Green Bench Monthly - Vol 4, Issue 4, April 2019

VOL. 4, ISSUE 4, APRIL 2019

St. Pete’s Direct-Mail Community Magazine

A Walk Around

Mirror Lake’s Past & Future pg. 6

People of St Pete

Small Changes

Bring Out the Bananas

Jeff Donnel

Big Impact

Sex Education

pg. 8

pg. 14

pg. 26

Publishers

Ashley & Tony Sica

Advertising Sales Eileen Brock

Editors (this issue)

Rui Farias, Marilyn Malara, Mary Jane Park, Cathy Weisberg

Contributors (this issue) Tina Stewart Brakebill, Andy Bragg, Nicole Brand, Tara Britton, Vandi Carmella, Erin Cody, Rui Farias, Denielle Kennett, Victoria Lasavath, Brian Zucker

Swim Lessons at North Shore Pool. Photo by City of St. Petersburg.

FROM THE BENCH

Photographers Brian Brakebill, Emily Canfield, Kristina Holman, Kelly Nash Cover Photo Mirror Lake Aerial by Bronson Cheeks

Contact PO BOX 76095 St. Petersburg, FL 33734 (727) 280-5406 hello@greenbenchmonthly.com

Proud member of:

Hi, neighbors! Earth day is on the horizon. We love where we live and want to keep it as clean as possible for now and future generations—so this issue we’re taking a look at a few of the ways our city is lessening the trash it produces; and encourage you to do the same (pg. 10-16). We’ve also got your fill of local business news (pg. 16 - 22), and would love for you to consider next years’ school curriculum (pg. 26). There are also some pretty great restaurants that just opened up and we can guarantee you’ll want to check them out too (pg. 29).

Till next time,

In This Issue: 5

From the Museum’s Archives:

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A Walk Around Mirror Lake’s Past and Future

8

People of St. Pete: Jeff Donnel

hello@greenbenchmonthly.com

14 Small Changes, Big Impact

20 Seeing Is Believing

16 Black Crow Takes on St. Pete’s First Zero Waste Certification

22 Gregory Air: Keeping it Cool

10 Create a More Sustainabe Life With The Three R’s

18 City-Wide Self Storage & Commercial Services: Redefining Storage and Delivery

12 Meet the 6-Year-Old CEO of Kids Saving Oceans

19 Taking Your Business to The Next Level

25 How To Make the Most of Your Library Card 26 Bring Out the Bananas: Pinellas County Pushes for Comprehensive Sex Ed 29 Downtown Developments 30 Events

Green Bench Monthly Is Direct-mailed to 15,500 homes and businesses in zip codes 33701, 33704 & 33713. Neighborhoods included in our mailing: Allendale, Crescent Heights, Crescent Lake, Downtown, Euclid-St. Paul, Five Points, Greater Woodlawn, Historic Kenwood, Historic Old Northeast, Magnolia Heights, North East Park, Snell Isle, & Woodlawn

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The Washington's Birthday Parade was the predecessor to the Parade of States as seen here in 1913.

The parade is passing in front of Mitchell's Corner at 4th Street and Central Avenue, where the Snell Building is located now.

From the Museum’s Archives With St. Petersburg Museum of History Executive Director, Rui Farias “Where All America Welcomes Springtime” was the slogan as each March-April the Festival of States celebration attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to St. Petersburg. What started out as the Washington’s Birthday parade and the Fair and Tourist week, became the Festival of States in 1917. State associations who wintered in St. Pete began building parade floats depicting their home states. Eventually marching bands from throughout the nation were invited and in the 1950’s, the

Suncoasters - a group of civic volunteers - grew the event into a threeweek long, 100-event St. Pete party. The Sam Robinson Jazz Festival and RibFest highlighted concerts and food festivals, but it was the televised Parade of States that drew hundreds of thousands along the waterfront and up Central Avenue to 16th Street.

This historical image of St. Petersburg, and many more, are available in the Museum’s archives. For more information, visit HistoryStPete.org.

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Business section of Saint Petersburg, Florida from Mirror Lake. 19--?. Color postcard. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory.

A Walk Around Mirror Lake’s Past and Future

By Andy Bragg Downtown St. Petersburg is renowned for its walkability, and Mirror Lake in its midst is a somewhat underutilized gem. Arguably the center of city life in the booming 1920s, the lake area is now described as “a quiet retreat within downtown” by City Council member Gina Driscoll.

It takes just 20 minutes to stroll around the spring-fed former reservoir just north of First Avenue N and west of Fifth Street, past parkland, aquatic birds, and iconic historic structures. There are no stores or restaurants on the lake and no buildings taller than six stories or less than 20 years old.

Activity has picked up recently, along with varying visions for the area’s future. “To me, the story here is the return to glory of a district long neglected,” says Jason Jensen, principal of an architectural firm that is expanding its offices on the lake.

Historically Speaking The Mirror Lake Library on Fifth Street is a good starting point.

The Beaux-Arts style Carnegie library was built in 1915 and later added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Heading counterclockwise on Mirror Lake Drive past one of several lakeside parking lots, the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club, built in 1924, is next. With 5,000 members, It became the world’s largest shuffleboard club by 1944. Attendance later fell but has rebounded to 1,200, with free Friday nights open to the public. The city has a three-year plan with the University of South Florida to have architecture students transform the club’s lakeside “Cue House.”

Next along the lake are three large 1920s-era contributing structures of the Downtown Historic District.

The Mission-style old St. Petersburg High School (now the 70-unit 701 Mirror Lake Condominiums) was in session from 1919-26 and later an adult education center before conversion to condominiums in 1991.

The Mediterranean Revival-style Mirror Lake Christian Church next door opened in 1926 with a 1,000-seat sanctuary. It later became the Mirror Lake Lyceum and now is the Bridgepoint Church, with the Lyceum continuing as an active venue.

The old junior high school operated from 1924 to 1931, when it became the city’s vocational and technical school. The Tomlinson Adult

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Old St. Pete High. Photo by Tony Sica.

Learning Center now has 680 enrolled adult students.

Along the western lakefront, the most prominent buildings are the Weidner Law and Wannemacher Jensen Architects (WJA) offices.

Weidner Law occupies a 1920s house built by Cade Allen, developer of the Allendale neighborhood. WJA will break ground soon on a 34,000 square-foot adjacent mixed-use building to include the first new office space built in St. Petersburg in almost 15 years as well as condominiums and a coffee shop to become the only retail site on the lake.

The next large building, the Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg (UUSP), has operated continuously since the Spanish Colonial Revival-style structure was completed in 1930. UUSP’s membership peaked at more than 500 before World War II and declined to about 65 five years ago but since has rebounded to 170. In addition to Sunday service and education, UUSP is active with discussions, covenant meetings, and Friday afternoon meals for mostly homeless people, averaging 80 per week.

The south and eastern sides of the lake are dominated by a county human services center, the St. Petersburg Judicial Building (designed

by Glenn Johnson, architect of St. Petersburg’s 1950s era “bird cage” homes), and the Sebring state office building.

