Green Bench Monthly Vol. 7, Issue 6, June 2022

VOL. 7, ISSUE 6, JUNE 2022

Green Bench Monthly

St. Pete’s Community Magazine

Pride 2022:

Commemorating, Celebrating, & Building Community pg. 6 People of St. Pete

Nathan Bruemmer pg. 9

Woodfield Fine Art

Realizing a Dream pg. 10

Community Calendar

Things to do pg. 22

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Publishers Ashley & Tony Sica

Editor Mary Jane Park

Contributors Tina Stewart Brakebill Suzanne Driscoll Brian Zucker

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Photographers Brian Brakebill Kristina Holman Musaweron Photography

Advertising Sales Sally Epply sally@greenbenchmonthly.com

IN THIS ISSUE 4

From the Bench

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Pride 2022: Commemorating, Celebrating, & Building Community

Cover Photo Pride Parade Photo by City of St. Petersburg

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10 Woodfield Fine Art: Pursuing a Passion, Realizing a Dream

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

People of St. Pete: Nathan Bruemmer

12 Ace Handyman Services: The Perfect Solution for Your “Honey Do” List

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14 SHINE: Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders 18 Parks of St. Pete: Childs Park 20 Downtown Developments

by St. Pete Rising 22 Events: Parades, Festivals, & More

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From the Bench

SkyWay Lofts Mural by Zulu Painter. Photo by City of St. Petersburg

Woodfield Fine Art (pg. 10), Ace Handyman Services (pg. 12), and learn more about SHINE: Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (pg.

14). All that and more in this month’s edition of St. Pete’s Community Magazine.

A note from the Publishers Happy Pride month, St. Pete! This year, the main events everyone loves are back, plus more. Check out our community events calendar for the full program (pg. 22).

Congratulations to the Woodson African American Museum of Florida. The Museum’s annual Woodson Warrior fundraising event raised over $200k for Black scholars! Keep the celebration going at this year's Juneteenth Community Festival at Gibbs High School (pg. 22).

It's redistricting time, and the city wants your input. Learn more about this important process that strives for equitable representation in city government and find opportunities to get involved. Visit stpete. org/redistricting, and express your interest at stpete.org/redistrictingcommission.

This month, we reflect on Pride history here in St. Pete (pg. 6), chat with LGBTQIA+ advocate Nathan Bruemmer (pg. 9), get to know

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Tony and Ashley Sica Publishers / Owners

Till next time, Ashley & Tony

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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Pride Parade & Festival. Photos by City of St. Petersburg

Pride 2022: Commemorating, Celebrating, & Building Community

By Tina Stewart Brakebill

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53 and Counting: Shouting Gay Pride Fifty-three years ago, patrons at the Stonewall Inn in New York City chose to fight back in the face of yet another police raid targeting the LGBTQIA+ community. This decision signaled a shift in the movement. No longer content to ask politely for basic human rights; activists stepped forward with pride. Annual marches multiplied and evolved into opportunities for celebration along with commemoration as the LGBTQIA+ community proudly, and loudly, demanded rights and respect.

The Evolution of St. Pete Pride St. Petersburg was slow to join the public fight for pride. In June 2003, organizers launched the first St. Petersburg Pride Month. An estimated 10,000 people attended events. Two decades later, St. Pete Pride has grown into Florida’s largest LGBTQIA+ celebration, one of the largest in the country. After two years of COVID, anticipation is high for the month-long slate of events scheduled for St. Pete Pride 2022. This year also marks the five-year anniversary of St. Pete Pride’s first-ever TransPride March. Nathan Bruemmer, the only transgender member of the 2017 board of directors, led the effort to organize the inaugural trans-focused event. No longer behind the curve, as Bruemmer explained, it will take place an hour before the main parade begins. The decision was a first for any major pride market in the United States. Transgender marches often occur on separate days from main pride events, Bruemmer said, as if the “T” in LGBTQIA+ were meant to be silent. The lack of inclusion contributed to the sense of invisibility trans folks sometimes experience within the wider LGBTQIA+ community.

