Green Bench Monthly Vol. 7, Issue 10, October 2022

VOL. 7, ISSUE 10, OCTOBER 2022

Green Bench Monthly

St. Pete’s Community Magazine

EVENTS:

Halloween on Central, SHINE Festival, & Movies in the Park are back! pg. 22 People of St. Pete

Stephen Favata pg. 9

Black Crow Coffee Co.

Serving Coffee & Community pg. 16

St. Pete Rising

Downtown Developments pg. 20

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Publishers Ashley & Tony Sica

Editor Mary Jane Park

Contributors Tina Stewart Brakebill Suzanne Driscoll Brian Zucker

Photographers

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Brian Brakebill Kristina Holman Musaweron Photography

IN THIS ISSUE

Cover Photo Halloween on Central

Photo by City of St. Petersburg

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From the Bench

Contact

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From Bucket Brigades to Chemical Crank: Remembering the Early Days of Fighting Fires

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

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People of St. Pete: Stephen Favata

10 Keep Pinellas Beautiful: Encouraging Volunteers to Preserve Our Environment 14 Parker Health Options: Here to Help

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16 Black Crow Coffee Co. Serving Great Coffee & the Community 18 Parks of St. Pete: Jungle Prada de Narvaez 20 Downtown Developments 22 Events: Plant Sale, Indie Flea Market, Halloween on Central, & more!

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Pier Pumpkin Patch. Photo by City of St. Petersburg

From the Bench A note from the Publishers Hello again. We first sent this issue off to print the day before hurricane Ian was set to make landfall. Shortly after, our printer and so many others lost power. As a result, we are getting to you a little late this month. We feel incredibly lucky that Ian spared the Tampa Bay Tony and Ashley Sica area. Our hearts go out to those not so fortunate Publishers / Owners just South of us. Many in that area do not have flood insurance so redevelopment will be a long and slow process. Please consider donating to a local relief fund if you have the means. As we all decompress, grab yourself a cup of coffee (pg. 16), and we look forward to seeing you at the pumpkin patch (pg.

22).

Fire Prevention week is Oct. 9th - Oct. 15th. So, we thought it would be a good time to look back at the history of the St. Petersburg Fire Department (pg. 6) and get to know one of their very own, Stephen Favata (pg. 9). Many thanks to retired firefighter, Steve Harris, for sharing photos from his personal collection with us for this history piece and to all of the St. Petersburg Fire Department for their service.

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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First Fire Station - #1, 130 3rs St S. Photo courtesy of Steve Harris

From Bucket Brigades to Chemical Crank: Remembering the Early Days of Fighting Fires

By Tina Stewart Brakebill On Dec. 21, 1907, the St. Petersburg Times ran a front-page story on the “Largest Fire in St. Pete History.” “The alarm of fire roused the city,” the newspaper reported, “and … the gathered crowds witnessed the destruction of two splendid properties, and the almost miraculous escape of a large section of the residential part of the city.” According to bystanders, “they never saw a more gallant, determined and well-directed defense against fire than what was made by the paid men in charge, the volunteer firemen and the citizens generally.” Luckily, no one was hurt, but the Colonial Hotel and an adjacent house were consumed. The fire’s destructive potential reinforced growing demands for a better fire department.

Bucket Brigades vs. The Fiery Demon In the decade preceding the Colonial Hotel Fire, “great” fires consumed multiple blocks in cities such as Seattle; San Francisco; Baltimore; Toronto; Paris, Texas; and nearby Jacksonville. St. Pete was smaller than those other communities, but its rapid growth had increased the risk and the fear that fire could consume the mostly wood structures. Assigned malevolent intent by the newspaper, fire came alive in headlines. Local homes were “Destroyed by Fiery Demon.” Entire city blocks were put in “great danger” when the “Fire Demon Comes Again.” When the 775-pound fire bell rang out, volunteer “firemen and citizens alike” gathered to battle the “demon” with the tools available at the time. The volunteers of Alert Hose Company No. 1 operated the available pumping equipment, and citizens formed bucket brigades to pass water down the lines. As the Colonial Hotel fire demonstrated, this method could be successful in stopping the spread of destruction, but the fear of fire’s potential was always present.

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Horse drawn fire engine, 1912, at 3rd St. S. station. St. Petersburg.