The Lake’s Future A $69 million, 21-story, 270-apartment tower, not yet named, is planned to replace several century-old, relatively affordable, rentalapartment buildings across Fifth Street from the library. It has been approved by the City Council and Development Review Commission

Mirror Lake. Photo by Tony Sica.

although it is opposed by historic preservation group Preserve the Burg (PTB), which supports the creation of a Mirror Lake Historic District to encourage sustaining historic buildings around the lake.

“Smaller-scale historic buildings help vitality in a lower-intensity urban environment, with their recognizable scale and special feel,” PTB board member Peter Belmont says. “The city has embraced the impact of the arts and should value historic preservation as well.”

Lawyer and Downtown Neighborhood Association board member Matt Weidner, whose office is in the area, sees Mirror Lake as the next preservation vs. development battleground. “Property owners’ development options should not be restricted,” he says. “The city also needs to do more to help make its buildings more attractive and to promote activities by the lake.”

Says Barbara Riddle-Dvorak, a Mirror Lake condominium resident and Tomlinson career counselor: “I would like to see more activity including festivities with food trucks around the lovely lake.”

WJA’s Jensen advocates creation of a high-potential Mirror Lake District including nearby neighborhoods: “Mirror Lake needs to fill in parking lots with sensitive mixed-use development that honors the past but builds a district for the future,” he says.

City Council member Driscoll advocates preserving the historic buildings right along the lake and says more can be done to promote area events: “I see its highest use as a locale for street fairs and celebrations, similar to the scene around Orlando’s larger Lake Eola, and the city can help with that.”

We will stay tuned.

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Photo by Brian Brakebill

People of St. Pete: Jeff Donnel

By Tina Stewart Brakebill St. Petersburg is celebrated for its fabulous weather, beautiful vistas, world-class food scene, and thriving cultural atmosphere, but the people of St. Pete truly make this city something special. In appreciation, each month Green Bench Monthly shines a light on one of the many people who make our city unique.

This month’s focus is on the City of St. Petersburg’s municipal recycling manager, Jeff Donnel. As part of the city’s sanitation division, the recycling department plays an integral role in the effort to reduce the amount of trash that ends up in a landfill or an incinerator. It’s an ongoing challenge, but the opportunity to be of service attracted Donnel to the job.

From Long Beach to St. Pete The son of a career military father, Donnel and his family moved frequently, never living in one place for more than three years. When his dad retired and they settled in California, he was happy to finish high

school in the San Joaquin Valley and spend his college years at Fresno State. After graduating, he headed south to work for Neutrogena / Johnson & Johnson, making Long Beach his new home. After 20 successful years as an IT Product Manager with the company, he chose to leave rather than relocate to New Jersey. Instead, he and his wife, Ali, headed to Florida to begin a new path. They spent some time living on the other coast, and then a few years in Tampa, where Donnel’s love of cooking inspired him to start a catering business. Then they visited some friends in St. Petersburg. One trip across the bridge was enough to convince them they had found what they had been looking for. Soon after, the couple relocated.

Proud to Be Part of the Team Making the tough decision that the catering business was not working out as he hoped, Doonnel began looking for a new career.

He was proud of his work at Johnson & Johnson and in catering, and he hoped to find something that offered that same sense of accomplishment. He also was drawn to the idea of service. When the city needed someone with tech abilities to help instigate its recycling program, the work looked to be a perfect fit. Nearly four years later, the program has grown, and Donnel rose quickly from tech support to manager.

Loving the St. Pete Vibe The Donnels’ instincts also were right on. They settled into a 1940s bungalow in the Old Northeast with their two Clumber Spaniels, Riley and Sophie. All four of them love it here! Like Long Beach, St. Petersburg has a small-town feel with big-city offerings in a beautiful locale. Any given night or weekend, you may find them enjoying the view as they walk along Coffee Pot Bayou or heading toward downtown to take advantage of everything that the city has to offer. They continue to love the vibe, and they are happy they can now call St. Pete home, sweet home.

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Let’s clear up any confusion.

THERE’S only one BayCare hospital in St. Pete, and it’s called St. Anthony’s.

As the only BayCare hospital in St. Petersburg, we’re dedicated to improving the health of our community.

In 1997, as one of BayCare’s founding hospitals, St. Anthony’s Hospital helped us establish our high standards of care. St. Anthony’s mission, improving the health of all we serve, along with our long history of compassionate care and state-of-the-art medical services, makes us one of BayCare’s flagship hospitals. And, even though we’re the only BayCare hospital in St. Petersburg, St. Anthony’s has the support of the entire BayCare network. In fact, in the last two years alone, that support has translated into $50 million in improvements, further strengthening St. Anthony’s health care commitment to our community. Humanity At Work .

TM

OUR NETWORK:

BayCare Behavioral Health • BayCare HomeCare • BayCare Laboratories • BayCare Medical Group BayCare Outpatient Imaging • BayCare Surgery Centers • BayCare Urgent Care OUR HOSPITALS:

Bartow Regional Medical Center • BayCare Alliant Hospital • Mease Countryside Hospital • Mease Dunedin Hospital • Morton Plant Hospital Morton Plant North Bay Hospital • St. Anthony’s Hospital • St. Joseph’s Hospital • St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital • St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital St. Joseph’s Hospital-North • St. Joseph’s Hospital-South • South Florida Baptist Hospital • Winter Haven Hospital • Winter Haven Women’s Hospital BAYCARE.ORG 18-524805-0918

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For the month of April, Coast Bike Share encourages you to take the #CarFreeStPete Challenge to drive your car less and choose sustainable transportation instead. Photos by Brian Brakebill.

Create a More Sustainable Life with the Three R’s

By Tina Stewart Brakebill

As we mark the 49th anniversary of the What are the Three Rs? The Three R’s are the components that make up the waste first Earth Day, it’s important to keep in mind management hierarchy: reduce, reuse, and recycle. This approach calls on us to reduce our consumption, reuse items if possible, and recycle, that we should strive to protect the Earth if the first two steps are not an option. As individuals, incorporating small changes can help conserve energy and reduce our carbon every day. As individuals and communities, footprint. As communities, implementing larger-scale programs can preserve natural resources and limit waste while also saving we all can work toward creating a more help money and landfill space. So what can we do as private citizens? And how is St. Pete working toward solutions as a municipality? sustainable life by following the three Rs. Reduce!

The City of St. Petersburg’s efforts to discourage the use of plastic straws and plastic bags are examples of a municipal-level program aimed at reducing. But it’s not just about straws! The concept is both bigger and more basic than that. If we buy less stuff and use less disposable stuff, we’ll produce less waste. The approach is simple to understand but not always easy to follow. Speaking for myself, I like to buy stuff! Still, I can be responsible in my purchases. I can try to avoid over-packaged items and buy local. I also can think before I buy. Do I really need it? Do I already have something like it? Is it durable, or will it be trash after one use? I can also take simple steps in my daily life. If I must print something, I can print it on both sides of a sheet of paper. I can unsubscribe to catalog mailing lists and sign up for electronic, paperless bills. I can use a water bottle instead of buying bottled. And send an email instead of a snail mail. (Sorry, Grandma, but I’m saving the planet!) All of these efforts add up.