Today, St. Pete Pride continues to add events and programs as it actively endeavors “to amplify, support, and celebrate the diverse voices of the LGBTQIA+ community – including the Black, Brown, and Trans voices that too often go unheard.”

TransPride: Commemorating 53 Years

Pride is More than a Parade

Trans exclusion from pride is especially ironic considering how vital the trans community was in the birth of the early movement.

Two women, in particular, deserve accolades: Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Johnson was a 23-year-old Black trans woman, drag performer, and sex worker when she stepped forward with 17-yearold Rivera to lead the resistance at Stonewall. Both were staunch advocates for the inclusion of marginalized groups within the LGBTQIA+ community, including people of color and transgender people. After Stonewall, they co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), which provided organizing space as well as lodging for those in the trans community who needed it. Both were also deeply troubled by the exclusionary direction of the movement.

Rivera once forced her way onto the stage at a 1973 gay pride rally and expressed her passion for inclusion. “If it wasn’t for the drag queen, there would be no gay liberation movement,” she declared.

“We’re the front-liners.” She was booed. Transphobia and racism took their toll on both women. Rivera left activism for a time after a suicide attempt. In 1992, Johnson’s body was found in New York City’s East River. Her death was declared a suicide, although many suspect she was murdered. Returning to activism after her friend’s death, Rivera found a slowly changing attitude. In 1994, she was given a place of honor at the 25th anniversary Stonewall March. Reenergized, she continued to fight for trans inclusion until her death at age 50 in 2002. Twenty years later, the movement continues to move toward fully embracing the trans community. Still, violence has increased against trans individuals, especially Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) trans women. Last year was the deadliest on record for transphobic violence in the United States. Jenny De Leon, murdered in Tampa in November 2021, was the 46th of an estimated 47 trans and gender non-conforming people killed in the nation last year. Along with increased violence, there has been an escalation of anti-trans legislation.

All of this serves as a reminder that pride is not just a parade. It’s a way to speak out. Despite strides made toward equality, the work is not done. Florida is one of 30 states that do not fully protect LGBTQIA+ people from discrimination. Meaning, for example, that LGBTQIA+ people can be evicted, denied essential medical treatment, forced into “conversion therapy,” ejected from restaurants, and/or forced to deny/ hide their identity. Policymakers across the nation have proposed record numbers of anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation this year, with Florida at the head of many of these efforts. The city of St. Petersburg continues to earn perfect scores from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) for local policies protecting LGTBQIA+ people from discrimination, but as long as LGBTQIA+ persons can be denied basic human rights at any level, we need to keep speaking out loud. Pride events can do that as they commemorate the past, celebrate the present, and continue to build a community of support. For more detailed information about LGBTQIA+ rights, visit the HRC at www.hrc.org.

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Photo by Brian Brakebill

People of St. Pete: Nathan Bruemmer

By Tina Stewart Brakebill St. Pete 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 shines a light on one of the many people that make St. Pete unique.

This St. Pete Pride month’s spotlight is directed toward Nathan Bruemmer, a Tampa Bay native and LGBTQIA+ consumer advocate for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. As the first transgender appointed statewide LGBTQIA+ liaison in the United States, he’s tasked with raising awareness on opportunities within the agricultural industry and addressing discrimination and fraud targeted at the LGBTQIA+ community. This role is just the latest in his history of advocacy, inspired by his own story.

From Struggle Comes Strength Growing up when supportive resources for LGBTQIA+ youth were nearly nonexistent, Bruemmer struggled. He knew that he didn’t see himself as the world defined him, but he had no one who could help him understand and define his own identity. Other students targeted and tormented him. The bullying drove him from one school and then another, but he didn’t give up. Influenced by his grandmother, mother, and aunt, who, despite the gendered obstacles of their time, earned advanced degrees in law, medicine, and educational administration, he chose to persevere. Attending night school and working to make his own way, he eventually graduated high school and then continued on to the University of South Florida, where he earned a degree in business

administration. Still unsure of his future path, fate stepped in when he was unexpectedly offered an opportunity to be an advocate for those in need. As a public school teacher, working primarily with lowincome students, he saw the impact that food and housing insecurity had on them and their families. The desire to do more led him to the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County, where he was director of operations and programs. As he continued to advocate for others, his own voice grew stronger.

