dollars. Think of it as protecting your “investment” in cooled, heated or dehumidified air. The upfront costs are moderate, but there are big paybacks over time. I like using high density spray foam insulation in my homes because they offer massive energy savings. In my own home I see a difference of 50o (135o to 85o) between the insulated and non-insulated areas of the attic. This foam system also significantly increased the structural capacity of the roof system by a factor of three (think hurricane) and it’s virtually a moisture and sound proof barrier —an excellent value for the dollar especially when done in concert with other green systems. With the extreme environments here, I am a big supporter of foam and other advanced “building envelope” systems because they address major deficiencies in fiberglass or loose fill insulation and conventional building systems and methods. The energy dollar savings and performance for these advanced systems more than offset additional expenses. Cautionary note: when renovating, if you’re re-insulating or modifying ventilation or cooling systems, you should review the changes with a professional to be sure to

address the work correctly. Trapping or condensing humidity in the wrong place can lead to mold, decay and other issues.

VENTILATION ~Thermostatic fans and louvers can cool a hot attic (often exceeding 130o) to near the outside ambient air temperature with relatively simple and inexpensive equipment. This will reduce the air conditioning load coming through the ceiling into living spaces and the ductwork walls while increas-ing the performance of the entire A/C system itself that often is baking in the 130o air.

INFILTRATION is air seeping into the building. As the out-side air seeps in, the inside air seeps out along with you cooling dollars. Generally it is good to seal up the building but these prac-tices in new construction is very different from old construction. Some areas need to be vented, which seems contrary to the idea of stopping infiltration. I have seen sealed-up crawl spaces rot floor construction. So fixing holes is good, but be wary of altering ventilation systems.

WINDOWS ~ replacing windows goes along with thoughts on infiltration. It is frequently a knee-jerk reaction to “sealing” a building. They are one of the more expensive elements in a build-ing. Replacement can be a mixed bag looking at energy saved vs. money spent alone so there are many considerations (and costs) to this debate of replacement, fixing or just leaving them alone. The issue encompasses aesthetics or historical requirements, code compliance (wind and impact), personal preferences like metal, wood or plastic, thermal and moisture performance issues with water, vapor and air infiltration, and glazing performances matched with the solar impacts and mechanical systems limitations. Each aspect weighs in with costs along with pluses and minuses, so balancing your performance objectives, personal preferences,


code compliance issues and budget may not be as straight-forward as it seems. But having good questions about all these aspects will help with your decision (please read the “Caveat Emptor” below).

REPLACE THE INEFFFICIENT~ Reduce future waste. I won’t go into specifics because it’s difficult to generalize and give value with a broad stroke. But the working efficiencies of newly- developed equipment and technologies are amazing and light years past many prod-ucts just five years old. Many products are very worthwhile and have tremendous advantages for the consumer and the environment in all types of the major appliances, big building products and systems as well as new niches like dual flush toilets (they have two flush volumes), controls that sense a person’s presence and turn things on and off, high performance insulation systems, building wraps and paints and thousands more energy saving gadgets — but they sit right alongside a lot of hype, deceptive information and out-and-out fraudulent claims.

CAVEAT EMPTOR ~ There is no doubt that the eco-chic trend is now well-entrenched. Marketers’ everywhere are heavily positioning their products as being the most amazingly green and earth-savingly friendly ever — which is very often pure unadulter-ated “greenwashing.”

My advice is to take time to learn about these big investments and the legitimate green aspects of them. Look for the “energy star” rating or other third party evaluators for accurate data. Learn from salespeople but talk and rely on professionals, architects, energy auditors and others who are not vested in the money and

understand your “big picture” and accom-modate your current and future needs as well as your financial concerns as well. A great refrigerator with no door won’t keep your milk for very long, so your system is only as good as the weakest link. Likewise, here isn’t much benefit in getting a state of the art two cycle 17 SEER A/C system if there is holey ductwork, minimal insulation and old leaky jalousie windows with no plans to “plug the holes” in the future.

Work on a master plan of your goals. Develop a rough budget and timeline for the things that need to be replaced along with other projects you want to take on. Then re-

search and learn about your work, become well-informed, consult or contract experts and professionals and then buy only what will have benefit to you, and not more. It is very easy to be oversold when you are confronted with these decisions and not well-versed in the nuances.

Once again, I have run out of space, but I hope this has brought “sustainability” a little closer to home and, if it has, please pass it on. The next Green Page installment will be on recycling.

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 comments he can be contacted at [email protected].


Cell: (727) 480-0916Fax: (727) 895-3242

E-mail: [email protected]

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(727) 895-4353

shake hands and smile for a photo. I’d say a picture- perfect ending to a fantastic neighborhood parade.