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Most glass, cans, cartons, newspapers, and most plastics can be placed in bins. Yard waste, dry-cleaning bags, Styrofoam, and plastic grocery bags do not qualify!

Reuse!

Learning to reuse or repurpose items is an essential component of the waste-management hierarchy. It is especially beneficial for dealing with all the things you (and I) bought before committing to reducing consumption. Two of my weaknesses, clothes and books, can easily be reused by others. They can be donated to local organizations such as Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA) or Keep St. Pete Lit’s BookSpace. Books also can be traded at one of St. Pete’s used-book stores. Household items or furniture can be donated or sold on consignment. And think about your trash before you throw it in the garbage or recycle it. Composting is a great way to repurpose biodegradable waste and help your garden thrive. Instead of bubble wrap, use old newspapers for packing. A jelly jar or coffee mug makes a great vessel to store buttons, seashells, or other items used in sewing, crafting, or making art. Being creative is a wonderful way to repurpose items. If you’ve got it, and you no longer want it, think before you trash it or recycle it.

Recycle!

Finally, if you can’t avoid buying it and you can’t reuse it, then recycle it. St. Petersburg maintains five conveniently located dropoff sites, and (as of the summer of 2015) also provides an extensive pickup program. Approximately 65 percent of eligible homes (an estimated 76,000 addresses) participate in the curbside / alley recycling program. Each month, about 1,100 tons of materials are recycled instead of being incinerated or dumped at a landfill.

Recycling Manager Jeff Donnel is pleased with the program’s progress so far, but he also stresses two things: Be mindful of reducing and reusing before you recycle, and understand what can and cannot be recycled in city bins. For details visit www.stpete.org/recycle.

Most glass, cans, cartons, newspapers, and most plastics can be placed in bins. Yard waste, dry-cleaning bags, Styrofoam, and plastic grocery bags do not qualify! Loose plastic bags are a special menace to the machine that sorts recyclables; if you place your items inside such a bag, all of its contents will be trashed. Apply the Rs to the bag question. Reduce the need to deal with them by taking your own sustainable bags to the store. Reuse plastic bags as refuse bags, or place them in retailers’ specially designated recycling bins.

If we apply the three Rs in daily life, we can help create a more sustainable community.

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Miles Fetherston-Resch, Founder and CEO of Kids Saving Oceans. Photo by Vandi Carmella.

For every item sold Kids Saving Oceans gives money to a non-profit organization working to protect our waters and surrounding ecosystems.

Raising Locals: Meet the 6-Year-Old CEO of Kids Saving Oceans

by Vandi Carmella and Denielle Kennett Miles Fetherston-Resch isn’t your average 6-year-old.

While most kids his age are playing video games or learning to ride a bike, the St. Petersburg first grader is busy saving our oceans, one piece of plastic at a time.

Miles, Founder and CEO of Kids Saving Oceans, has always loved the water, but Shark Week 2018 turned his interest into activism. After that week and long discussions with his parents Jess and Libby Fetherston-Resch about the future of our oceans and its inhabitants, Miles decided to donate all of his saved weekly allowance to a worthy cause.

“I wanted to send $13 to an organization,” explains Miles, “but that wouldn’t get that far.”

So the family, with Miles working as the “Ideas Guy,” came up with a more effective plan and founded Kids Saving Oceans, “the first conversation lifestyle brand for kids (and adult allies), by kids.” The brand currently offers signature marine-themed designs on t-shirts and hats made from recycled ocean plastics in addition to stickers and reusable straws, with plans for sunglasses and reusable water bottles in the future.

For every item sold, Kids Saving Oceans gives money to a nonprofit organization working to protect our waters and surrounding ecosystems including The Surfrider Foundation, The World Wildlife Federation - Oceans, and others.

Though this sounds like a lot of work for a 6-year-old, Miles enjoys it. He spends his time after school reading and coming up with different ways to save ocean creatures or clean up beaches. “Miles is happiest when he’s cleaning up trash,” Jess says.

But how exactly does one person’s trash become another person’s treasure, or in this case, t-shirt? According to Jess, the brand sources their fabric from an outside company that collects the plastic from the ocean. The shirts and hats end up being made of 65% recycled ocean

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plastic and the rest from cotton scraps leftover from manufacturing other clothing.

Kids Saving Oceans also uses environmentally-friendly waterbased inks in all designs and recycled packaging for shipping. “What’s under the logo is every bit as important as the message contained within it,” the Kids Saving Ocean website states.

If you and your family would like to join in the fight against ocean plastic pollution this Earth Day and beyond, here are some tips and information from the Fetherston-Resch family.

A staggering 91% of plastic isn’t recycled, and the majority of plastics can only be recycled one time. Therefore, it’s critical to reduce plastic consumption and choose sustainable options. Recycling alone won’t solve our plastic problems, so here are a few ideas to reduce plastic use at home: 1. Instead of plastic bags or wrap for food, think about reusable containers made from glass or steel. Or, consider paper sandwich bags and reusable beeswax wraps.

2. Say no to plastic straws and cutlery — you can always use your own reusable options. Especially when getting takeout!

3. Periodically do a trash and recycling inventory and find one thing you can replace with a reusable or compostable option. For example, if you use a lot of plastic grocery bags, buy a set of reusable produce bags to go with your other reusable bags.

4. Talk to your school and businesses you frequent about implementing alternatives to single-use items.

For more information about Kids Saving Oceans, visit www. kidssavingoceans.com or follow them on Facebook (@kidssavingoceans) or Instagram (@kids_saving_oceans).

Vandi and Denielle are the moms behind Sunshine City Kids, an online resource for all things kid-friendly in St. Petersburg. Follow the Sunshine City Kids at www.sunshinecitykids.com.

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Suncoast Compost. Photo by Christina Rosetti.

Movers and Makers: Small Changes, Big Impact

By Tara Britton Efforts to create a more environmentally conscious Sunshine City are gaining momentum. Our favorite craft markets and community lecture series demonstrate how collaborative endeavors can promote a shared mission: reduce the amount of waste St. Pete generates.

Consultation companies like Suncoast Compost and Shift Co. are making it easier than ever for St. Petians to take steps in the right direction. Their partnerships have resulted in a trickle effect where changes made at large events and companies spread to employees, vendors and attendees.

Education and Conversation Kali Rabaut started Suncoast Compost with her daughter’s future in mind, wondering: “How can I make the world a little better for her?”

Suncoast Compost provides consultation services regarding ways to minimize waste and reduce environmental impact. Rabaut explains, “Zero Waste events are ones where 90 percent or more of the potential

waste is kept out of the landfill.” According to Rabaut, “This is done through reduction, recycling, composting, and reusing. Mostly it’s a lot of old-fashioned person to person education and conversations.”

Trickle Effect One vendor they’ve worked with is Wakamole Truly Mexican, a well-known mobile restaurant. Wakamole’s first exposure to waste reduction was vending at the Indie Flea market, as Indie Flea strives to create “Ocean Friendly” events.