“Where can I make a difference?”

As Bruemmer came to terms with his own sense of identity, he developed a deeper understanding of how the lack of supportive resources and support had affected his path. He wanted to continue to use his voice to be the advocate he’d never had. This led him to Stetson University College of Law. As Bruemmer noted, developing a “strong voice” was one of the most important things he learned from the “triumvirate of strong women” in his family. Earning his J.D. degree helped him do just that. While at Stetson, he interned at the Office of Public Defenders, Homeless Advocacy Clinic, Veterans Advocacy Clinic, Office of Human Rights, and the National Center for Transgender Equality. Once he graduated, he continued his advocacy.

He served as the executive director for ALSO Youth, a nonprofit that “provides peer support services, educational programs, advocacy, and referrals for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning youth ages 13 to 24, their families and friends, and the community” and then as president and acting executive director for St. Pete Pride, before being appointed as LGBTQ consumer advocate for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

His work has not gone unnoticed. Among other awards, he has been presented with the Business of Pride “Outstanding Voice Award” for his work on behalf of the LGBTQIA+ community. Bruemmer’s philosophy is simple: “Read, learn, apply.” He may not know exactly where his path will lead, but he will continue to seek places where he can use his voice to make a contribution.

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Woodfield Fine Art Pursuing a Passion, Realizing a Dream

Above: Jim Woodfield, owner of Woodfield Fine Art Gallery located at 2323 Central Ave. Below: “City Grid” by Mike Baker Photos by Musaweron Photography

By Suzanne Driscoll When Jim Woodfield made plans to retire from an oil company in Houston, Texas in 2010, he knew St. Pete was the place he wanted to be. “Art has always been a big part of my life, and there is such a dynamic art community here with a lot of support from the community,” he said.

As an artist and avid collector, Woodfield decided to rent studio space at the Five Deuces Galleria. He met many artists who were frustrated that they had nowhere to showcase and sell their work.

In 2015, he decided to open his own gallery that would feature only the work of artists from within a 50-mile radius of St. Pete. Today, Woodfield manages an expanded space at 2323 Central Avenue, where he produces his own art in a back room.

Serving Local Artists Woodfield works with about 30 other local artists to display their work in his gallery. “Some are emerging artists getting their first opportunity to exhibit their talent in a gallery setting, while others are nationally known and have won awards,” he said. “But all are brilliant.”

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On the second Friday of each month, the evening before the Second Saturday ArtWalk, there is often an opening party for a particular artist’s new exhibition. Artists constantly approach Woodfield to have their creations featured in the shop. He is selective based on what he likes and thinks will sell. The gallery now has a waiting list that can range from six months to three years.

John Bayalis painting in a custom curved frame made by Woodfield.

Photo courtesy of Woodfield Fine Art

Going the Extra Mile Woodfield provides free delivery and installation services upon request and has made unique frames. He recalls one client who had just bought a large home in Tarpon Springs. “She purchased six pieces of art that I delivered and installed since one was too big to fit into her car,” he said. “She later mentioned a curved wall in her activity room and had no idea what type of art she could hang there. She had fallen in love with a John Bayalis painting, so I built her a special curved frame using Plexiglass and was able to curve the mat and the painting to fit into it. She and her family were thrilled.”

It’s also important to Woodfield to develop working friendships with other art gallery owners in the area. “I frequently visit them to see which artists they are featuring, and if I don’t have the type of art

“As I Think” by Katie Deits Photo by Musaweron Photography

a customer is looking for, I can refer them to another gallery,” he said.

“One couple wanted to give a painting of the Vinoy Hotel as a gift to their best friend who was getting married there. I had just sold one

by Curt Sneary but recalled seeing another painting of the Vinoy by Richard Seidel at the ARTicles gallery and sent them there.”

Woodfield always encourages customers: “Buy what you love, not what is going to match your sofa.”

Be sure to stop by Woodfield Fine Art at 2323 Central Avenue or visit www.WoodfieldFineArt.com to view a variety of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and glass work from local artists. Jim Woodfield can be reached at (727) 254-6981 or WoodfieldFineArt@gmail.com if you would like to make an appointment outside of regular posted hours.

