CHANGING LANDSCAPES
St. Pete’s founding fathers made sure
the parks could never be developed,
allowing the community to enjoy views
of the water and access to the park and
recreation facilities that include North
Shore Pool, tennis courts and beach
volleyball.
Several unique St. Pete venues are
also located here, including Sunken
Gardens, a former “old Florida” roadside
attraction that is now a city owned
four-acre urban botanical oasis; the
classic Vinoy Renaissance Hotel on the
downtown waterfront, and the First
Church of Christ Scientist, now the
Palladium Theater—all of which were
built in the Roaring 20s.
HISTORIC KENWOOD
St. Pete’s artistic side shines here
in Historic Kenwood, known as the
“Neighborhood of the Arts.” The com-
architecture of the homes and the number
Webb’s City Cellar in The Edge
District. Photo courtesy Green
Bench Brewing Company.
of working artists who have been
drawn to living in this friendly, diverse
and creative neighborhood.
Just a few blocks west of downtown,
suburbs.
The neighborhood is noted for its
collection of American Craftsman
American Arts & Crafts movement
popular in the early 20th century, a style
with many decorative touches inside
and out, and big, welcoming front
porches. In fact, the neighborhood has
Historic Kenwood
the highest concentration of Craftsman
Bungalow architecture in Florida, and
in 2003 was named to the National
Register of Historic Places. The annual
BungalowFest, held in November,
draws a big crowd of curious locals who
want to peek inside these beautifully
restored houses.
Historic Kenwood is also unique
Overlay District, which allows the growing
number of artists who live in the
community to make and sell their work
from home, as well as teach classes.
During the neighborhood’s annual
“Art Studio Tour” it’s possible to see
the range of creative talent here, from
-
makers, mixed media artists and much
more.
Two years ago, the neighborhood
launched a public arts initiative, bringing
decorative touches to parks, public
spaces and street signs, and further
branding the community’s
neighborhood of the arts
identity. Benches in Seminole
Park have been transformed
into works of art. Historic
Kenwood street signs now
feature beautiful ornamen-
artists, and banners created
from artists’ work now hang
from light poles along First
Avenue North. Still in the
works are “neighborhood
markers” – pedestals topped
with sculpture or art displayed
inside sturdy cases.
“This is one of the most
welcoming and inclusive
neighborhoods anywhere,”
who moved to the community
several years ago with
her husband Michael, a glass
artist. As an example, funding
for some of the public art initiatives
came from Dining for
Art, a unique fundraiser that
invites the public to a series
of intimate dinner parties
hosted by Kenwood home-
French gourmet meal to a backyard
barbecue and an early morning brunch.
EUCLID ST. PAUL
Chris Scronce, a senior director of
Ceridian HCM, and his wife Elaina,
who owns Cotton & Magnolia, a bou-
business, moved to Euclid St. Paul six
years ago from North Carolina. The
12 'BURGLIFE | Living, Working and Playing in St. Petersburg, FL