“They don’t allow single use plastic to be offered by vendors,” says manager Pao Dhoy. This forced Wakamole to research available alternatives and the impact of the materials their food truck was using.

“Living this close to the water, we have to realize whatever waste we create may end up on our beaches or in our waters,” Dhoy adds.

Adhering to the guidelines at Indie Flea inspired Wakamole to continue making environmentally-forward decisions at other events.

And not only did this change how they conducted business, but the Wakamole team also started making changes in their personal lives.

“If we can impact one person today, and one person tomorrow,” says Dhoy, “we’re making a difference and passing on the knowledge of how to our customers as well.”

Lead by Example “More and more people are demanding that businesses step up and do something,” says Rabaut. One business stepping up is the Zero Waste Certified Event, CreativeMornings St. Pete.

This global breakfast lecture series focuses on the creative community and is attended by market vendors, entrepreneurs and event organizers. St. Pete’s Chapter Host, Tara Segall, reports their team embraces the work required to maintain their zero waste reputation.

“When we started our chapter, the founding team felt uncomfortable with the notion of creating so much trash at every

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CreativeMornings swapped single use cups for a mug library: bring your own or use one from the library.

single event. As organizers of a community event, we have power and our actions influence hundreds of people per month. When we refuse single-use items, we’re telling our community that this is necessary, and showing them how it can be done.”

They couldn’t do it without the help of local partners like Shift Co., Suncoast Compost and many others. “We get community support and encouragement from organizations like Suncoast Surfrider Foundation and Rise Above Plastics. We’re all in this together,” notes Segall.

Learning Curve Going “green” requires riding the learning curve. According to Segall, “What matters are the decisions you make once you do know.

Having a coach and accountability partner has been hugely valuable to us. If you lead with excitement, people will adapt, and no one will miss throwaway cups or plastic stirrers.”

CreativeMornings shares Zero Waste guidelines with all of their partners, demystifying the process. Staff explain their zero waste stations during the events. They make it fun, keeping a reusable coffee mug library that encourages attendees to BYOM, or “Bring Your Own Mug.”

Slowly but Surely The result of community collaboration around the issue of environmental impact speaks for itself. According to Suncoast Compost, “We’ve kept about 75,000 pounds of compostables out of the landfill since we began.” CreativeMornings St. Pete is using their influence to inspire other CreativeMorning events around the world. Segall says, “We’ve gained some recognition from our global community for our sustainability efforts and many of the other 195 CreativeMornings chapters have started their own mug libraries, compost programs, and self audits to make their own events less wasteful.”

“Start small. Find one way you can make yourself, your organization, or your event more earth-friendly and go from there.

There are plenty of enthusiastic local Planeteers who are excited to share their knowledge and experience to help you get started. Reach out and ask,” encourages Segall.

Learn how you can contribute to St. Pete’s efforts to reduce waste.

Support Zero Waste and Ocean Friendly events like CreativeMornings St. Pete and Indie Flea; visit creativemornings.com/cities/sp or theindieflea.com. Contact organizations like Shift Co. at shiftco.us and Suncoast Compost at suncoastcompost.com to give your office, home or event an eco conscious facelift.

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Black Crow Coffee Co.’s second location is now open in the Grand Central District. Photos by Kristina Holman.

Black Crow Takes on St. Pete’s First Zero Waste Certification

By Nicole Brand It’s a workday. You head out and make a pitstop at your favorite cafe for a quick coffee and a ham and cheddar quiche catches your eye.

You grab that too. At work you sip your coffee, snap open the recyclable container holding your quiche and dig into breakfast. You finish and carry on with your day until you reach a stopping point. You clean up and carry the paper coffee cup and a plastic fork and container to the recycling bin. Job well done? Maybe not. Most coffee cups have a thin lining of polyethylene rendering it technically recyclable but difficult to separate from its paper cocoon and there’s a high chance that food container is contaminated with food residue.

Recycling Isn’t the Environmental Panacea We Once Thought This wishful recycling, or “wishcycling,” is exactly what kept Black Crow Coffee owner, Deana Hawk, up at night. As a cafe owner, she wanted to make socially and environmentally responsible decisions for her small business. She always kept a steady flow of locally produced baked goods available, and she ordered recyclable coffee cups and she sent her coffee grounds out for intermittent composting but it didn’t feel like enough. She’d heard on the radio last year that China wasn’t taking American recycling anymore. In fact, there were already cities in Florida, like Sunrise and Deltona, who’ve stopped their recycling programs altogether. Instead of focusing on the evermore contentious world of recycling, Deana decided to do a deep dive into her trash to find out more.

Black Crow Coffee Becomes the Very First Zero-Waste Certified Business in St. Pete In April of 2018, Deana brought Kali Rabaut of Shift Co. in for an audit of their waste stream. After saving trash for several weeks, they took to the sidewalk, laid out each piece of trash and conducted a full waste audit. The findings were shocking to both Deana and her staff.

The audit revealed that only 27% of the cafe’s waste was being diverted away from the landfill. Kali and Deana got to work and Black Crow Coffee became the first zero waste business in St. Pete.

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Some things were an easy fix after some serious aha! moments.

They discovered through the waste audit that they were throwing away a whopping 9 rags a day resulting in a loss of 3285 rags a year.

No problem. Now Deana washes and reuses them. Other changes took more finesse. As Kali put it, the process or reducing took “lots of tiny thoughtful steps.” She worked with vendors to bring them on board. Vegan Sunshine Donuts switched out their packaging for compostables. All food waste including coffee grounds are now sent to compost. A beverage for here? You’ll get a ceramic coffee mug. If you want food or coffee to go, the goods arrive in a compostable disposable container. If you finish it before you go, you can toss it into the welllabelled compost can. Ultimately, the waste audit and implementation plan resulted in a cool 90% landfill diversion. In the end, recycling only accounted for 4.2% of their waste diversion. A whopping 57% was diverted by upping the amount of composting by switching out plastic containers for compostable goods. Another 28.7% was diverted through the art of utilizing reusables like spoons, cups and rags.

Becoming Zero Waste Certified took “lots of tiny thoughtful steps” In an effort to eliminate almost every single use plastic in the joint, Black Crow nixed their straws. Don’t worry, they didn’t get get rid of straws altogether, they just got creative. Now if you order an iced mocha at Black Crow, you can sip through your very own pasta straw. In fact, you can do so at both locations. The cafe opened up a second location in the Calusa Commons next to Squeeze Juiceworks downtown and they’re well on their way to adding a sister to the zero waste family.

It’s been an educational journey not just for the owners and employees of Black Crow Coffee, but also for its visitors. Patrons can see the difference. They notice the little things, like Black Crow’s delicious homemade chai. Black Crow used to purchase chai that came in cartons, but after learning that the recyclable cartons weren’t actually recyclable in this region, they started making their own. This change has had a ripple effect throughout the community and people have begun visit the cafe for its notable zero waste status. So join in on the hype and stop by for a guilt-free cup in St. Pete’s very own Zero Waste cafe.