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Ace Handyman Services team from left to right: Geroge Bailey, Erik Bailey (no relation), Sarah Connell, Gisela Porcelli, Jonathan Porcelli, Anthony Falcon, Caleb Platt, and Marcos Pecina. Photos by Musaweron Photography

Ace Handyman Services: The Perfect Solution for Your “Honey Do” List

By Suzanne Driscoll If you think handyman services are all alike, you probably haven’t experienced the great customer support provided by Ace Handyman Services St. Pete South. Owners Jonathan and Gisela Porcelli are proud of the excellent skills of their full-time craftspeople. They back all their services with warranties..

Gisela Porcelli is a Miami native. She and her husband were living in New York City when her mother got sick. They decided to make the move back to Florida in 2018, and thanks to the advice of fellow sailors, they found St. Petersburg. Gisela Porcelli had worked as a buyer and manager for a luxury retail boutique, and Jonathan Porcelli was in the film industry. They also had built a couple of homes, including one in Ecuador made out of shipping containers.

When the opportunity arose to purchase an Ace Handyman Services franchise, they jumped at the chance to put their client services and management skills to good use.

A Variety of Services Offered Clients range from first-time homebuyers who have no idea how to make repairs, to those who have the knowledge and don’t have the time or are no longer able. They love that Ace Handyman Services is part of Ace Hardware, stores they have always trusted to provide great advice and high-quality products.

“We offer premium customer service with easy online scheduling, and we always follow up to make sure you are pleased with the work performed,” Gisela Porcelli says. “Our craftspeople are

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able to focus on using their skills without having to deal with all the administrative work that goes along with running a business.”

Services range from kitchen and bathroom repairs and upgrades to painting, storm repairs, TV installation, carpentry, fence and door repair, and drywall projects. You can pay by the hour or check off your entire to-do list by bundling a number of projects into a halfday or full-day package. It’s easy to schedule a convenient date and time online or by calling the office.

Ace Handyman Services holds a contractor’s license and is fully insured and bonded. It hires local employees (not subcontractors) who have been fully vetted for their expertise and professionalism.

“They will treat your home like it was their own,” Gisela Porcelli promises.

Guarantees Put Your Mind at Ease All work completed by Ace Handyman Services comes with a one-year warranty. If you are dissatisfied with the work, a craftsperson will come back to your home within 24 hours. “We have a lot of respect for our clients and we aim to please,” she says. People frequently recommend them on Nextdoor, RateABiz, and Google reviews.

Great Craftspeople Are Always Needed As the business continues to expand, Ace Handyman is always looking for additional craftspeople. “We make sure our employees are fairly compensated, and we reimburse them for gas and their phone,” Jonathan Porcelli says. “There is paid time off, and we offer a nice work-life balance.”

Giving Back to the Community For the past two years, Ace Handyman Services has sponsored the Porchfest music festival, and they frequently donate their time and materials to those in need. “If our craftspeople see a client who is really struggling, they are authorized to offer a discount,” Gisela Porcelli reports.

“It’s so rewarding to see people when they are really happy with our work,” Jonathan Porcelli says. “Your home is a very personal thing, and if we can help make your life easier and your home more pleasant, it makes it all so worthwhile.”

To book a craftsperson or for more information, please visit acehandymanservices.com/offices/st-pete-south/ or call (727) 390-2732.

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SHINE Volunteers from left to right: Naren Shaw, Joyce Janczak, Stephanie Strikowsky, Bob Calabrese, Karen Weiss, Enid Gillis, Gera George, Eileen Richman, Bob Lega, Charles Franckle, Azad Ladhani, Ed Mandel Carla Mandel, Mary Doyle, Gene Cassidy, Mike Estigo, Eric Svendsen, Kent Ulrich, Glen Dombrow & Sue Samson.