Photo courtesy of St. Petersburg Museum of History

St. Pete Needs A Better Fire Department In early 1906, the City Council began discussing efforts to “organize the necessary companies’’ to form the fire department.

By then, most larger cities throughout the United States already had moved past volunteer bucket brigades and hand-pumped water carts to paid firefighters and steam-powered water pumps with horse-drawn engines. A few had even begun the transition into the motorized era. As

Engineer, WJM Hill and Fire Chief McNulty. Photo courtesy of Steve Harris

a relatively young and relatively small community, St. Pete started small by authorizing the purchase of a fire hose and a small steam-powered water pump in 1906. Then, for more than a year, City Council haggled over additional details and budgets, engaging in a “spirited discussion” about further funding. Community members also offered their thoughts and comments. Some complained about the lack of a “decent fire company.” Others offered unique suggestions. According to one local, given the “condition the city and streets are at present, a fire engine is not wanted.” Instead, he opined, St. Pete needed a giant reservoir with sufficient pressure to send water through a hose of about 2,000 feet.

City leaders ignored that suggestion, but in December of 1907, just days before the Colonial Hotel fire, they did approve funds to hire a new paid chief and three paid firefighters. They also authorized a larger steamengine pump, a team of fire horses to pull the engine, and furniture for a “sleeping room,” so someone was always on call. As 1908 dawned, St. Petersburg was poised to leave behind old methods and look to the future of firefighting under the leadership of Chief G.W. Anderson.

Chemical Crank and a Modern Fire Force Under Anderson’s watch, the newly organized department doubled in size, added a team of horses (Dick and Dan), built Fire Station No. 1, and pushed for the purchase of its first “motor truck.” Anderson was gravely ill by the time the council approved the truck’s 1912 purchase, but the news that the new machine would bear his name on two nickelplated plaques “had a wonderful effect on his condition.” It didn’t, however, stop the inevitable. After Anderson’s death, the city recruited 15-year veteran and fire captain J.T. McNulty from Birmingham. Dubbed a “chemical crank” because of his progressive belief in using chemicals ahead of water, he quickly modernized the fire force. By the end of his first full year, their record was being described as “singularly excellent” and “the best found in any city of like size in the South.” Over the next 20 years, McNulty increased staffing and championed efforts to expand and modernize stations and equipment. When he retired with glowing accolades in 1936, the department had grown to 42 firefighters, five stations, six pump engines, two 500-gallon tank wagons, two chemical trucks, and an aerial truck. Even so, he doubted it was enough. McNulty wanted more firefighters and still better equipment. His parting warning echoed the fears of 30 years before: “We’ve been lucky — but some day St. Petersburg will have a fire that won’t soon be forgotten.” Luckily, McNulty was wrong. Thanks to the foundation he helped build, and the dedication of the men (including non-white men as of 1972) and women (beginning in 1982) of the force, the day of that “great fire” has never come.

Sources available on request

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People of St. Pete: Stephen Favata

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, each month Green Bench shines a light on one of the many people that make St. Pete unique.

As a firefighter and paramedic, Stephen Favata plays a vital role in St. Petersburg Fire Rescue’s mission “to serve all citizens of our community by promoting, protecting, and improving their health, safety, and quality of life through exceptional emergency service and education.”

When he’s not waiting for the fire bell to ring, you might occasionally find him listening for another bell as his alter ego, professional wrestler Steve Madison.

Dreaming of the Ring At 18, Favata was a good student, senior class president, and promising baseball player. The great-grandson of Sicilian immigrants, he was expected to attend college. Favata had different dreams. He grew up during the 1980s golden era of wrestling and aspired to emulate hometown hero Hulk Hogan. His parents, however, envisioned a college class ring in his future. As a compromise, he entered the University of South Florida in 2001. He also attended World Wrestling Federation superstar Steve Keirn’s Professional Wrestling School of Hard Knocks and performed locally. In 2003, his connection to Keirn led to an offer to join the inaugural tour for a new enterprise, World Japan Pro Wrestling.

For the next four years “Steve Madison” traveled regularly to Japan for two-week tours and continued to wrestle locally, while Stephen Favata attended college. It was an exciting time for a young bachelor, but as he approached his mid-20s, he looked to the future and asked, “How am I going to reinvent myself?”