Want to know what you can recycle in Pinellas County? Check out: https://www.pinellascounty.org/solidwaste/recycling-directory/ pdf/recycling_directory.pdf Want to be the second zero waste certified business in St. Pete or interested in having your own waste audit? Visit shiftco.us

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From left to right: Marc Fatigati - Senior Warehouse Manager, John Mosko - General Manager, Charles Hunt - Self Storage Manager, Alexander Singletary - Storage Valet, Demetris Carter Sr. - Storage Valet. Photos by Kelly Nash Photography.

City-Wide Self Storage & Commercial Services: Redefining Storage and Delivery

By Tina Stewart Brakebill City-Wide Self Storage & Commercial Services is an independent, female-owned, 42,000 square foot warehouse facility located in the heart of St. Pete. It offers residential storage as well as commercial storage, inventory management and receiving capabilities.

Something Different Tina Ruggiero has succeeded in her goal to redefine the self storage industry since opening her facility in October 2018. It’s not just the place’s professionalism, integrity, and unmatched service, either, that sets City-Wide apart. Everything feels like a step up. From pristine storage units and on-site valets, to white-glove installation services, City-Wide Self Storage & Commercial Services delivers a fresh approach to the business.

Helping Independent Businesses Thrive Ruggiero arrived in St. Pete twelve years ago and fell in love with the city’s vibe and potential. Over the next decade, she saw the city’s creative culture continued to grow, rising up from its foundation of emerging artists, independent businesses, and free-thinkers of all types. But as development accelerates, Ruggiero fears that those same people are at risk of being pushed out of the market. She aimed to do something to help local businesses owners thrive, so City-Wide’s Commercial Services are specifically designed to help them be competitive and sustainable.

Expanding Resources, Expanding Reach Whether you’re a retailer or luxury home builder, a professional stager or an interior designer, City-Wide offers access to valuable resources that can help you run a more efficient business. City-Wide

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Big or Small, commercial or residential--General Manager, John Mosko, and Owner, Tina Ruggiero have a solution for your storage and delivery needs.

can receive, inspect, secure, install or deliver your merchandise exactly where and when you want it throughout the state of Florida. They run a climate-controlled warehouse, a fleet of trucks and professional, whiteglove installers who ensure the “big reveal” is a success. Using City-Wide as YOUR long- or short-term warehouse and your professional receiver, you’ll never again have to wonder, “How will I get this done?”

Moving and Storage Services And don’t forget, City-Wide can also solve your residential storage needs. They provide state-of-the-art security, standard and customizable ground-level, well-lit storage units, and free curbside assistance courtesy of their storage valets. They’ll even store your RV, boat or trailer! All at the lowest prices in Pinellas County. Plus, as an A-rated U-Haul dealer, customers can also rent or return trucks and trailers of any size, pick up or drop off U Boxes®, and purchase equipment. Simply put, whether you’re moving or need a place to store your favorite holiday decorations and your grandmother’s antique desk, City-Wide Self Storage & Commercial Services has your answer.

“Every job is of equal importance. No matter the size.”

Tina Ruggiero started this business to help the community, so let City-Wide Self Storage & Commercial Services help you. Big or small, commercial or residential, City-Wide has a solution for your storage and delivery needs.

Visit them at 661 40th St. S or online at citywideselfstoragestpete.com.

You can also contact them at 727-350-3350 or info@citywidestoragestpete. com. Follow them on Facebook for specials.

Mark King, CPA. Photos by Emily Canfield.

Taking Your Business to The Next Level

By Victoria Lasavath Born and raised here, Mark is proud of St. Pete. And as a true fan of the Sunshine City, he wants its people, and its businesses, to thrive.

Having learned what makes a business tick from multiple industries, he decided to apply what he mastered to help take companies to the Next Level. Mark recognized that companies who can’t afford a full-time CFO (chief financial officer or simply someone with a strong accounting background) couldn’t afford not to have one. So in order to help them expand at higher rates, he launched Next Level Accounting in 2010.

Using his 30 years of finance, administration, and private industry operations experience, as well as his time in public accounting for KPMG Peat Marwick, Mark helps his clients better run their businesses.

His time as a CFO for private companies gives him and his clients invaluable insight.

Strength in Differences With experience as a senior financial executive in such fields as manufacturing, wholesaling, distribution, retail, banking, healthcare, service, boat and auto sales, nonprofit and military contracting, Mark ​ is equipped to tackle whatever your business needs. His partner, Matt Holovach, has a similar background and handles clients remotely thanks to a cloud-based solution.

“Some people might be intimidated by going into a different industry. When there’s a

new client, you immerse yourself in the subject matter and become an expert,” Mark says.

He enjoys the variety the job brings as no two industries are alike.

The Business of Running a Successful Business While industries have their own respective nuances, Mark says that running a successful business boils down to certain fundamental values.

“There is a universal truth associated with business and it is the importance of sales. Beyond that, you can melt it down to fundamental things for all businesses and that’s having a good understanding that allows you to deal with any situation - and that can be within any function of a business - IT, HR, payroll, etc,” he says.

The other key factor in running a successful business is how we treat others.

“We try to treat everyone well: to create a family atmosphere for both employees and clients alike,” Mark adds.

Practicing What He Preaches For the last decade, Mark has successfully operated two other businesses, allowing him the opportunity to gain perspective and appreciation for the life of a business owner.

This grants him important insight for both his

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and his clients’ business decisions.

“I know what it’s like to make payroll and deal with difficult banking situations.”

With this foundation, Mark approaches clients all the same no matter what industry they hail from. He is very hands-on and prioritizes getting a full understanding of a client’s business operations as it significantly impacts accounting. He says he likes to roll up his sleeves and learn.

“If you’re trying to improve accounting processes, you have to understand how it relates to the rest of your business,” he says.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work Next Level clients can expect proactive work in forecasting, budgeting, and producing timely business statements.

“I like helping people, including my clients and helping them find ways to do things better,” he says.

Mark hopes his clients see Next Level as a partner in helping to run their business more successfully and profitably.

And when Mark isn’t helping clients reach the Next Level, you can find him at Ferg’s, at the Rays’ games, or running along the water downtown.

For those interested in getting their business to the Next Level, reach out to Mark at 727-543-1874. The Next Level Accounting office is located at 6420 Central Ave.

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Dr. Rebecca Sims says patient care is what sets The Eye Institute apart from other practices. Photos by Emily Canfield.

trained to diagnose specific types of eye disease - helping make their practice a destination for specialty eye care. No matter what eye problem, from the simplest yearly check up to complicated surgery.

Growing With Your Needs

Seeing Is Believing

By Victoria Lasavath Thanks to high school programs that give students the opportunity to shadow professionals in fields they’re interested in, Rebecca J. Sims, OD said it was a clear choice for her: she could already easily envision her career ahead of her.

Dr. Sims recalls watching the eye doctor measure a patient for glasses and contact lenses and he had the technology to test for additional risk factors. “It was exciting to understand that not only could I provide eye care but I would be able to make sure the patient’s eyes stayed healthy,” she reminisces.