Photo by Brian Brakebill

SHINE: Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders

By Suzanne Driscoll Whether you are just starting to investigate Medicare or have been receiving senior healthcare benefits for many years, you know that the choices are overwhelming. With an alphabet soup of acronyms and a myriad of service options, it is challenging to choose the Medicare plan that is right for YOU. Many people are unaware that free advisory services are available through the Florida Department of Elder Affairs to help you with your Medicare planning. The program is called SHINE, which stands for “Serving Healthcare Insurance Needs of Elders.” You can have counseling by phone, or visit one of many locations at local libraries or community centers. There are also classes offered via Zoom to help explain what Medicare is all about.

Charles Franckle was looking for an interesting volunteer opportunity when he retired in 2004. He first joined the Senior Medicare Patrol that educates people on how to prevent and report fraud, and later decided to become a Medicare counselor. “I enjoy the everyday challenges of keeping up on the various program options, and love working with people from all walks of life.”

Services Provided Perhaps you are about to turn 65 or your current Medicare plan is not meeting your needs. A Medicare counselor can evaluate your current situation, such as whether you travel extensively or need a large number of prescriptions. They usually won’t recommend a specific Medicare or Medicare Advantage plan, but rather serve to educate you and point you in the right direction. “Many people choose a plan based on all the extra benefits such as free products or gym memberships, rather than doing their research and prioritizing their healthcare needs,” says Franckle.

It is important to keep in mind that you should sign up for Medicare Parts A and B within three months of becoming eligible, usually at age 65. If you are still employed and receiving benefits from an employer, you may want to delay signing up for Part B to avoid the premium since you will have a special election period to sign up later. There is usually no charge for Medicare Part A that covers hospitalization.

For those with lower incomes, SHINE can also assist you in applying for financial assistance to help pay for your Medicare premiums and even co-pays. “Many people are eligible for this and aren’t aware of it,” Franckle says.

Keeping Up to Date Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans’ coverage can change every year. “It’s important for us to keep up with all the changes, and seniors can also compare plans at www.Medicare.gov,” says Franckle. “We also have a handout that compares Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans and explains their differences.”

Volunteer Counselors are Always Needed The local SHINE office has two full-time employees, and the rest of the counselors are all well-trained volunteers. “They take 16 hours of an online course followed by three days of interactive zoom training, and then are matched with a mentor,” Franckle reports.

“When both the trainee and the mentor feel comfortable, he or she can start to meet with clients on their own. We would be happy to speak with anyone who is looking for a great volunteer opportunity.”

Franckle finds the work to be extremely rewarding. “If I can help someone find the best possible coverage for their specific needs, it is very satisfying.”

To make an appointment to speak with a SHINE counselor, call the main number at 800-963-5337 or the local Help line at 727-217-8111.

For additional information, please visit www.FloridaShine.org.

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Childs Park is located at 4301 13th Ave S. Photos by City of St. Petersburg

Parks of St. Pete: Childs Park

By Tina Stewart Brakebill St. Pete is home to more than 150 parks, offering a wide variety of possible activities. There are more than 100 picnic areas, 80 playgrounds, 44 miles of fitness trails, 30 basketball courts, 21 boat ramps, 11 softball fields, six dog parks, five beaches, three skate parks, two disc-golf courses, and one jai-alai court. We also have 76 tennis courts. 33 football/soccer fields, 31 baseball fields, nine volleyball courts, four historic sites, three nature preserves, and numerous splash pads. And, still, there’s more!

Simply put, choose an activity (or choose to just relax) and there’s a city park that fits your needs.

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A Neighborhood Park for Everyone Located at 4301 13th Ave. S, Childs Park is nestled within the Childs Park neighborhood. Bisected by the Clam Bayou Creek and the Pinellas Trail, the 18-acre-park features a pool complex, athletic courts and fields, a playground, an indoor fitness center, a picnic shelter, and a recreation center. Abundant with shade trees and plenty of bicycle and motor-vehicle parking, it’s a perfect place to spend the day or take a respite from the Pinellas Trail.

