Green Bench Monthly Vol. 6, Issue 2, February 2021

VOL. 6, ISSUE 2, FEBRUARY 2021

Green Bench Monthly* St. Pete’s Community Magazine

LOCALTOPIA 2021: Buy Local or Bye-Bye Local pg. 12

Building a Legacy

Farmer Concrete Works pg. 8

St. Pete Rising

Downtown Developments pg. 20

Virtual & Outdoor

Events pg. 22

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Publishers Ashley & Tony Sica

Editor Mary Jane Park

Contributors Tina Stewart Brakebill Erin Cody Brian Zucker

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Photographers Brian Brakebill

IN THIS ISSUE

Cover Photo Performer on stage at Localtopia Photo courtesy of Keep St. Pete Local

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

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7 People of St. Pete: Fannye A. Ponder

14 Off the Couch: Fun, Safe Alternatives to Screen Time

8 Building a Legacy: Black Laborers and Farmer Concrete Works

16 Acceptance. Life. Purpose. Hope.

Accomplishment: ALPHA

10 Step Inside: 140 Brightwaters Blvd NE

20 Downtown Developments

12 Localtopia 2021: Buy Local or Bye-Bye Local

22 Events

4 From the Bench

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From the Bench A note from the Publishers Hello folks! It’s February, we don’t have to scrape snow off our windshields, and lots of exciting things are happening in St. Pete.

Last month, the city shared seven proposals for the 86-acre Tropicana Field site redevelopment. The land spans more than 21 square blocks, is publicly-owned, flat, and downtown. The Rays currently occupy the site, but with their future undecided, the city requested the proposals include options with and without a baseball stadium. According to the Times, “Development officials say there are few, if any, urban parcels like it in the country.” This project could also be a step towards reparations (for perspective, we recommend Where have all the mangoes gone? Reactivating the Tropicana Field Site by Sarah-Jane L. Vatelot available at tombolobooks.com). While the final decision is ultimately up to the Mayor, the city is accepting community feedback on the project. To view the proposals and submit your comments, visit stpete.org/city_initiatives/tropicana_ field_conceptual_master_plan/.

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Parrots in St. Pete. Photo by Brian Brakebill It’s Black History month, so that means we’re shining the light a little brighter on those that have helped shape St. Pete into what it is today (pg. 7, 8). Our favorite event of the year is coming up (pg. 12), we’ve got lots of ideas to get you off the couch (pg. 14), and new food options to explore (pg.

20). Wear a mask.

Tony and Ashley Sica Publishers / Owners

Till next time,

hello@greenbenchmonthly.com

*All are welcome on this bench.

The history of the green benches is layered. For some, it is a reminder of a painful period of racism and segregation. To others, it is a symbol of welcomeness and hospitality. We carry this name to shine a light on our city’s history and in celebration of those who work tirelessly towards a more inclusive St. Pete.

To read more about our story and the history of the green benches visit greenbenchmonthly.com/about.

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PEOPLE OF ST. PETE:

Fannye A. Ponder

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

This month, we remember a remarkable woman: Fannye Ayer Ponder. Originally from Ocala, she and her husband, Dr. James Ponder, relocated to St. Petersburg in 1924. A Florida A&M graduate, Ponder undoubtedly had a positive effect on many students’ lives during her long tenure at Gibbs High School. Her lifetime commitment to activism, however, provides an inspiring portrait of a woman determined to effect change beyond the classroom.

“Tireless Service” Nearly 25 years after arriving in St. Petersburg, Fannye Ponder was honored with the 1949 Bethune-Cookman Award for Humanitarian Service. Often describing Bethune-Cookman College’s founder, Mary McLeod Bethune, as “her other mother,” Ponder and her mentor were close since Ponder’s childhood. The award cited Ponder’s “unselfish service and great human understanding” as the key to her rise in prominence.