Dr. Sims says eye care was the perfect blend of science and technology with caring and trust that she could clearly picture what she wanted to pursue.

The Clear Choice After high school, Dr. Sims continued her higher education at Mississippi State University and then Southern College of Optometry where she became an optometric physician.

She’s been in the field for over two decades now and provides a wide spectrum of pediatric, adult, and geriatric eye care at The Eye Institute of West Florida. Dr. Sims has had extensive training and experience which has earned the trust of many patients for their eye care needs.

Visionary Eye Care With The Eye Institute’s roster of three cataract and refractive specialists, three corneal and ocular surface disease specialists, three glaucoma specialists, three retina/vitreous specialists, one oculoplastic specialist, three general ophthalmologist, and eleven optometric physicians, Dr. Sims found herself regularly referring her patients to the physicians at The Eye Institute before starting there in 2016. “My only regret is that I didn’t start at The Eye Institute sooner,” Dr. Sims says.

The Eye Institute’s founding father and current president, Dr. Stephen Weinstock, founded the practice 45 years ago in Largo. Early on he saw the need to create a practice comprised of physicians specially

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Forty-five years later, The Eye Institute has five locations in the area including Largo, St. Pete, Clearwater, West Tampa and South Tampa where Dr. Sims treats patients in the St. Pete and South Tampa offices, respectively.

The patient care offered at The Eye Institute is what sets the practice apart, says Dr. Sims.

“From being greeted at the door when walking into the facility to working with the ophthalmic technician and physician, there’s listening ears and smiling faces all the way through,” she says.

Even with five offices and a large staff, Dr. Sims says there’s a community feel to the patient care because the doctors and staff provide the type of care they’d want to receive themselves.

Budding Relationships While eye health is the most important matter to address with patients, Dr. Sims says that building patient rapport and trust is what she truly enjoys most about being part of the practice.

“It’s rewarding when patients I’ve seen for 15 years ask me how my children are doing. The trusting relationship established by providing care for the same people for years and years is what gives me so much satisfaction.”

“It’s nice to get to know them on a personal level and when patients refer me to a family or friend, that’s the biggest compliment I can get.”

If you’re interested in learning more about what The Eye Institute of West Florida can do for all your eye health needs, be sure to learn more at www.eyespecialist.com.

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Gregory Mathis (blue shirt) owner of Gregory Air Conditioning will keep you cool year around. Photos by Kelly Nash Photography.

Gregory Air: Keeping it Cool

By Tina Stewart Brakebill It’s April and we all know what that means: it’s about to get HOT! Bright sunny days are great for a visit to the beach, a meandering walk through the Saturday Market, or a long bicycle ride along the Bay. When we come home, however, we’re ready for a cool alternative! Don’t leave things to chance, contact Gregory Air and make sure your HVAC system is ready to keep you cool.

Who Is Gregory Air? Gregory Mathis is the owner and operator of Gregory Air. Originally from St. Pete, Greg joined the Army in 1992 and spent the next eight years traveling and experiencing life far from the Burg. When he was ready to call someplace HOME, he considered Phoenix (sunny, but landlocked) and Seattle (coastal, but not sunny) before realizing he

already knew the perfect place: his hometown! In 2000, he returned to St. Pete to stay. He spent the next sixteen years working in the HVAC industry for someone else, honing his skills and building his knowledge.

By 2016, Greg was ready for a change. He wanted to provide options that were both affordable and environmentally responsible. He knew he could better serve the community that he loved by going out on his own.

In June 2016, he launched Gregory Air.

One Man. One Dog. Lots of Sweat.

Nearly half of the energy we use in our homes involves regulating the indoor temperature. Obviously as Floridians, that often means battling high heat and humidity. Having an HVAC provider you can count on is vital during the summer months. As the sole owner and operator of Gregory Air, Greg has been helping Pinellas County keeps its cool for three years. Although he gets a lot of moral support from his rescue dog, Olive, Greg handles the hard work himself! Gregory Air can solve your cooling (or occasional heating) problems by providing all of the services you expect from a reliable HVAC provider. He installs, services, repairs, and provides regular maintenance for your air conditioning and heat pump systems. He also can change out your old system for a new, more energy efficient one and provide recommendations for how to save money on your energy bills. Simply put, he offers personal and affordable full-service options for residents and businesses.

Green is Cool!

Spending less of our hard-earned greenbacks on energy bills is great, but being energy efficient is not just about saving money. It can also have a positive environmental impact, which is another reason Gregory Air is committed to providing environmentally conscious products and services. For example, he uses Simple Green non-toxic, biodegradable

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Gregory Air Conditioning Moral Support and Sun Lover, Olive

products to clean and maintain systems. Gregory Air also specializes in ductless HVAC system installations. Earning a Seasonal Energy Efficient Ratio (SEER) of 22 (on a scale from 13 to 24), ductless systems regulate the air temperature room by room (instead of the whole house) making them much more energy efficient than traditional units. This efficiency lowers energy consumption which lowers electric bills, while also providing a greener solution for our energy needs. Not surprisingly, St. Pete has responded enthusiastically to Gregory Air’s option to go ductless. Like our temperatures, equipment sales and installations are on the rise as more and more people realize they can save green by going green. Green IS cool!

Gratitude!

Talk to Gregory Mathis and you’ll quickly understand why so many people trust him with their home. With nearly 20 years of HVAC experience, he knows his stuff. On top of his expertise, he’s also a local and he loves St. Pete. Customer satisfaction is his “highest priority” because they’re his neighbors, too, not just customers. He’s been a part of the Burg his whole life. He’s watched it grow and change while still managing to maintain the hometown feel that we all love. Greg is proud to be part of it, and immensely grateful to the community for embracing him and his business. He says Gregory Air started so he could offer the community he loved “something better.” Thanks to the response of that local community, Gregory Air is thriving. For that, Gregory Mathis offers his deepest gratitude.

Summer is Coming And finally, forget winter. Summer is coming! Florida temperatures are on the rise, so now is the time to give serious thought to your cooling needs. Whether you need your annual system maintenance check or a brand-new system all together, Gregory Air can help. He offers free estimates. If tell him you read about Gregory Air in Green Bench Monthly, you’ll get a $10 discount on any service! Contact him at 727723-5851 or visit his website at gregoryair.com for more information.

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Johnilaw and its staff are proud to support our community through donations, event sponsorships and volunteer service to these organizations that help improve the lives of children, families and veterans.

“We make a living by what we get.

We make a life by what we give.”

— Winston S. Churchill

(727) 520-7376 | johnilaw.com 2600 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. St. N. #300 St. Petersburg, Florida 33704 Hiring a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based upon advertisements alone. Before deciding, ask to receive free written information about our qualifications and experience.

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Photo by City of St. Petersburg.

How to Make the Most of Your Library Card

By Erin Cody I have many fond childhood memories of my neighborhood library.

From “storytime” to my ravenous explorations of whatever subject interested me that week, it was a special place where I could make decisions for myself and direct my learning wherever I wished. I didn’t realize until adulthood however, and specifically upon moving to St. Pete, just how much my library card can do!