Childs Park Community Center. Photo by Brian Brakebill

Slide into the Water or Home Plate If you’re looking for someplace to play ball, make a splash, or just relax in the shade, Childs Park is a great choice. You can practice your dunk on the basketball court or perfect your serve on the tennis court. The indoor fitness center also offers a gym if you want to escape the heat of the Florida sun. If hitting a home run or pitching a no-hitter is a dream, then check out the baseball field. It’s available to rent. Want to get wet? The ADA-accessible pool area has a flume slide and a low dive as well as a splash pad and a wading pool. If you’d rather watch the kids get wet while you enjoy a good book, then grab a shaded chair and relax. Need a great place for a party? The pool is also available to rent.

A True Community Center Not only is Childs Park in the physical center of the neighborhood, in many ways it is also the heart of it, serving as a true community center. Whether it’s a neighborhood association meeting, community get-together, or special event, it’s likely happening at Childs Park. The recreation center, in particular, is an inviting space for gatherings and ongoing opportunities for youth and teens. You can find before- and after-school programs offering general tutoring, open gym time, and Teen Arts, Sports and Cultural Opportunities (TASCO). The center also coordinates summer camps, special trips, and events for education and fun. For example, in November 2021, teens had the chance to bowl, visit the St. Pete Pier for an Escape FLA adventure, and participate in a mentoring event sponsored by St. Pete’s My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper’s Cohort of Champions program. With a dance room and kitchen facilities, it’s also a great location for a baby shower, anniversary party, wedding reception, corporate gathering, or family reunion.

Thanks Thanks to the St. Petersburg Parks & Recreation staff for all they do. For more information about Childs Park or any other of St. Pete’s many parks visit www.stpeteparksrec.org or call (727) 893-7441.

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The Twisted Indian is now open at 2639 Central Ave

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.

The Twisted Indian is now open at 2639 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District. After operating as a successful food truck for six years, The Twisted Indian has opened their own restaurant featuring items like Chicken Tikka Masala and Lamb Korma in addition to vegetarian and vegan options like Paneer Tikka Masala, Tofu Tikka Masala, and Seitan Korma. Be sure to top it all off with a Mango Lassi (an Indian-style Mango yogurt smoothie)!

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Cap’s, seafood restaurant and bar, is now open at 226 1st Ave N

Cap’s, a new seafood restaurant and bar, is now open at 226 1st Avenue North on the Jannus Block in downtown St. Pete. The origin of Cap’s dates back nearly 100 years and includes bootlegging, illegal casinos, and one of the first restaurants in Florida. The star of the show is Caps’ steamer bar filled with fresh mussels, clams, gulf shrimp, bay scallops, and other seasonal fresh fish. The menu also includes a wide selection of shared plates, salads, and flatbreads.

Noble Tavern is coming soon to the ground floor of the Tru by Hilton hotel at 1650 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

From the owners of the renowned Noble Crust located in north St. Pete, Noble Tavern will be a polished casual craft cocktail bar with creative farm-to-table dishes. It’ll also be a great place to catch the Rays, Bucs, and Bolts in their next run for the playoffs. And when a big game isn’t on, the tavern will host live music and entertainment.

Noble Tavern is expected to open in mid-2023.

A 23-story apartment tower has been approved for the southeast corner of 3rd Avenue North and 5th Street across from the Mirror Lake Community Library in downtown St. Pete. The tower will contain 285 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space.

Community amenities will include a 6,000 square foot gym, which is the largest apartment gym in the entire Tampa Bay area. Also, the community will have a two-lane bowling alley for residents! The project is expected to break ground this September with completion slated for fall 2024.

A $300 million mixed-use development anchored by Moffitt Cancer Center is coming soon to 800 2nd Avenue South in downtown St. Pete. The 75,000 square foot outpatient facility will be complemented by a 30-story 350-unit residential tower and a 14-story hotel along with a massive, shared parking garage. The project must

Rendering of Moffitt Cancer Center; coming soon to 800 2nd Ave S

be approved by the Community Benefits Advisory Committee which requires developers to provide community benefits for projects that receive public assistance greater than 20% of the overall construction cost. A timeline for construction has not been announced but the development team expects to close on the purchase of the site later this year.

Rendering of Ascent St. Petersburg; 6th Floor Pool

Ascent St. Petersburg, an apartment and hotel tower, has topped out at 225 1st Avenue North in downtown St. Pete. The project features 357 apartments along with a 172-key AC Hotel by Marriott.