Ponder’s accomplishments offer ample proof of her “tireless service” towards the “uplifting of humanity.” She founded and/or held many leadership positions in numerous organizations dedicated to civic and social change, including the City Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs, the Florida State Federation of Colored Women, the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), and the Interracial Board of Children’s Service Bureau. Only five years before receiving the award, she founded the Metropolitan Council of Negro Women (MCNW). An affiliate of the NCNW, the MCNW’s primary purpose, according to Ponder, was to “effect integration of blacks into political, economic, educational, cultural and social life and to develop competent and courageous leadership among Negro women.” This led to one of her proudest accomplishments, the construction of the Fannye Ayer Ponder House on Ninth Avenue S. Designated as a historic site in 1991 and renovated and rededicated in 2016, it was a vital gathering spot during segregation.

Fannye A. Ponder. Photo courtesy of the St. Petersburg Museum of History

“More work to be done” Ponder’s tireless efforts for change, locally and nationally, led her to accompany Bethune to the White House on three separate occasions to meet with first ladies Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Truman, and Mamie Eisenhower. They lobbied for reform. St. Petersburg Mayor Herman Goldner declared June 6, 1972, as “Fannye Ayer Ponder Day,” commemorating her 40 “years of service to her community and nation.”

Ponder noted that “Blacks have come a long way educationally, socially, and financially in this country, but there’s still more work to be done.”

She supported a nonviolent approach to change and offered special praise for the hard work that Black women performed to try and “move forward.” Shirley Chisolm’s 1972 Democratic presidential bid especially heartened her. Knowing it was likely to be unsuccessful, Ponder still saw the importance of the first major-party female Black candidate. She understood that breaking down barriers was vital to creating lasting change. Nearly 50 years later, her words still ring true: “There are many frontiers yet to conquer. We have not yet come to the full realization of our dream … that Negroes have equal rights in everything in this country.”

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Farmer’s Concrete Works. Photo Courtesy of St. Petersburg Museum of History.

Building a Legacy: Black Laborers & Farmer Concrete Works

By Tina Stewart Brakebill If you stroll through some of St. Petersburg’s earliest neighborhoods, including the Old Southeast, Historic Old Northeast, and Historic Roser Park, then you’re sure to notice sidewalks composed of multicolored hexagon-shaped concrete. Today, those sidewalks are considered an integral part of each neighborhood’s charm, but that hasn’t always been the consensus. Luckily, after some mid-century removals, the remaining hex block sidewalks are protected “within, and adjacent to, historic districts, hexagon block preservation districts, and landmarks.” This shift recognized that the iconic hex blocks are a vital part of St. Pete’s history as well as appealing traditional streetscape features.

St. Pete Grows The 20th century saw the city expand as developers pushed out its existing borders. Alongside that growth came rising population, as more people sought out new opportunities and a sunny clime.

By 1930, St. Petersburg was home to more than 40,000 people as compared to only 1,600 early settlers at the turn of the century. In

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the early days of this phenomenal growth, Hope Aciel Farmer arrived for a visit. His decision to stay and seek his fortune in the booming building market ultimately helped lay the foundation for the nowiconic sidewalks. Even before Farmer’s arrival, a community of Black laborers already had established itself as a crucial element of the local economy and city growth. These workers proved to be essential to the spread of hex-block sidewalks throughout the city.

African American Labor & the Growth of St. Pete Arriving in 1868, the formerly enslaved John Donaldson and his family were instrumental in building the foundation for the community that would become present-day St. Petersburg. They were the city’s only African-American family until the 1888 construction of the Orange Belt Railway brought more than 100 additional Black laborers to town.

In the decades afterward, St. Pete experienced steady growth in size and population, and Black workers provided much of the foundational

Hex block sidewalk. Photo by City of St. Petersburg

labor necessary to build and maintain the community. By 1910, Black citizens made up almost 27 percent of the town’s population.

Despite escalating efforts to segregate and deny them their basic rights, African Americans were vital to St. Pete’s economic success.