More than just books The Pinellas Public Library Collective wants you to have just the piece of media you want. So if that murder mystery you’ve been dying to get your hands on is already taken out, or at a branch all the way across town, just put in a request online or in person and they will send it to your local branch for your pick up. You can keep checked items for two weeks or easily renew online. In addition to books, an incredible selection of music and movies is available. You can also sign up for alerts when a new crop of books arrive in the system, or download free audiobooks directly to your smart phone for a one or two-week period using the the free, wildly popular, Overdrive App.

Free classes and passes The library’s website is a wealth of information, but if you’re unsure how to make the new library technology work for you, they’ve got you covered. There are free computer/tech classes on Mondays and Tuesdays at the main branch, as well as a vast array of other programs. Just check out their calendar! There are a host of activities for children and plenty for adults. Book clubs throughout the week cover topics from true crime

to short stories, biographies to sci-fi. Their programs and classes, all free of charge, range from AARP tax prep to ukulele workshops, Pokemon league to knitting/crochet class, job-seeking techniques and interview skills, gentle chair yoga, meetings with “healthcare navigators,” Sunday afternoon family-friendly movie showings, and meetups of the awesome, empowering group, Girls Who Code. Pretty incredible offerings, eh?

I can’t stop singing the praises of the library’s fantastic Museum Pass program. Museum passes cannot be acquired online, so stop by your local branch to pick yours up. This will score you free entry to the Florida Holocaust Museum, Chihuly Collection, Great Explorations Children’s Museum, and Museum of Fine Arts of St. Pete. Each branch has two passes for each museum, which you check out just as you would a book. Admission is valid for up to 2 adults, and 3 children under the age of 18 in the same household. Limited to one pass at a time per family, passes are valid for one visit within the 7-day loan period.

But wait, there’s more!

There is also an advanced version of Ancestry.com that you can access at your local branch. In addition there are programs such as multi-lingual citizenship prep, resources to enable smart investing, small business resources, access to a great number of databases, and plenty more at your fingertips.

If you don’t have a library card yet, run - don’t walk - to your closest branch. Just make sure your ID shows your local address. Have a chat with a friendly librarian about all they have to offer. It really is a treasure trove - and absolutely everything is free of charge. Can’t beat that!

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Bring Out the Bananas: Pinellas County Pushes for Comprehensive Sex Ed

By Erin Cody The idea of Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) makes some parents uneasy, but not mother of two teenagers, Amy Weintraub.

“Just like all other subjects, I want my kids to have access to quality information when it comes to sex education,” said Weintraub. “I want them to learn about the biology of sex, as well as about sexuality, healthy relationships, and family planning. Comprehensive, evidence-based sex ed gives a teen important tools to protect themselves, and more control over their life’s plan.”

Mission Pinellas The Empowering Pinellas Youth Collaborative (EPYC) is on a mission to bring CSE to Pinellas County public schools. Why is it so important?

Recent research has proven abstinence-only programs to be ineffective, with no impact on delaying sexual initiation, decreasing teen pregnancy or reducing sexually-transmitted infections (STIs). A multitude of studies

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on CSE make clear that young folks who receive full and accurate info about condoms and contraception, as well as abstinence, were not more likely to get an STI. They were, in fact, considerably more likely to use condoms when they become sexually active, and less likely to be involved in a teenage pregnancy.

Why does this curriculum change need to happen now? EPYC CoChair, Dr. Linsey Grove, states, “Pinellas County adolescents have had STI rates that have been higher than the state average for the past three years, and our students of color are disproportionately impacted by teen pregnancy. We are also seeing new HIV infection rates rise among young people in Pinellas. We need multiple prevention approaches that address these health outcomes and one of the most impactful strategies is by enacting CSE now. These statistics are not going to change unless we start using evidence-based, public health approaches to curbing sexual risk behavior among adolescents.”

What exactly is Comprehensive Sex Ed? According to the Sexuality and Information Council of the United States, CSE is defined as “sex education programs that, in school-based settings, start by kindergarten and continue through 12th grade. Highquality CSE programs include age, developmentally, and culturally appropriate, science-based, and medically accurate information on a broad set of topics related to sexuality, including human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behaviors, including abstinence, sexual health, and society and culture. CSE programs provide students with opportunities for learning information, exploring their attitudes and values, and developing skills.”

Do we really need to start so young? Issues such as consent and healthy relationships should be introduced as early as possible. EPYC states, “Sex education is a potential vehicle to teach kids age-appropriate consent principles; this includes general concepts like personal space and boundaries to sexual consent between partners. Understanding consent from a young age can help empower students to identify and report inappropriate behavior and, potentially, sexual assault or abuse.”

Consent is undoubtedly important to the safety of our children, and their understanding of healthy relationships.

Is this really necessary?

What can be said to parents who are not comfortable with CSE taking place in our schools? Lawrence Clermont, President of the Pinellas County Council PTA/PTSA, believes, “Academic achievement, selfesteem and well-being are interrelated. While the well-being of children is primarily the responsibility of the home, responsibility for the emotional, intellectual, physical, and social health of children is shared by the whole community. After the home, the school is often best positioned to serve as the community’s center for meeting the needs of the child.”

EPYC co-chair & parent of a Pinellas County student, Julia Sharp adds, “Just as there is now the opportunity for parents and guardians to opt their child out of a part, or all, of the current Abstinence Plus Sex Ed, we would want to see that option continue into the future Comprehensive and Inclusive Sex Ed policy. Ultimately the decision rests in the hands of each Pinellas County family to determine what’s best for their child.”

In a 2017 Community Health Assessment by the Pinellas County Health Department, 75% of Pinellas County respondents stated that they wanted CSE in our schools. So what’s the hold up?

“Even though Florida State Statutes set the standards for sex education, local school districts can determine curriculum based on ‘local values and concerns,’ as noted in Statute 1003.42. This is what we’re asking the Pinellas County School District to consider, given the public health concern for our students and the community value of keeping kids safe,” says Dr. Linsey Grove.

Time for Action!

So what can you do to help ensure that the CSE our children deserve is introduced into Pinellas County schools? Dr. Grove states, “The best way to impact the health of our students is to not only employ CSE, but to enshrine the criteria for sex education in policy. We need to let our school board members know that we want the current policy to reflect our needs.

We believe that the voices of students and the community will make our elected officials listen, and we’re beginning to show up at school board meetings, talk with board members, and send postcards and emails to demonstrate the community support for this.”

If you wish to help effect this change, you can also support organizations working tirelessly for the cause such as Metro Health and Advocates for Youth. Join EPYC, share your demand for CSE on social media, and write letters to the editors of local publications voicing your support. The stakes are high, and the time is now. Let’s make it happen, St. Pete!

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Brass Bowl Kitchen and Juicery, 656 Central Ave

Webb City Cellar, 1133 Baum Ave N

WEPA! 2149 3rd Ave S

Downtown Developments

By Brian Zucker, Owner of St. Pete Rising It seems like each time we take a stroll through downtown there are new restaurants and galleries opening and more apartment complexes and condo towers being built. We realize it’s difficult to keep track of everything. Luckily, we’ve done the research, so you don’t have to. Each month we will feature a few of the most exciting new downtown developments that are on the horizon for the Sunshine City.