Many thanks to neighbor and Mayor Rick Baker and family for their participation, Sgt. Michael Treat, 4th Street Fire Department station, the American Spirit Fife & Drum Corps, Tracey Locke our Programs & Publicity Committee Chair and neighbor Donna Fudge of the law firm of Buckley & Fudge for sponsoring the corps. Lots of help was also forthcoming from Sylvia Holt, Jeanne Hedrick, Ron Magray, Bob Hunter, Mark Lawson, Maureen Stafford and Robin Reed. Thanks, all!

[Check the HONNA website, www.honna.org, to view a colorful slideshow of the event.]

4th of July from page 1


September 1St. Petersburg Primary election

September 4Get downtown Music Series Central b/w 2nd-3rd; 393-3597 St. Pete Shuffle Mirror Lake Drive N; 822-2083 Salsa dancing at Captain Al’s The Pier; 898-5800

September 5Saturday Antiques and Green Market Central at 13th N; 895-0368Saturday Summer Market Progress Energy Center/ Mahaffey Theater Parking Garage Guided hikes Weedon island Preserve; 453-6500horticulture Workshop Sunken Gardens; 551-3100dali Family Fun Salvador Dali Museum; 823-3767FISh-ful Saturday The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437Suncoast Corvette Show The Pier; 821-6443Saturday Afternoon Fun The Pier; 821-6443

September 6Photography hike Weedon island Preserve; 453-6500Grand Central Green Market & Street Fair Central b/w 24th-26th; 328-7086 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443

September 7Celebrity Critter of the Week The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437 Salsa en St. Pete The Pier; 821-6443

September 10Wee-time at Weedon Weedon island Preserve; 453-6500

September 11St. Pete Shuffle Mirror Lake Drive N; 822-2083 Salsa dancing at Captain Al’s The Pier; 898-5800

September 12Saturday Antiques and Green Market Central at 13th N; 895-0368 Saturday Summer Market Progress Energy Center/ Mahaffey Theater Parking Garage Guided hikes Weedon island Preserve; 453-6500Plant Sale: Bromeliads & Orchids Sunken Gardens; 551-3100dali Family Fun Salvador Dali Museum; 823-3767Saturday Afternoon Fun The Pier; 821-6443

September 13Sunday Stroll Weedon island Preserve; 453-6500Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443

September 14Celebrity Critter of the Week The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437

SEPTEMBER 18 PORCH PARTY (see p. 18)September 18

St. Pete Shuffle Mirror Lake Drive N;822-2083 Friday night Wine & Music Series BayWalk; 824-8888 Salsa dancing at Captain Al’s The Pier; 898-5800

September 19 Drawing Birds Sunken Gardens; 551-3100Saturday Antiques and Green Market Central at 13th N; 895-0368 Saturday Summer Market Progress Energy Center/ Mahaffey Theater Parking Garage Saturday Guided hikes Weedon island Preserve; 453-6500horticulture Workshop Sunken Gardens; 551-3100Quarterly Classic Auto Show The Pier; 821-6443dali Family Fun Salvador Dali Museum; 823-3767

On the dOCKet: Some Upcoming Events In and Nearby Our Neighborhood

FISh-ful Saturday The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437Saturday Afternoon Fun The Pier; 821-6443 Gallery Walk Downtown galleries; 323-ARTS Family Flicks! Movies on the Waterfront The Pier; 821-6443

September 20 Weedon naturalist Program Weedon island Preserve; 453-6500Music Fest on the Water: The Pier; 821-6443

SEPTEMBER 21 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGPOTLUCK DINNER (see p. 1)

September 21 Tampa Bay Job Fair Coliseum; 893-8523Celebrity Critter of the Week The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437

September 24 Wee-time at Weedon Weedon island Preserve; 453-6500

September 25 St. Pete Shuffle Mirror Lake Dr. N; 822-2083Salsa dancing at Captain Al’s The Pier; 895-5800

September 26 Saturday Antiques and Green Market Central at 13th N; 895-0368Saturday Guided hikes Weedon island Preserve; 453-6500Alzheimer’s Association event The Pier; 821-6443Arts Alive Free Museum day iCall for details 893-7465dali Family Fun Salvador Dali Museum; 823-3767horticulture Workshop Sunken Gardens; 551-3100Saturday Afternoon Fun The Pier; 821-6443

September 26-27 FolkFest St. Pete Central b/w 11th-13th; 825-0515

September 27 The Great Weedon Bird Quest Weedon island Preserve; 453-6500 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443

September 28 Celebrity Critter of the Week The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437

October 2 Get downtown Music Series Central b/w 2nd-3rd; 393-3597

October 3 Saturday Morning Market Al Lang Field parking lotFISh-ful Saturday The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437household Chemical and electronic Mobile Collection day Home Depot/Circuit City, Tyrone Blvd (so of 22nd Ave.); 893-7398

October 4hot Pepper Festival Sunken Gardens; 551-3100Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443