Black workers did laundry, cleaned rooms, and carried bags for the expanding tourist trade. Black men overwhelmingly filled the lowwage jobs that built and maintained the growing city, from paving roads and digging sewer lines to collecting garbage and constructing houses, hotels, and new businesses.

Hope Farmer and the Building of St. Pete This was the community that greeted Hope Farmer in 1905, when he arrived to take charge of building a former neighbor’s new home. As a contractor from the small northeast central Florida town of Starke, Farmer apparently recognized the potential for success as part of St. Pete’s up-and-coming building growth. His wife, Rebecca, reluctantly agreed to join him. According to family lore, she wept as she packed to leave their Starke home but fell in love with St. Petersburg once she arrived. Soon after they settled in, Farmer established his first venture: H.A. Farmer, Contractor, and Builder.

He advertised alongside businesses that gave evidence of the city’s shift from a frontier village to a growing city, including competing grocery stores L.A. Kluts and Ed. T. Lewis, Sidney C. Wood Real Estate, and Harrison Bros. Fire Policy Insurance. Farmer experienced sufficient success in the building trade to be ready to take advantage of a new opportunity when he saw it. As the city moved farther from its village roots, it looked to replace its wood and shell walkways with concrete. In 1912, Farmer rebranded his company as Farmer Concrete Works and embarked on the work that would cement the Farmer name in St. Pete history: creating iconic hex-block sidewalks.

of Rio de Janeiro. Regardless, Farmer Concrete Works was a success.

Operating out of the “hustling beehive” of St. Pete’s earliest industrial zone, Black laborers manufactured, hauled (initially by wagons and mules), and laid the blocks. By the 1920s building boom, Farmer Concrete had grown to 100 employees and carried the hex blocks in trucks instead of wagons. The business relocated to 24th Street S, closer to the segregated 22nd Street neighborhood where many of the company’s Black laborers lived. Unfortunately, this level of success didn’t last. In 1926, the building boom crashed, and Farmer was forced to downsize. By the 1940s, citing cost and safety concerns, the city ceased using hex blocks.

A Legacy Endures Nearly 80 years later, the sidewalks are physical reminders of St. Pete’s history. During its tenure, Farmer Concrete Works and its mostly Black laborers manufactured, hauled, and laid more than 100 miles of hex block sidewalk. Many that remain are stamped “Farmer Concrete Works,” ensuring that Hope Farmer’s name lives on. His legacy is incomplete unless we also remember the many Black laborers who toiled under the hot sun and the oppression of Jim Crow laws to construct those sidewalks.

Thanks to Scott Taylor Hartzell for his prior research. Full source list available on request.

Farmer Concrete Works Why the city chose to use the hex blocks rather than rectangular slabs has been a subject of debate for decades. Some hold that the hex blocks adapt more easily to the floating and shifting sandy Florida soil. Others maintain that because the blocks came in five different colors (gray, red, green, blue, and yellow), the choice stemmed from the desire to create colorful mosaic sidewalks rivaling those

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Step Inside:

140 Brightwaters Blvd NE Snell Isle Home Blends French Classicism With Modern Luxury

By Erin Cody Perfectly situated in beautiful Snell Isle, your impeccable waterfront home is sure to impress families and real estate aficionados alike. A bright, meticulously remodeled dream residence, this 4 bedroom/4 bathroom home presents a Napoleonic Era aesthetic with every modern convenience.

Florida Living, Elevated

The peak of Sunshine State luxury, this warm, stately property overlooks glittering Tampa Bay. Enjoy panoramic views throughout your home, and watch the sunset from a stunning balcony. This jewel boasts its own dock and boat lift, as well as a heated pool and completely private patio space with plenty of room for an outdoor kitchen. Enjoy an upscale “vacation” experience from the comfort of your own home!