Reinvention: New Dreams Urged by some fellow wrestlers to consider firefighting, Favata realized that the profession’s team approach and required physicality seemed a good fit. As he began the work to make his new dream a reality, he continued wrestling and became a key player in training young hopefuls, including women hoping to polish their skills for competition.

By 2012, he had graduated from fire school, Emergency Medical Technicians school, and paramedic school. He joined the Pinellas Park

Photo by Brian Brakebill

Fire Department and soon was recognized as paramedic of the year.

In 2011, Favata met Liz, a fellow paramedic trainee. They married in 2015 and now have two sons, Brock and Brody. Impressed with its forward-looking systems, training opportunities, and progressive family policies, Favata actively pursued a job with St. Petersburg Fire Rescue. Hired in 2016, he began at the downtown master station and since has moved to Fire Station 14. He serves on the elected board of Local 747 St. Petersburg Association of Firefighters, which allows him to pursue his passion for community engagement. The organization donates food, money, and other resources to organizations including the St. Petersburg Free Clinic, Kind Mouse, and the guardian ad litem program. At the 2021 Florida Legends Luncheon, “Steve Madison” was honored for more than 20 years of dedication and contributions to the sport and celebrated for “spending most of his career putting others before himself.”

No doubt whatever comes next, that theme will hold true.

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Keep Pinellas Beautiful partners with local organizations, like St. Pete Fire Rescue, to host beach cleanup days.

Photo courtesy of Keep Pinellas Beautiful

Keep Pinellas Beautiful: Encouraging Volunteers to Preserve Our Environment

By Suzanne Driscoll When you see volunteers picking up litter on the beach or planting trees for a community improvement project, it’s often due to the efforts of Keep Pinellas Beautiful (KPB). An affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, the group works with the public for litter prevention, waste reduction, conservation, and beautification and community greening.

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Keep Pinellas Beautiful Executive Director, Patricia DePlasco Photo by Kristina Holman

Executive director Patricia DePlasco joined Keep Pinellas Beautiful in 2015. Previously, she was a teacher for 25 years and then worked as education director and development director for Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.

“We have grown exponentially during the past eight years,” DePlasco says.

“In 2014 we had 250 projects and 2,800 volunteers. Today we have over

Keep Pinellas Beautiful volunteers clean the Mirror Lake shoreline in waders and by boat. Photos courtesy of Keep Pinellas Beautiful

1,500 projects and 20,000 volunteers.”

Keep Pinellas Beautiful is financed through Pinellas County and receives numerous sponsorships from local businesses for special events.

A team of dedicated, passionate staff members help to educate the public and recruit volunteers.

Current Projects The number of ongoing projects led by KPB are almost too numerous to mention. Here are just a few ways you too can get involved: Community Improvement Projects: KPB works with community leaders and churches, schools, and businesses to organize projects throughout Pinellas County. They can include cleanups, Florida native species plantings and gardens, tree plantings, invasive species removals, and mulching. KPB will provide the necessary training and supplies for any event, and sponsorship is always welcome for larger initiatives.

Hospitality Eco-Partnership Program: “We appreciate the fact that so much of our local economy revolves around the hospitality industry, so we decided to form a partnership with hotels,” DePlasco reports. With grant funding, KPB provides staff education and training on stormwater debris and coastal environments, ecotours, and volunteer activities for staff and guests. Eco-friendly sample products such as pocket ashtrays and reusable straws are distributed.

Adopt-A-Mile Program: This free program is a great opportunity for individuals, groups and corporations to give back to their communities in a highly visible way. Participants adopt an area of Pinellas County and receive the training and materials necessary to host their own cleanups.

“Adoptions greatly enhance the appearance of our communities and go a long way in reducing litter and debris from entering our waterways and

polluting the natural habitats of our native wildlife,” DePlasco says.

Opportunities for Students of All Ages: KBP works closely with schoolchildren throughout Pinellas County to provide free educational presentations in class, after school, or through experiential learning opportunities. They do gardening projects with Florida friendly-plants. In the “Kids Can” program, they do cleanups and visit educational stations with partners such as the Audubon Society and Turtle Trackers. KPB also works with high school chapters of Keep Pinellas Beautiful that do all kinds of environmental projects. Students can receive credit for community service-hours that KPB tracks for them.

