Story by STEVE TRAIMAN
In 2019, the city embarked upon StPete2050, a planning and “visioning” process organized around ten priority community themes. Through StPete2050, a common vision for the city’s physical, social, and economic advancements will be sought that can be used to coordinate and guide development in appropriate areas of the city. To do so, 10 community themes, set forth below, have been identified:
Included are Arts and Culture; Shared Economic Prosperity; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Sustainability and Resilience; Education; Transportation and Mobility; Growth and Community; Character; Attainable Housing; Healthy Communities; Parks, Recreation, and Open Space. Although not identified as a theme, historic preservation is one of the goals within the theme, “growth and community character.”
City Council is expected to adopt the plan in early 2021, with the plan to be presented at a late January meeting. While commenting on the planning process is not the most exciting form of civic engagement, doing so is vitally important to future city historic preservation efforts – keystone of the Preserve the ‘Burg group for more than four decades.
St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman told Paradise News, “St. Petersburg still retains much of the resort-town flavor its founders cherished, a community of pelicans, porpoises, endless sunshine and sailboats. This happens in no small part because of our friends at Preserve the ‘Burg, whose mission is to keep St. Pete special. For more than 40 years, they have helped guide and shape conversations about what our community values enough to preserve, and worked with our city team to do just that.”
“When the leadership of Preserve the ‘Burg told us they had applied for a grant from the 1772 Foundation – a national organization that works to ensure the safe passage of our historic buildings and farmland to future generations – we knew it would make sense to match that grant with our own. Now, the Preserve the ‘Burg team has the tools necessary to not just advocate for historic preservation, but to actually purchase and restore some of the properties and sites that make St. Pete special.”
“And though we are discussing the rich history of the Sunshine City, I want to ensure we focus on the future as well. We began StPete2050 as a citywide conversation about the future of St. Petersburg. The result is a vision plan organized around 10 priority community themes that were identified during the engagement process. “
“StPete2050 will help inform future decisions and guide plans, programs, and services throughout the city and in support of its sustainable, resilient, and equitable growth – that continues to honor our rich history – over the next 30 years.”
Sharing this vision, Preserve the ‘Burg (PTB) is encouraging all residents and businesses to speak up about StPete2050 and, in particular, to comment on the importance of historic preservation to the city’s sense of place. It’s easy to do so: just visit www.StPete2050.com and take the community survey.
PTB Leaders Comment
Peter Belmont, a founding member, recent past president, and very active in the group, told Paradise News, “Within downtown’s Williams Park is a Veterans Memorial created from a pair of columns, once a part of the grand 1913 American Bank & Trust building. Its 1978 demolition sparked myself and a handful of other St. Pete residents to form what is now Preserve the ‘Burg, then known as St. Petersburg Preservation.
“The historic Crislip Arcade building façade also was donated to the city and built on that site is the 17-story glass box tower at 360 Central Ave. Over the ensuing decades, Preserve the ‘Burg’s efforts have helped save what keeps St. Petersburg special. Included are downtown’s 600 Block; Mirror Lake’s library and the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club; Roser Park; and 22nd Street’s Mercy Hospital.
“Today, Preserve the ‘Burg is speaking up to protect the special feel around Mirror Lake, the main street feel of Central Avenue, historic neighborhoods like Driftwood and other historic buildings like the Melrose Clubhouse.” For more info on advocacy issues, go to: www.preservetheburg.org/Advocacy-Main.
Added Jeff Schorr, another dedicated PTB activist, “I have been a board member since I purchased the historic building at 2955 Central Avenue and opened Craftsman House Gallery, approximately 19 years ago in 2002. As the PTB mission says, we educate, advocate and celebrate.
“We have such a unique sense of place here in St. Petersburg, and that is what we work so hard to preserve. Old, historic buildings contribute to our sense of place, but there is much more to it than that. Our Movies in the Park pre-pandemic events in May and October are the most popular free events on our downtown waterfront and we hope to resume those soon.
“Our Executive Director search is underway to replace Monica Kile who had been involved with PTB for 14 years, initially as a volunteer and board member. She served two stints as executive director, first from 2013 to 2015, in 2019 after directing the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Eckerd College, and working on special projects with the Palladium Theater and YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg. We had many applicants from across the US, and have recently narrowed that down to a small group that we will choose from.
“We are not anti-growth,” Schorr emphasized, ”instead, we encourage thought-out, balanced growth.” He noted the PTB website mission statement, “Since 1977 we have been working to secure the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, maintenance, and/or acquisition of important natural, scenic, historic, and architectural sites and structures. We accomplish this by working with the city, county, businesses, and individuals to identify historic districts and sites, landmark significant structures, and foster appreciation of St. Petersburg’s historic environment.
“And no matter what project we undertake, the overarching goal is to instill in St. Pete’s citizens an appreciation of our shared heritage and culture and how this contributes to our quality of life and economic success.
“As Mayor Kriseman noted, in 2019 PTB received grant funding from the 1972 Foundation to start a historic preservation revolving fund. The city of St. Petersburg matched the grant, and the PTB Historic Properties Program was born. A revolving fund is an active real estate-based program for protecting endangered properties using techniques such as: options, purchase/resale, easements and tax credits. These historic structures ultimately are returned to the private sector with deed restrictions in place.
“Any proceeds realized from transactions are ‘recycled’ to sustain the proactive preservation efforts of the program. The goal of these programs is community redevelopment using historic preservation as a tool. As its first project Preserve the ‘Burg is working to save the circa 1909 Shell Dash Cottage, currently located near Mirror Lake.
“Another keystone of PTB is the Neighborhoods Program. The unique character of St. Petersburg’s historic neighborhoods is threatened by rampant demolition and the construction of new homes out of scale with their surroundings. Preserve the ‘Burg works with neighborhood residents and associations on solutions that maintain the historic character of our neighborhoods, including the creation of local historic districts, which discourage unnecessary demolitions and encourage the compatible new construction.”
Current PTB Officers include include Harry Heuman, president; Robin L. Reed, vice president; Bob Carter, treasurer; and Matt King, secretary. In addition to officers, other 2021 board members include Raymond Arsenault, Ph.D.; Peter Belmont, Jeff Danner, Maria Erickson, Emily Elwyn, Sharon Hayes, County Commissioner Charlie Justice, Maryann Lynch, Jeff Schorr and Adam Vasallo.
Summing up, Mayor Kriseman invited all residents and business leaders to visit www.StPete2050.com and take the community survey. He emphasized, “You will learn more about how you can participate in not only ensuring that our history is preserved, but also to prepare our city for the future. I think our founders, who envisioned a grand city of bustling streets and beautiful parks, would be proud of the city we have become.”
[Editor’s Note: Special thanks to St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and Preserve the ‘Burg leaders Peter Belmont and Jeff Schorr for their excellent comments and images.]
[Steve Traiman is president of Creative Copy by Steve Traiman, St. Pete Beach, providing business writing services at traimancreativecopy@gmail.com or by phone to 727-363-7531.]