Upon entering your new abode, you are greeted by a grand crystal chandelier, mosaic marble flooring, and a staircase built for a Hollywood

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entrance. Both regal and perfectly liveable, your home is customized for luxury, comfort, and convenience.

A chef ’s dream, the spacious kitchen features quartz countertops, top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances, and an oversized island complete with a built-in wine refrigerator. Enjoy your morning coffee bathed in natural light streaming in from every window looking out across the water.

Ultimate Comfort and Relaxation

Just steps from the heated pool, the master suite is perfectly appointed, featuring two walk-in closets, a double-sink vanity, and a rainfall shower.

Each of the home’s four spacious bedrooms has electric roller shades ensuring pure relaxation, and two boast spectacular views of the bay.

A sought-after waterfront neighborhood with great schools, a golf club, and a lovely marina, Snell Isle is home to many of the most beautiful homes in Tampa Bay. Beaches abound and access to Tampa, Clearwater, and Downtown St. Pete will be a snap.

Ready to live the ultimate St. Pete lifestyle? Jenny Roche is happy to help! A passionate agent brought up in a real estate family, Jenny uses her in-depth knowledge of the luxury home market in the Tampa Bay Area to connect buyers with the homes of their dreams.

The kitchen features quartz countertops, top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances, and an oversized island complete with a built-in wine refrigerator.

A grand crystal chandelier, and a staircase built for a Hollywood entrance

To see more of this stunning home, visit my.matterport.com/ show/?m=24hzxCRWK57.

If you’re interested in this property or looking to buy or sell your home in St. Pete, Tampa or Brandon, contact Jenny Roche, with RE/ MAX Realty Unlimited, at 813-767-9772 or jroche@remax.net.

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Localtopia, happening on February 20th at Williams Park, features over 200 vendors. This year’s event requires that you wear a mask at all times.

Photos by City of St. Petersburg

Localtopia 2021: Buy Local or Bye-Bye Local

By Erin Cody Focus on community and support of our awesome local businesses is what St. Pete is all about, but for small businesses and consumers alike, keeping things local has been more difficult over the past year than ever before.

“Just as none of us were prepared for how to live through a pandemic, our local business owners could never have prepared for how to operate through one,” says Olga Bof, Executive Director or Keep St. Pete Local.

“They were already facing tough times before COVID. Rising rents meant those with brick-and-mortar businesses were struggling to keep their

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doors open. They, along with home-based businesses (e.g. our incredible artists, artisans, makers), were also having to compete with the behemoth that is Amazon even before our world changed.”

Importance of Actually Keeping It Local 2020 was a huge hit to our beloved local businesses, which are part of what makes St. Pete so unique and charming. In the wake of the pandemic, small business owners had to quickly learn to navigate website creation, regulations, applications for assistance to help keep them afloat, and concerns about employee and community well-being.

Sadly, a good number of local faves couldn’t make it, and many national and global franchises have jumped in to take their places, stripping the local charm of our little city. Even the businesses that have survived now must compete with recognizable franchises, many of which tout themselves as “local,” and the massive marketing budgets that come with them.

“The sad, heartbreaking truth,” says Olga, “Is that we will see many of our beloved businesses close this year if we do not do absolutely everything we can to Think Local First for all of our needs! We can totally appreciate that your budget may not allow for you to always do so, but we also want to reiterate that local isn’t necessarily the more expensive option.”

“If we can all consciously commit to seeking out a St. Pete-grown business whenever we need to buy any product or are in need of any

Left: Enjoy food and drinks from over 40+ vendors. Please note, this year, eating & drinking can ONLY take place in the Methodist Church’s parking lot area nearest 2nd Ave N. Right: Explore street art experiences hosted by NOMAD art bus, CARMADA Art Cars, The Factory St. Pete, and more.

service, we can all help to Keep St. Pete Local, right now, when it is needed more than ever! Our city will look and feel so vastly different if our favorite independent businesses are no longer here when this is all over. Let’s not be the community that laments locals’ closures and didn’t do all we could to prevent it. It is definitely the moment to Buy Local, or it’s Bye-Bye Local.”