Future Events The 2022 International Coastal Cleanup takes place at a variety of sites throughout the County during September and October. You can visit the Keep Pinellas Beautiful website to see the complete schedule and volunteer.

The next Great American Cleanup is scheduled for March 1 through June 30, 2023.

You won’t want to miss the chance to play golf at the Countryside Country Club Tournament in Clearwater beginning at 7 a.m. on October 17. As one of Keep Pinellas Beautiful’s main fundraisers, the day will include breakfast, an awards lunch, putting contest, Hole In One contest, 50/50 opportunity, prizes, and a special gift for participating. Additional sponsors are more than welcome.

DePlasco wants people to know “it’s not difficult to keep Pinellas beautiful if everybody does just a little bit.”

Please visit www.kpbcares.org for a complete list of future clean-ups and other events. Donations and volunteers are welcome.

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Marit Parker, owner of Parker Health Options. Photos by Musaweron Photography

Parker Health Options: Here to Help

By Tina Stewart Brakebill Most people would agree that having options can be a good thing.

Who doesn’t want the freedom to choose their favorite pizza topping, movie, outfit, or beach? Sometimes, however, too many options can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to Medicare. As you approach Medicare-enrollment eligibility, you can be swamped by information in

the form of emails, texts, phone calls, snail-mail fliers, infomercials, and targeted social-media advertisements. Getting advice from an expert can make wading through this flood less stressful. Let Marit Parker and Parker Health Options be that expert for you.

Why Choose Marit Parker?

A second-generation Floridian, Marit Parker loves St. Pete. Born at St. Anthony’s Hospital and a graduate of Lakewood High School, Parker returned home after earning her degree from the University of Florida. Today she and her family (husband and 11-year old twins) have settled in Northeast St. Pete. Clients aren’t just numbers on an application form; they also are her neighbors. She enjoys meeting new clients and fostering long-term relationships because being a trusted community resource is a big reason she does what she does. With more than nine years of experience working with Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and prescription-drug policies, she is an expert at explaining the intricacies of the system. Most importantly, Parker views her role as an educator. She understands how vital it is to understand your Medicare options. Helping people is why she undertook this career. Her best advice for anyone contemplating an insurance decision

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Parker Health Options is located downtown in the Synovus Bank Building at 333 Third Ave. N.

is to “find a trusted agent, even if it’s not me. It will serve you in the short and long term.”

Why Parker Health Options?

Parker is not an agent for one specific company. She is an insurance broker. This designation means that instead of being tied to the policies offered by a single carrier, Parker Health Options can provide a client with multiple options. Essentially, as Parker explains, she is free to “do what is best for you.” As an independent licensed insurance broker and fiduciary, Parker offers educated and informed advice so that people can choose the Medicare plans that best suit their needs. She also makes the process easy. During the free personal consultation, she listens to your health story, including your past, current, and potential future health needs. She also will educate you on what Medicare does, and doesn’t, do, and make sure that you understand the potential costs and benefits of each option. Once Parker understands a client’s needs and goals, she offers her expert advice on “what is best for you.” She also guides clients through the insurance contract process and offers herself as a free resource to help people navigate questions and confusions. She understands how the system works and wants to make sure clients get the trusted and honest service they deserve.

Contact Parker Health Options For more information or to schedule a free personal consultation with Parker Health Options at Parker’s convenient downtown office (located in the Synovus Bank building, 333 Third Ave. N), call or text (727) 424-5898. Now is the time to get a jump start on making decisions for Medicare’s annual enrollment, which runs from Oct. 15-Dec. 7.

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Black Crow Coffee Co. Old Northeast is at 722 Second St. N. The Grand Central location is at 2157 First Ave S. Both are open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Photos courtesy of Black Crow Coffee Co.

Black Crow Coffee Co.: Serving Great Coffee and the Community

By Suzanne Driscoll A local coffee shop can be so much more than just a place to grab and go. With a cozy atmosphere and comfy chairs, it’s a perfect spot to relax, meet with friends or even do some work. And when the shop owners help support the local as well as the international community, it’s a place you want to return to again and again.

Black Crow Coffee is such a place. Owners Deana Hawk and Greg Bauman moved to St. Pete around the same time, 33 years ago. Hawk is from Seattle and Bauman from Toronto, both coffee-loving cities. Bauman has owned Indian Shores Coffee for 16 years. Together, they opened Black Crow in 2015 after Hawk happened to see the storefront available in the Historic Old Northeast neighborhood. A second location in the Grand Central district opened four years later. They wanted customers to feel at home with a warm and friendly vibe, and over the years they have developed a loyal following.