October 5 Celebrity Critter of the Week The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437

October 10 Saturday Morning Market Al Lang Field parking lotSaturday Afternoon Fun The Pier; 821-6443

October 11 Share the Road Ride/2009 Bicycle Bash by the Bay, presented by Cure on Wheels” North Shore Pool & North Straub Park; www.bicyclebash.comMusic Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443


October 14 Saturday Morning Market Al Lang Field parking

OCTOBER 16 PORCH PARTY (see p. 18)

OCTOBER 17 ORCHESTRA IN THE PARK (see p. 25)


Support the Florida Orchestra’s time-honored 16-Year tradition by Emily McClain, Development Director for The Florida Orchestra

Great cities have great cultural institutions. For 16 years, The Florida Orchestra has invited St. Petersburg residents to celebrate symphonic music with a free outdoor concert in the beautiful Vinoy Park. This concert was the inspiration of Old Northeast resident and businesswoman Helen Torres, who wanted to share her love of the orchestra. The audiences grew steadily and local residents began marking their calendars in anticipation of a musical evening with family and friends on picnic blankets under the stars.

Helen’s commitment to the concert for the people has been reflected in her generous personal support. Her lead gift helped secure the Vinoy Park concert on the orchestra’s calendar, which was bolstered by funding from the City of St. Petersburg through a Parks and Recreation grant program until 2007.

Due to the elimination of funding through City budget cuts of approximately $7,000 and the removal of City services and staffing, the orchestra then turned to individuals and local companies to help cover its expenses. The Florida Orchestra’s commitment to serving its community, in spite of financial challenges, is based in its belief that the orchestra is a treasure to be shared. The Vinoy Park concert embodies its commitment to St. Petersburg.

You can help to keep the music playing by making a tax deductible contribution of $10 to $1,000 to The Florida Or-chestra Concert in the Park. For $115 or more you can become one of Helen’s Buddies and be recognized in the program. To learn how to donate, please contact Helen Torres at 895-4353 or visit her website at www.homesbyheleninc.com.

We look forward to seeing you at this year’s Vinoy Park concert on Saturday, October 17th, at 7pm. Thank you for your support. Don’t forget to bring cans of food to support Tampa Bay Harvest.

Vinoy Park Concert - 7pm Saturday, October 17th October 17

horticulture Workshop Sunken Gardens; 551-3100FISh-ful Saturday The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437Family Flicks! Movies on the Waterfront The Pier; 821-6443Lost in time Fossil Show The Pier; 821-6443

October 18 Music Fest on the Water The Pier; 821-6443

OCTOBER 19 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGOctober 19

Celebrity Critter of the Week The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437October 24

Saturday Morning Market Al Lang Field parking St. Pete times Festival of Reading uSF Bayboro Harbor; 893-8523 horticulture Workshop Sunken Gardens; 551-3100Saturday Afternoon Fun The Pier; 821-6443

October 25 Music Fest on the WaterThe Pier; 821-6443


October 28 Creaky Bones, Arthritis Foundation Run & Walk The Pier; 821-6443

OCTOBER 30 OLD NE HALLOWEEN EVENTS (see p. 12)October 31

Saturday Morning Market Al Lang Field parking lot horticulture Workshop Sunken Gardens; 551-3100

november 2Celebrity Critter of the Week The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437

november 3 St. Petersburg Municipal General elections

november 6 Get downtown Music Series Central b/w 2nd-3rd; 393-3597

November 7 household Chemical and electronic Mobile Collection day Kmart, 3951 34th St. S; 893-7398 horticulture Workshop Sunken Gardens; 551-3100 FISh-ful Saturday The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437

november 9 Celebrity Critter of the Week The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437

november 13-15 Ribfest Vinoy Park; www.ribfest.org

november 14 horticulture Workshop Sunken Gardens; 551-3100

NOVEMBER 16 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING November 16

Celebrity Critter of the Week The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437 november 18

Senior Friendly Extravaganza! Tropicana Field; www.SrMagazine.com november 19

Xeriscaping Your Landscape Sunken Gardens; 551-3100 NOVEMBER 20 PORCH PARTY (see p. 18)

november 21 FISh-ful Saturday The Pier; Aquarium; 895-7437 Chillounge night North Straub Park; www.chilloungenight.com

november 21-2212th Annual CraftArt 2009 Florida Craftsmen Gallery; 821-7391

november 22 Women’s half Marathon & 5K Downtown St. Pete; www.active.com

november 23 Celebrity Critter of the WeekThe Pier Aquarium; 895-7437

November 27-29 Leap Into Fitness & Wish Music Festival Vinoy Park; www.wish-musicfestival.com

november 30 Celebrity Critter of the Week The Pier Aquarium; 895-7437


how does Your Garden Grow?