Localtopia 2021, Be There!

Enter Localtopia: an annual celebration of local businesses, showcasing just what makes them so special - on their own and as a community. This buzzing outdoor event usually draws locals of all ages to enjoy the bounty of our city. Naturally, of course, this year will be a little different, but have no fear! Localtopia will still bring smiles to the people of St. Pete, even if they are hidden behind (locally-made!) masks.

“The most important thing to know about this year’s Localtopia is that we are committed to putting on a safe event following CDC, as well as City and County guidelines,” states Olga. “We understand that not everyone will feel comfortable attending this year’s festival, but if they

do choose to attend, that they need to follow all of our COVID-19 Plan measures (found on the Localtopia website), including wearing a mask the whole time they’re there.”

“The other important thing to note,” she continues, “Is that this event is truly not superfluous. It is vital for the nearly 200 vendors, most of whom are makers, whose livelihoods rely on markets and events that did not take place last year. Many of them participated at Localtopia 2020, and shared that the festival is what kept them in business when the pandemic first began.”

“Despite the challenges and COVID measures, we still have a very special festival planned, with new elements including new street art experiences.”

Though it will feel different than in past years, it is more important than ever to Keep St. Pete Local. Stop by on February 20th to support the small, local businesses in our city, and enjoy some much-needed entertainment and a warm - but safe - sense of community.

Localtopia will take place at Williams Park on Saturday, Feb. 20, from 10-5. Visit localtopia.keepsaintpetersburglocal.org for more info!

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Theme Nights Whether you’ve been with family or roommates these past few months, you’ve likely fallen into a somewhat monotonous routine.

Spice it up by adding a weekly theme night. Consider, for example, a “French Night.” Lean into the cliches! Listen to French cafe music, don your cheesiest themed apparel like a beret and a striped shirt, enjoy a bottle of French wine for the grownups and sparkling grape juice for the kids, make a marvelous French onion soup, torch some creme brulee, then paint or color your meal in the style of greats like Van Gogh or Monet, or try your hand at sketching the Arc de Triomphe or Tour Eiffel. Theme night options abound. Get creative!

Field Days

Sunken Gardens. Photo by City of St. Petersburg

Off the Couch: Fun, Safe Alternatives to Screen Time

by Erin Cody If there’s one thing we all have in common over the past year, it’s a whole lot of hours logged in front of a screen. Sure, it’s a safe way to stay entertained while so many other options are off the table, but it can also be a real bummer. When it feels like your closest pals are the buddies from Friends, the news, or YouTube, it’s definitely time to mix things up - but how?

If you get a little creative, you can find all manner of alternatives to screen time, both in and outside the house. Whether you’re solo, with kiddos, housemates, or even with socially distanced friends and family, there are plenty of great opportunities to get off the couch and away from devices!

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For merrymaking that gets your blood pumping, gather a few kiddos for an outdoor, socially-distanced day of fun and games. Go old school with a potato sack race and a rollicking game of Simon Says; create a scavenger hunt, relay race, or even a makeshift obstacle course! Take along a Bluetooth speaker to get things rocking, and don’t forget to have everyone bring their own drinks and snacks. Field days are just as fun for grownups who are craving social time and an opportunity to blow off steam.

Game Time If you’re looking to avoid screen time at home, pick up a couple of new board games to play as a family, a couple, or even solo. Modern games have matured well past old faithfuls like Monopoly and Clue.

Choose Your Own Adventure makes games that are just as fun for adults as they are for kids, and Dixit is a great creative outlet for adults or the whole family. Unsurprisingly, two-player games have been big over the past year. A few that play as well with two as they do a crew are Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Viticulture, and Wingspan. The latter two even have an option for playing solo!

