Christian Science Church, St. Petersburg, Florida. 1925 (circa). State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory.
An Evolution of an Historic Landmark: The Palladium By Tina Stewart Brakebill In February of 1999, a sold-out crowd attended the Palladium Theater’s soft opening featuring the Florida Orchestra performing its Kids-Time Classics concert. Less than a week later, the Ballet Society performed on the Palladium’s new “sprung” stage, designed with rubber padding to cushion dancers’ leaps. Soon after, a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the official birth of the 903-seat, not-for-profit Palladium Theater. For the community leaders behind the effort, the moment represented the culmination of a decade-long dream to offer the community a low-cost venue for local arts groups. This dream continues to thrive with the help of St. Petersburg College, which purchased the property in 2007. In 2012, the building that continues to house the Palladium was designated as a St. Petersburg historic landmark. It was a proud moment for the Palladium, but the path began long before theater backers dreamed of affordable seats for lovers of the arts.
Sunshine City Church Crowds: “too great for existing church structures” In early 1925, the St. Petersburg Times noted that 50,000 of the estimated 100,000 people living in St. Pete during the winter season regularly attended church, surpassing national church membership
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averages by nearly 10 percent. According to the article, these crowds of worshipers were simply “too great for existing church structures.” As a result of the overflowing pews, numerous congregations joined the Sunshine City’s building boom, including First United Methodist, First Christian, Westminster Presbyterian, Temple Grace, and First Church of Christ, Scientist. A preview of the new church planned for the First Church of Christ, Scientist, estimated costs for the upcoming construction at $200,000. The paper noted that the new church was to have the capacity for 1,200 worshippers in its main auditorium and balcony, but its plans didn’t stop there. It would also have three organs, a spacious lobby, check room, Sunday School rooms, and offices. An artist’s rendering showcased the structure’s “beautiful edifice.”
The Romanesque Revival Rage Designed in the Romanesque Revival Style by architect Henry Lovewell Cheney, the church was inspired by Brunelleschi’s Foundling Hospital in Florence, Italy. Typical features of this style are evident throughout the church, including the terra cotta roof, limestone pillars topped with Corinthian capitals, and vaulted portico ceiling. A Chicago native, Cheney would go on to design several high-profile structures,