Veggie Growing

time

by Yvonne Swanson -- Master Gardener

Yvonne Swanson is a Master Gardener for Pinellas County. She also writes a garden column for the St. Petersburg Times.

Veggie growing season begins in mid-September, so there’s no time to waste. This season’s best crops are beans, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, summer squash,

tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, celery, radishes, spinach, lettuces, onions and strawberries. Start your seeds as soon as possible in peat pots, trays or other small contain-ers following the directions on seed packets so they’ll be ready to transplant later in September.

Next, start preparing your soil. Unfortunately, Florida soils aren’t ideal for growing your own food; in fact, experts recommend veg-gie gardening in containers and raised beds with store-bought soil and amendments. Never put soil from the ground into containers or you’ll likely introduce nematodes, those microscopic root eaters that are “Enemy #1” in the Florida vegetable garden.

Here’s a soil blend recommended by local horticulture expert Allen Cordell: Mix four parts bagged top soil, one part perlite (a natural volcanic material that boosts moisture retention) and ½ part dolomite (finely ground hydrated lime that adds calcium). Don’t use expensive bagged potting soil or pre-mixed potting soil with fertilizer, which are formulated for houseplants – not food crops that need nutrients such as calcium for fruiting. Use top soil; just make sure it’s loose and pliable to the touch – not heavy and mucky. You don’t need bagged cow manure or sphagnum peat moss. Instead, make your own rich top dressing (about one inch deep) with oak leaves, which provide tannic acid that will boost the soil’s natural nutrients and minor trace elements.

Fill your containers or raised bed at least eight inches deep. You can line the bottom of containers with loose filler, including small rocks or lightweight packing peanuts, to conserve soil and promote good drainage. Don’t use concrete chunks, shells or marble chips,

which can raise the soil’s alkalinity.

After planting, sprin-kle a handful of organic fertilizer on the soil’s surface. I’ve had good success with “Black Hen” brand composted chicken manure and liquid fish emulsion, which are available at most small garden centers (not the big box stores). Apply fertilizer monthly.

Mulch is optional, but it will help the soil retain moisture and prevent weeds. A one inch layer of oak leaves, pine needles, recycled mulch and even coconut fiber are good choices. Just be sure to keep mulch at least one inch away from plant roots to prevent root rot.

Keep a bottle of natural Neem horticultural oil on hand to con-trol both chewing and sucking pests such as whiteflies, aphids and scale as well as fungal diseases. Follow the product directions for this all-natural product, which can be applied without affecting harvesting time. Other pests, such as caterpillars and beetles, can be removed by hand. Sometimes a strong spray of water from the hose will remove pests as well.

Where to PlantMost veggies need full sun (six-eight hours of direct

sunlight), but you can grow most leafy green vegetables, such as lettuces and broccoli, in part sun. Another advan-tage of container gardens – you can move them to find the best growing spots in the yard!

Best small tomatoes:

CherryChelsea

Florida BasketMicro Tom Sweet 100

Source: University of Florida

Best full-size tomatoes for Florida:Better Boy

BraggerCelebrity

DukeFloradel

Flora-DadeFloramericaManalucieSolar SetSun Coast

Walter


1954 - 2004

Jungle Terrace Civic Association

Anniversary 1 Nonprofit, 501 ( C ) 3, Tax Exempt Mar - Apr 2009 Member: Council of Neighborhood Associations 2275 80th St. N. St. Petersburg, Fl. 33710

Jungle Terrace Civic Association Mar - Apr 2009 www.JungleTerrace.org

COPYRIGHT NOTICE. ( For Clipart. See last page ) Copyright © 2003 Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052-6399 U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Home Improvements -- Odd Jobs General Repairs, Yard Projects “Let me help you get things done”

………………………………......................................

Local resident * * REASONABLE Doug DeJohn (727)417-8977

HANDYMAN

126 11th Avenue NESt. Petersburg, FL33701727-822-5906

Ages 2 - VPKState ApprovedLIC. #C610108

APPLE ACCrEdItEd

Individual and Business Tax Returns

Small Business Accounting &

Consulting

St. Petersburg424 22nd Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33704

Seminole 7700 Seminole Blvd, Ste 200, Seminole, FL 33772

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

Monica M. Vernon • Garth A. Vernon


historic Old northeast neighborhood AssociationP.O. Box 76324St. Petersburg, FL 33734www.honna.org

PRSRt Stdu.S. POStAGe PAIdST. PETERSBURG FL

PeRMIt #1020

Next Neighborhood Meeting: Monday, September 21st, at 7pmAll neighborhood Potluck (see p.1)

All neighborhood residents invited

In thIS ISSue

• All Neighborhood

Potluck

• 4th of July Parade

• Preservation News

• Candlelight Tour

of homes

• Gourmet Groceries?

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News - September 2009

Documents

Transcript of Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News - September 2009