Nature It Up With plenty of local bike trails, nature hikes, and opportunities to kayak and stand-up paddleboard, there’s no excuse for staying out of the sun! Especially this time of year, getting outside is a true joy, and a great way to avoid crowds. These even make wonderful opportunities to spend time with friends at a healthy distance. Answer the call of the wild!

Let’s mix things up, St. Pete! Before long we’ll be back to business as usual, but in the meantime, remember to take time away from the devices. Your body and mind will thank you.

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ALPHA House is located at 701 5th Ave N. Photos courtesy of ALPHA House

Acceptance. Life. Purpose. Hope.

Accomplishment: ALPHA

by Tina Stewart Brakebill COVID-19 has affected almost everyone, but not everyone has experienced its effects equally. In reality, the pandemic has “reinforced important truths: Economic instability, unsafe housing, neighborhood violence, and lack of safe and stable child care and social support can worsen already tenuous situations.” (New England Journal of Medicine, Dec. 10, 2020) The ALPHA House of Pinellas County knows that these factors are especially dangerous for expectant mothers. Despite increasingly strained resources, it offers hope and helps families in need.

ALPHA House: Transforming Lives Founded in 1979, ALPHA House’s mission is “to provide housing and supportive services to homeless pregnant women and teens, new mothers with infants, and families experiencing crisis pregnancies.”

As the only residential maternity program in Pinellas County, ALPHA House offers a safe and educational environment where women and teens affected by poverty, homelessness, neighborhood violence, domestic abuse, or trafficking can transform their own lives and their children’s futures. Licensed by the Department of Children and Families, ALPHA House provides a transitional living program where women and teens can move toward the ultimate goal of selfsufficiency. Designed to provide a stable environment, rather than a short-term emergency stop-over, ALPHA House allows minors to stay until they turn 18. Adults can stay up to 24 months after the birth of a child. These extended stays allow women and girls the stability necessary to attend high school or college or pursue their GED. They also develop skills needed for self-sufficiency such as budgeting, stress management, nutrition, child-care competency, and substance-abuse prevention.

2020: “It’s been challenging.”

As a formerly homeless teen mom and abuse victim, ALPHA House Executive Director Jennifer Stracick understands, better than many, the importance of a place like ALPHA House. Since 1979, more

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ALPHA House provides a transitional living program where women and teen moms can move towards the ultimate goal of self-sufficiency.

than 3,000 women have completed the program, with more than 90 percent successfully transitioning to independent lives. But the staff ’s dedication and passion are not enough on their own. ALPHA House needs funds to survive. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, ALPHA House relies on grants and donations to finance the House and its programs. Last year, nearly 20 percent of expected operating funds failed to materialize because of COVID-19 grant reallocations and reductions. The deficit has made providing necessary services difficult and spread the remaining staff thin. It’s not just the loss of direct grant funds that have affected the bottom line, however; it’s also the loss of person-to-person connections that help raise awareness and encourage donations.

Hoping for a Better 2021: How Can We Help?

Visit www.alphahousepinellas.org for information about making online donations, dropping off needed items for ALPHA’s Community Assistance Program, and volunteering. To do more or donate directly, contact Jennifer Stracick at (727) 822-8190 or alpha@ alphahousepinellas.org

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Josh and Brooke Anderson, owners of Big Man’s Moving Company.

Voted ‘Best of the Best’ for Tampa Bay Times people’s choice 2020 awards.

“Woman-Approved” Moving Services Josh and Brooke Anderson started Big Man’s Moving Company 4 years ago following a terrible moving experience with a well-known company, using their wedding gifts to partially fund their first truck.

With a lot of sweat equity (literally), they’ve grown to 6 new trucks and 19 employees and were voted the #1 Mover by readers of the Tampa Bay Times in 2020.