Food and Drinks for Every Taste There is a large variety of coffee choices at Black Crow, with some of the most popular being cappuccinos and flavored lattes including Purple Haze and Banana Mocha. Tea lovers will not feel left out with certified organic Rishi teas. (“A premium brand,” says one customer who certifies organic products for a living.) Chai tea is made in-house along with delicious muffins, cookies, and vegan and gluten-free pastries. “We also

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partner with local bakeries such as Curious Cat and Golden Dinosaurs to help support other small businesses,” Hawk says.

Doing Their Own Roasting Bauman started roasting and packaging coffee beans at their Grand Central location in 2016. Black Crow sources single-origin arabica beans from a variety of suppliers in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, and Tanzania and sells to local restaurants such as BellaBrava, Stillwaters Tavern, GulfPerk Coffee Bar, Southie Coffee, and Sweet Magnolia Bakery.

“It’s amazing how you can select from a variety of coffee bean-growers such as co-ops, women-owned, organic, or bird-friendly,” Hawk says. “It’s a great way to support the worldwide community and the environment.”

Practice What They Preach Hawk and Bauman were proud to have the Old Northeast location certified as the first zero-waste business in St. Pete in 2019. All food waste, including coffee grounds, is sent to compost. If you are drinking your beverage in the shop, you’ll get a ceramic coffee mug, and you are welcome to bring your own. If you want food or coffee to go, the goods arrive in a disposable, compostable container. Pasta straws are used, and all spoons, cups, and rags are reutilized.

Giving Back to the Community A variety of events take place in the shops, such as art night, featuring live music, poetry readings and art exhibits, as well as open mic nights. The couple financially support the International Women’s Coffee Alliance, and they roast and private-label a special brand of coffee for Creative Clay, an organization that seeks to make the arts accessible to those with disabilities. The nonprofit receives 100 percent of the proceeds.

In addition to sponsoring local events and fundraisers, Black Crow welcomes small groups such as Queer Expression of St. Pete as a safe space where they can do crafts or just talk and support each other.

“We sincerely appreciate the ongoing support from the community,” Hawk says. “That is what allows us to support our beloved city of St. Petersburg.”

For more info or to view the event schedule, please visit www. blackcrowcoffeeco.com. Black Crow Coffee Co. Old Northeast is at 722 Second St. N. The Grand Central location is at 2157 First Ave S. Both are open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

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Photos by Brian Brakebill

Parks of St. Pete: Jungle Prada de Narvaez

By Tina Stewart Brakebill Beginning with City Park (today’s Williams Park) in the late 19th century and expanding to the waterfront in the early 20th, St. Petersburg’s parks have a long history of providing locals and visitors with a wide variety of amenities.

Today, St. Pete can boast more than 150 city parks and numerous Pinellas County parks. According to the Trust for Public Land, 77 percent of residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park. Park amenities vary depending on location and size and can include picnic areas, playgrounds, beaches, boat ramps, fishing docks, playing fields, sports courts, fitness equipment, trails, nature preserves, art installations, and historic sites. Dogs and skaters even have their own spaces. Parks & Recreation also offers classes, service projects, camps, and a variety of after-school educational programs. Choose an activity or choose to relax, and there’s a park or recreation center that fits your needs.

On the Waterfront Spanning more than five acres at the edge of the historic Jungle Prada neighborhood, Jungle Prada de Narvaez Park offers visitors convenient parking, two boat ramps, two small shelters, a pier, ample green space, and a walking path. Visitors to the site at Park Street N and Elbow Lane can fish from the pier or relax and enjoy the beautiful view of Boca Ciega Bay from one of the many benches. For those looking to get on the water, the parking lot and two boat ramps are accessible 24 hours per day. The ramps allow vehicles to back their trailers up to the bay to launch larger boats.

Lighter craft can set off directly into the water. Jungle Prada de Narvaez Park is a perfect spot to enjoy the outdoor benefits of living in a city on the water. Plus, you might just see one or more of the many peacocks that have made the Jungle Prada neighborhood their domain.