Construction began in December 2020 and topped out earlier this month at nearly 378 feet. The ground floor of the building will feature a residential and hotel lobby along with ample retail and restaurant space.

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

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“On a Clear Day”

Photo by City of St. Petersburg

JUNE 2022

EVENTS $6 Sundays at the St. Petersburg Museum of History When: Sundays (through June) from Noon - 5pm Where: St. Petersburg Museum of History, 335 2nd Ave NE Cost: $6 No reservations are required. spmoh.com

Jazz Night at Intermezzo When: Second Tuesdays (June 14th) from 7pm - 10pm Where: Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails, 1111 Central Ave Cost: Free Admission Featuring Daniela Soledade and the Nate Najar Quartet.

Intermezzo.co

When: Opening Reception Friday, June 10th from 5pm - 9pm; Closing Reception Saturday, July 2nd from 5pm to 9pm in the evening Where: Woodfield Fine Art Gallery, 2323 Central Ave Cost: Free Admission An Exhibit of the Art of Local Plein Air Painter Charles Gray. woodfieldfineart.com

remarkable reflection of St. Pete’s diverse and openminded community, with many of the attendees being ally families. Guests will enjoy family-focused activities, vendors, and main stage performances. stpetepride. com

Dashiki In The City Juneteenth Community Festival

When: Saturday, June 18th from 1pm - 7pm When: Friday, June 17th Where: Gibbs High School, from 6pm - 9pm 850 34th St S Where: The James Museum of Cost: Free Admission Western & Wildlife Art, 150 A Juneteenth celebration that Central Ave not only honors BIPOC of the Cost: $75 Americas, but encompasses The iconic Stonewall the joy in gathering of various Reception will allow us to communities of people honor those brave individuals throughout the Diaspora to who have fought for the enjoy moments of oneness. recognition of civil rights Enjoy live entertainment, local and given hope to so many.

BIPOC business vendors, Join an original Stonewall family games, kids play area, demonstrator, meet with youth advancement center, contemporary activists, and and health assessments. gain inspiration from young ditcjuneteenthfestival. members of the LGBTQ+ eventbrite.com community who will continue fighting for a better tomorrow. St Pete Pride Stpetepride.org

Stonewall Reception

Parade

LGBTQ+ Youth & Family Day When: Saturday, June 18th from 10am - 3pm Where: North Straub Park, 400 Bayshore Dr NE Cost: Free Admission Last year’s event was a 22

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When: Saturday, June 25th from 4pm - 8pm Where: from Vinoy Park to Albert Whittard Park along Bayshore Drive Cost: Free Admission One of the country’s largest pride parades brings tens of thousands of marchers

and attendees to the St. Pete waterfront to celebrate our community. Stpetepride.org

Pride Street Carnival When: Sunday, June 26th from 11am - 5pm Where: Grand Central District, on Central Ave from 22nd to 31st Cost: Free Admission St Pete Pride’s popular Sunday street festival will be reimagined as a carnival, bringing attendees of all ages to the Grand Central District to enjoy block after block of entertainment, vendors, food, community partners, and interactive carnival games.

Stpetepride.org

Transtastic When: Tuesday, June 28th from 6pm - 9pm Where: Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr NE

Cost: $10 Celebrate Tampa Bay’s Trans and Non-Binary community.

A welcoming evening at the Museum of Fine Arts showcasing a variety of talent, artistry, poetry and more from our community.

Stpetepride.org

Healthy St. Pete Neighborhood Walks When: Fourth Saturdays (June 25th) at 9am Where: throughout St. Pete Cost: Free The purpose of the Neighborhood Wellness Champion program is to increase collaboration and engagement between Healthy St. Pete and neighborhoods throughout the City. Visit Healthy St. Pete online for a map of walks happening near you. healthystpetefl.com/ get-fit/

Healthy St. Pete is looking for volunteers! Interested in becoming a Neighborhood Wellness Champion or learning more?

Email christie.bruner@stpete.org. Photo by City of St. Petersburg

For more events, or to submit an event, visit greenbenchmonthly.com/events

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