Brass Bowl: Kitchen and Juicery opened their doors earlier this month at 656 Central Avenue. The menu consists of bowls, flatbreads, juice bowls, cold-pressed juices, and more. Chef Jason Gordon’s mission is to offer delicious, healthy food that rivals fine dining in a quick-service environment (i.e. order at the counter). Impressively, the eatery has no freezers, no fryers, and no heat lamps. Also, Chef Gordon is hoping to get Brass Bowl certified organic by the USDA, which requires that 95% or more of the ingredients be organic. Talk about fresh! Our favorite dish so far is the Hunter Gatherer bowl — 24-hour sous vide hanger steak, black rice, fire-roasted sweet peppers, smoked foraged mushrooms, four-herb pesto and forest herbs.

The developers behind ONE St. Petersburg, a recently constructed 41-story condo and hotel project, have announced plans for their second tower in Downtown St. Pete. The new 35-story tower, tentatively dubbed Bayfront St. Petersburg, is proposed just three blocks south of ONE in the parking lot of the Hilton Bayfront Hotel and directly across from Al Lang Stadium. The development will include 200 condominiums and 10,000 square feet of ground-level retail. At just over 400 feet, Bayfront St. Petersburg will become one of St. Pete’s tallest buildings, second only to the 450-foot ONE St. Petersburg. A sales center is slated to open in summer 2019.

Kenwood’s Organic Produce opened last month at 3325 5th Avenue North in Historic Kenwood. The owners work with half a dozen farmers and growers in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Manatee counties to bring their

customers the most local fruits and veggies possible. Best of all, none of their growers use harmful pesticides or GMO plants. They also have a community courtyard that’ll host events such as family yoga, zero-waste meet-ups, discussions on bio-hacking, and much more.

Green Bench Brewing Co.’s new two-story tasting room, Webb’s City Cellar, is now open at 1120 Baum Avenue North (next door to their existing brewery). Focused on serving mixed-culture and wild ales, the additional space overlooks the new cellar area and improved beer garden.

The new cellar has the capacity to hold 700 barrels, which are often used to add complexity to the beers. These improvements are part of a larger $3.4 million expansion project for Green Bench, which also included a new canning line, beer garden upgrades, and even more brewing space which tripled the brewery’s beer capacity.

WEPA!, St. Petersburg’s first authentic Puerto Rican restaurant, opened last month at 2149 3rd Avenue South (across from 3 Daughters Brewing). The inside seating area can accommodate around 20 diners with an additional 16 seats outside. Most menu items were developed from hand-written recipes passed down over three generations. Don’t leave without trying the chicharrones de pollo (fried chicken), the bistec encebollado (beefsteak with grilled onions) and then the flan de caramelo (caramel flan) for dessert!

St. Pete Rising is an urban development blog covering future retail, restaurants, and real estate in Downtown St. Petersburg, FL. Stay uptodate, visit StPeteRising.com.

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Aerial looking over the Shuffleboard Courts with a view of the Coliseum. Photo by City of St. Petersburg.

EVENTS When: Second Saturday from 5pm - 9pm Where: Five Downtown Districts Cost: Free trolley rides 20 Trolley stops, 40 Studios & Galleries and over 200 artists are available to you for exploration, conversation, purchases and inspiration. Visit stpeteartsalliance.org/artwalk/ for more info.

Cost: Open to the Public Effective October 1st, 2019, the City will implement a tiered billing structure for stormwater rates. Starting April 15th, customers will have access to the Stormwater Review and Appeals Portal where they will be able to view the rate specific to their property based on the calculated impervious surface area and submit an appeal for reassessment if desired. The City is hosting public meetings to walk through the portal and appeals process.

For more information, visit www. stpete.org/rates

Stormwater Utility Rates Study Public Meetings

Polish American Club’s 4th Annual Dyngus Day Celebration

Spring Into Art: Second Saturday ArtWalk

When/Where: from 6:30 8:30pm April 15: Willis S. Johns Recreation Center; April 23: Lake Vista Recreation Center; April 24: J. W. Cate Recreation Center; April 25: Campbell Park Recreation Center; April 29: Childs Park Recreation Center; May 1: The Sunshine Center

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When: Monday, April 22nd from 4pm - 8pm Where: Polish American Society, 1343 Beach Dr SE Cost: $10 at the door, $8 pre-sale tickets can be purchased at the Club Dyngus Day is like a reverse Mardi Gras, instead of celebrating

GREENBENCHMONTHLY.COM / APRIL 2019

before Lent starts, it is a celebration of the end of Lent and the Beginning of Spring. Enjoy pussy willows, Polish food, Polka music, and dance lessons. Space is limited. For information call Ken Jakubowski at (727) 360-4939 or email kmjak@verizon.net.

Florida Antiquarian Book Fair When: Friday April 26th from 5pm - 9pm, Saturday April 27th from 10am - 5pm, Sunday April

28th from 11am - 4pm Where: The Coliseum, 535 4th Ave N Cost: No entry fee The oldest and largest antiquarian book fair in the Southeastern United States, third largest in the nation. Booksellers from all over the country bring volumes of every description from very rare to reading copies on every conceivable subject. Visit www.floridaantiquarianbookfair. com/ for more info.

Green Thumb Festival

When: Saturday, April 27th and Sunday, April 28th from 9am - 4pm Where: Walter Fuller Recreation Center, 7891 26th Ave N Cost: No entry fee, free parking Environmental and horticultural exhibits and vendors. Free mulch, plant auction, and more than 1,000 trees for sale for $5. Free butterfly plants. Tool sharpening booth.

Children’s program, food court, and more! For more info,

visit www.stpeteparksrec.org/ Greenthumb.

10th Annual Movies in the Park Hosted by Preserve the ‘Burg When: Every Thursday in May, music starts at 7pm, movies start at dark Where: North Straub Park, Beach Drive & 5th Ave NE Cost: Free Enjoy live music, movies, local vendors, and free bike valet

by Coast Bike Share. May 2nd Goldfinger, May 9th - Groundhog Day, May 16th - Ghost, May 23rd - La La Land, May 30th - The Lorax. Visit preservetheburg.org for more info.

Cocktails on the Courts When: Saturday, May 11th from 7pm - 10pm Where: Shuffleboard Club, 559 Mirror Lake Dr Cost: Pre-sale Tickets $75 Live music from The Black Honkeys, unlimited Florida

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cuisine and cocktails, a vintage Florida fashion show, a live art demonstration, a charity auction with spectacular travel prizes - and of course, shuffleboard!

Highlighting St. Petersburg’s quirky tourism-rich past, this annual St. Petersburg Museum of History fundraising event includes special appearances

by Lorelei—Webb’s City’s live mermaid, and Half & Half—St. Pete’s famous two-headed calf.

Visit historystpete.org for more info.

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Green Bench Monthly P.O. Box 76095 St. Petersburg, FL 33734

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID ST PETE FL PERMIT NO. 4