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Mounds of History Jungle Prada de Narvaez also is home to some important local history, including archeological evidence documenting the lives of the indigenous Tocobaga people. Like other mound-building cultures, the Tocobaga were typified by complex social structures and long-distance trade networks. By the end of the 15th century, their domain included dozens of large towns and small villages situated along the coast. The archeological site at Jungle Prada includes public and private property and features mounds constructed between about 1000 and the middle 16th century. Originally stretching for miles, most of the mounds were dismantled in the early 20th century to be used as fill for development.

What remains earned the site a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. In addition, evidence of 16th century Spanish contact also has been recovered from the site. The park’s namesake, Panfilo de Narváez, is thought to be the first European to directly encounter the Tocobaga, in 1528. Although likely not the initial landing site of the Spanish people, the Jungle Prada site offers a vital view of the shifting historical arc. It’s well worth a visit.

Details For more information about Jungle Prada de Narvaez Park and archeological site or any other of St. Pete’s many parks, visit www. stpeteparksrec.org or call (727) 893-7441.

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6th floor pool rendering, Ascent located at 225 1st Ave N.

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.

Fortu, an elevated pan-Asian steakhouse, is coming soon to the former Ceviche space on the first floor of the historic Ponce de Leon Hotel at 95 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete. The menu will feature a variety of steak cuts including a 16 oz. Koji dry-aged A5 Japanese wagyu steak. Additional offerings will include a Korean-style half-fried chicken, lobster “dynamite” twice baked potato, house-made dumplings, and various local seafood dishes.

Fortu is expected to open this winter.

Ascent, downtown St. Pete’s newest apartment community, is now preleasing. The 36-story 357-unit apartment tower is located at 225 1st Avenue North across the street from the Jannus Block, St. Pete’s most popular block for nightlife. Ascent will feature community amenities such as an expansive cowork lounge with private meeting space, a 24-hour fitness center, a wellness studio with HIIT-inspired equipment, and pools on the 6th and 37th floor.

The apartments at Ascent are expected to begin moving in new residents by January 2023 with final construction completed by May 2023.

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A mural painted by houston-based artist, Emily Ding, during last year’s shine mural festival. Mural located at 100 7th St. S

The SHINE Mural Festival is coming soon to the streets of downtown St. Pete! The popular street art festival returns for its eighth year on October 14-23, 2022. The internationally recognized event will bring 17 new murals to the art districts and surrounding neighborhoods of St. Petersburg’s downtown, adding to more than 100 SHINE murals that already exist. The 2022 artist lineup features seven international artists, one national artist, and seven Florida artists.

The Bayfront Health Women’s Pavilion is coming soon to 700 6th Street South in downtown St. Pete. St. Petersburg’s largest and oldest hospital, Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, is expanding with the construction of a three-story, 60,000 square foot technologically advanced facility that will be dedicated to women’s health and wellness. The Women’s Pavilion is expected to break ground by the end of the year and open in early fall 2024.

The City of St. Pete has released a new Request for Proposal for the 86acre Historic Gas Plant District site, currently home to Tropicana Field.

The new RFP emphasizes the need for affordable housing, both on and off site, provides clarity by providing a 17.3 acre-portion of overall site for a state-of-the-art baseball stadium, and includes further provisions to honor the history and legacy of the Gas Plant community. Proposals are due by November 18th and Mayor Welch hopes to have selected a developer by the end of the year.

Allelo, a Mediterranean restaurant, is now open at 300 Beach Drive in downtown St. Pete. The eatery, which occupies the space formerly home to Annata and Alto Mare, is being spearheaded by Volet Hospitality, who also manages the nearby 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House. Allelo’s food menu features small, shared plates with a collection of pastas, flatbreads, and a handful of larger main dishes. The restaurant has a heavy emphasis on seafood with a raw bar featuring oysters, little necks, shrimp, and a seafood tower. Lastly, Allelo’s expansive wine offerings are inspired by the regions surrounding the Mediterranean.

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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OCTOBER 2022

EVENTS St Pete Indie Downtown Flea When: 1st Sunday of each month from October through April from noon - 4pm Where: Grand Central District, 14 18th Street South Cost: FREE Admission Shop artisanal and handmade goods, plants, vintage collectors, jewelry, gifts, art, and more.