Adding a woman owner to a traditionally male-dominated industry brings a unique perspective. One of Brooke’s responsibilities is screening and hiring the movers. “I look for people who are upbeat with positive attitudes. Moving is a skill and can be taught. However, having an innate demeanor that fits our company’s culture cannot (be taught). Our movers are the faces of Big Man’s Moving Company and represent us. If I wouldn’t send someone to my 93-year-old grandmother’s home, I wouldn’t send them to your home.” Josh jokingly says the team is “woman-approved.”

It’s disappointing when we’re fully booked and have to turn jobs away due to a lack of man-power. However, we are only as good as our weakest link and refuse to dilute the quality of our product.”

Another benefit of having a woman owner is the cleanliness of the moving trucks and blankets. “In my 20’s, my roommate and I used the cheapest mover we could find. The movers, smelling like stale cigarettes, arrived with a disgusting, filthy truck that had probably never been swept. Did you know your furniture can get cockroaches from a moving truck? Believe me, it’s true! At that time, I never thought I would own a moving company with my husband, but it was a great learning lesson.

Cleanliness is our standard: for our trucks, our moving blankets, and our movers!

In fact, for the first 3 years we reinvested all of our profits back into the business and have 4 brand new trucks. Personally, we have never purchased a new car off the lot, but for our business, reliability is just as important as cleanliness. Many movers have trucks older than I am (ok, slight exaggeration), but take it from someone whose first truck was old- they break down- frequently. We have never canceled a move due to truck maintenance issues.

Another unique feature of our business: we email our clients an agreement to e-sign upon booking; guaranteeing we will “show up” and giving the client plenty of time to read the agreement.

Bigmansmoving.com; 727-772-3458; info@bigmansmoving.com; Local, Statewide, Out-of-State Moving.

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Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant opening soon at 332 Beach Drive.

Rendering by MICO Works :: Architecture + Design.

‘Chicken Tangine’ on the menu at Social Roost, now open at 150 1st Ave North

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.

Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant has moved out of their old building at 10 Beach Drive in preparation to reopen at 332 Beach Drive (formerly The Moon Under Water, who will be relocating). Expected to reopen in March 2021, the new Ceviche will debut an entirely remodeled interior and exterior design. The patio will take advantage of the wonderful location with beautiful views of Straub Park and the Bay. Additionally, the new location will feature an extensive international and domestic wine list with a focus on Spanish wines, a newly designed wine room and a refreshed menu.

Social Roost, a full-service restaurant and bar, is now open at 150 1st Ave North on the ground floor of ONE St. Petersburg. Their poultrycentric dishes are the creation of Executive Chef Susan Burdian, who previously helmed the kitchen at The Flatiron Room in New York City before moving to St. Petersburg. The intimate and beautifully curated contemporary deco bar and dining space was designed by co-owner and interior designer, Rob Bowen. Stop by for Sunday brunch, lunch, or dinner!

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Ascent St. Petersburg, a 36-story mixed-use building, has broken ground at the northwest corner of 2nd Street and 1st Avenue North in downtown St. Pete. Once complete, the development will feature 354 apartments and a 172-room AC Hotel by Marriott. Just over 8,200 square feet of ground-floor retail space will be incorporated along 1st Avenue North and on the corner of 2nd Street and Sunshine Lane.

One of St. Pete’s most popular food trucks is moving into their first brick-and-mortar restaurant! The Twisted Indian, a Saturday Morning Market staple, is coming soon to 2639 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District. Not only will all the food truck favorites be available, such as the Bollywood Bowl (white basmati rice, fresh spinach, tangy slaw, yogurt rita sauce, curried chickpeas, and cilantro), but all new items such as mini samosas and Indian Lemonade will be on the menu too. An expected grand opening is slated for April.

What better way to celebrate a milestone or blow off some steam than throwing axes? Hatchet Hangout, an ax-throwing venue and lounge, is now open at 2360 Central Avenue in the Grand Central

The Twisted Indian is coming soon to 2639 Central Ave

Artistic Rendering of Ascent St. Petersburg.

Design elements subject to change.

Hatchet Hangout, now open at 2360 Central Ave

District. If you’re new to the sport, coaches are always on hand to teach the rules, safety, and technique. Hatchet Hangout also has a bar and lounge with tables for spectators to enjoy the show.

A 15-story, 256-unit residential development has just been proposed for 1000 1st Avenue North in the EDGE District. The project features 23,000 square feet of ground-floor retail fronting 1st Avenue North. Floors two through four will not only provide ample parking for residents and retail customers but could also service the neighborhood

as well. Floor five will feature residential units with large private terraces along with indoor amenities, an outdoor pool deck, and a landscaped courtyard. The site is currently home to two small vacant office buildings, two surface parking lots, and the former Shirley Ann Hotel, which has been vacant for three years.

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

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The Mustache sculpture outside of the Dali Museum Photo by City of St. Petersburg

VIRTUAL & OUTDOOR

EVENTS

Factory in South St. Pete - for immersive conversations with local artists streamed live on Instagram and Twitch. Follow @ fairgroundstpete on Instagram.

Dillydally with Dalí

When: Thursdays from 5pm5:30pm To submit event info, visit Where: Online Event greenbenchmonthly.com/events Cost: FREE *Please note: at this time, we are Children 6-11 can discover only accepting submissions for virtual events, and outdoor events the creative world of Salvador Dalí through live arts & crafts that require masks and/or social activities inspired by the Museum’s distancing. permanent collection and special exhibits. Each week will feature Fairgrounds a new activity, and materials for activities are generally flexible and LIVE!: Immersive include standard household items.

Conversations Participants will explore artistic When: Tuesdays at 6pm processes and learn about the Where: Online Event exceptional art of Salvador Dalí.

Cost: FREE Registrants will receive Join Fairgrounds St. Pete - a information each week, including 12,000 sqft. experiential art Zoom secure login information, exhibition coming soon to the lesson plans and material

Yoga at the Pier with Body Electric.

Photo by Body Electric

requirements. To register, visit thedali.org.

Biological Diversity: Its Value and How We Can Nurture It When: Tuesday, Feb. 16th at 2pm Where: Online Event Cost: FREE Episode 2 of Why It Matters, a series that explores environmental issues and current events with a focus on how individuals can make a difference. Meet Elise Bennett, a Staff Attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity here in St. Pete and learn about the scope of the Center’s work, some of the past and current projects the Center is involved with and get to know more about Elise’s concentration on protecting endangered species and wild places here in Florida. Hosted by Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, Center for Biological Diversity and Pinellas County Extension. To register, visit bit.ly/3cn5dip

The 8th Annual Localtopia When: Saturday, Feb. 20th from 10am-5pm Where: Williams Park, 350 2nd Ave N Cost: FREE Admission; but please consider making a donation to spread the local love St. Pete’s largest “Community Celebration of All Things

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Local” showcasing nearly 200 of your favorite independent businesses and community organizations. Masks are required!

For more info, visit localtopia. keepsaintpetersburglocal.org

Black History Month @ St. Pete Youth Farm When: Saturday, Feb. 27th at 10am Where: St. Pete Youth Farm, behind Enoch Davis, 1664 12th St S Cost: FREE Join the St. Pete Youth Farm for drumming, book giveaways, and of course lots of outdoor garden work! For more info, visit stpeteyouthfarm.org.

Sunset Yoga with The BE at The Pier!

When: Every First Wednesday from 6pm - 7pm Where: St. Petersburg Pier, 800 2nd Ave NE Cost: FREE; Donations benefit a different organization every month.

Class will be grounding but fun, with lots of modifications offered to accommodate everybody. Catch some bay breezes as the sun sets over the big, grassy Family Park.

We will practice physical distancing, so please set up your mat at least 6 feet from your neighbor (unless y’all live together). Masks during practice are also encouraged but not required. For more info, visit thebodyelectricyoga.com.

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

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