Theindieflea.com

Shakespeare Festival in Williams Park When: Oct. 7-9, performances start at 7:30pm Where: Williams Park,

350 2nd Ave N Cost: FREE Admission, Donations Appreciated.

Bring your lawn chair or blanket and join us for an all-woman production of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night or What You Will. stpeteshakesfest.org

Pumpkin Patch When: Saturday, Oct. 8th Sunday, Oct. 16th Where: St. Pete Pier, 600 2nd Ave NE Cost: FREE Traditional pumpkin patch featuring over 5000 pumpkins from small to giant.

Stpetepier.org

Halloween on Central. Photo by City of St. Petersburg

Open Mic

When: Thursday, Oct. 13th from 6pm - 9pm Where: Creative Grape, 3100 3rd Ave N St. Petersburg Cost: FREE Calling all singer-songwriters, Opera: Tosca poets, & the like to take the stage!

When: Friday, Oct. 14th @ @creativegrape 8pm; Sunday, Oct. 16th @ 2pm; Tuesday, Oct. 18th @ 7:30pm St. Petersburg City Where: The Palladium, Theatre Presents 253 5th Ave N The Addams Family Cost: $15 & up Love, lust, betrayal, murder - the When: Friday, Oct. 14th charismatic diva Tosca is at the Sunday, Oct. 23rd; Friday/ center of it all! One of the world’s Saturday @ 7:30pm; most popular operas. Sung in Sunday @ 2pm Italian with English translations Where: St. Petersburg City above the stage. stpeteopera.org Theatre, 4025 31st Street South Cost: GA $28 Medicare Open “When you’re an Addams, You do what Addams Do or Die.” Enrollment www.spcitytheatre.org When: Oct. 15th - Dec. 7th

SHINE Festival When: Friday, Oct. 14th Sunday, Oct. 23rd Where: locations throughout St. Pete Cost: FREE The internationally recognized street art festival will bring 17 new murals to the art districts

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and surrounding neighborhoods of St. Petersburg’s downtown. stpeteartsalliance.org/ shine-2022

Learn more about Medicare and how to change your plan.

SHINE does not sell anything & is a Free program offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco & Pinellas as an educational opportunity for you to learn more about Medicare floridashine.org

Preserve the ‘Burg Presents Movies In the Park

Euclid St. Paul’s Haunted Hike

When: Thursday, Oct. 20th and Thursday, Oct. 27th Where: North Straub Park, 400 Bayshore Dr NE Cost: FREE Admission, Donations Appreciated 10/20 The Goonies. Live Music

by The Wandering Hours starts at 6pm. 10/27 Beetlejuice. Live Music by Boho Sideshow starts at 6pm. preservetheburg.org

Annual Plant Sale When: Saturday, Oct. 22nd from 9am - 2pm Where: Garden Club of St. Petersburg, 500 Sunset Dr S Cost: FREE Admission This outdoor event features a variety of succulents, herbs, bushes, trees, bromeliads, flowering plants, and more. Plus, an assortment of gardening and yard knick-knacks for sale.

Gardenclubstpetersburg.org

Old Southeast Artist Enclave Studio Tour When: Saturday, Oct. 22nd from 10am - 4pm Where: Pick up your map on the day of the event at the information tent in The Chattaway parking lot, 358 22nd Ave S Cost: Free Admission

When: Saturday, Oct. 22nd; tours leave between 6:15pm - 8:45pm Where: Euclid St. Paul’s, 13th Ave. and 13th St. North Cost: $8 for adults; $5 for kids 12 & under; under 2 are free.

A 1-mile, 1-hour, guided walking tour of spooky one-act skits created to tingle your senses. espna.org/haunted-hike

St. Petersburg Rocktoberfest When: Friday, Oct. 28th from 4pm - 10pm; Saturday, Oct. 29th from 11am - 10pm; Sunday, Oct. 30th from 11am - 6pm Where: Williams Park, 350 2nd Ave N Cost: GA $5-7 3-Day Oktoberfest experience featuring lively music, food, and big, big pints of beer. paragonfestivals.com

Halloween on Central When: Sunday, Oct. 30th from noon - 5pm Where: Central Ave from Dr. MLK Jr. St. to 31st St. Cost: Free Admission Featuring strolling performers & entertainment, costumes, music, food trucks, haunted houses, & more!

Halloweenoncentral2.com

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

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