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Award-winning Florida real estate Broker PROUDLY SELLING IN PINELLAS, HILLSBOROUGH, PASCO, MANATEE & SARASOTA COUNTIES since 2004.

Old Northeast Neighborhood in St. Pete

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Old Northeast sign for neighborhood in St. Petersburg, FL

Old Northeast neighborhood in the center of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida

If a centrally located, historically significant and architecturally diverse neighborhood of active, involved residents is what you’re looking for smack dab in the center of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, you need to look no further than Old Northeast. The Old NE, as some call it, has heart, soul, a rich tradition and a location that has never and never will be duplicated.

Bounded on the north by 30th Avenue North, on the west by 4th Street North, on the south by 5th Avenue North/Northeast and on the entire east side by North Shore Park and the entrance to Tampa Bay, Old NE is simply one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the greater Tampa-St. Petersburg area.

Currently home to approximately nine thousand residents, Old NE is the result of visionary developer C. Perry Snell, for whom nearby Snell Isle is named. Old NE has the distinction of being the first established neighborhood in the City of St. Petersburg.

History of Old Northeast

Home construction began in 1911 and hit “build-out” by the late 50’s. Building slowed dramatically in the late 1920’s and 1930’s due to the Great Depression, and the area continued to experience tough times until the 80’s when buyers were once again lured by its central downtown location and rich architectural heritage. Today, Old NE is thriving and real estate values are on the rise.

Old Northeast Today

The City of St. Petersburg named the Grenada Terrace subdivision a Local Historic District in 1988 to help preserve it’s unique architecture. Old Northeast was named to the National Register of Historic Places on February 20, 2003. Preservation efforts in the 1990’s led to the restoration and reopening of the Vinoy Hotel and other local points of interests led to the designation.

Some call Old NE “influential,” due to the who’s who of once and current residents. Others simply call it “charming,” due to its brick streets, lush, mature vegetation and an eclectic mixture of homes ranging from Mediterranean Revival to bungalow-style. You’ll find nothing quite like Old NE anywhere else in the entire Tampa-St. Petersburg area.

 

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in September 2011. It has since been updated and edited for clarity and cohesiveness.

Brightwaters Boulevard the Gem of Snell Isle

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Brightwaters Boulevard: the gem of Snell Isle in St. Pete, FL

Aerial view of Snell Island and Brightwaters Boulevard, the gem of Snell Isle in St. Petersburg, FL.

Snell Isle is widely regarded as one of St. Petersburg-Tampa’s most desirable waterfront neighborhoods. But for those seeking the most prestigious addresses on Snell Isle, Brightwaters Boulevard is the street on which to buy.

Elegance and grace are the norm in this enclave of custom-built estate homes. Today, many belong to celebrities, sports legends, and captains of Florida industry. Despite its somewhat high profile, the Brightwaters neighborhood remains a balanced mix of elegant, casual, and private.

Most homes had their beginnings in the 1950s, but some still date back to the mid-1920s when C. Perry Snell’s dream of creating a community for St. Petersburg-Tampa’s most elite residents first took hold. Extravagant renovations over the years have helped modernize many homes while retaining the unique character that makes Brightwaters the crème de la crème of Tampa Bay area addresses.

Brightwaters Boulevard Wraps Around Snell Isle Harbor in St. Pete

Snell Isle’s boundaries start at St. Petersburg’s Snell Isle Bridge, which extends easterly along the shoreline to the Shore Acres Bridge, then along the shorelines of Eden Isle and Snell Isle Estates, 34th Avenue and Locust Street to Coffee Pot Bayou. Brightwaters Boulevard is located in the southeastern, most Tampa Bay-facing section of Snell Isle and wraps around Snell Isle Harbor. No shortage of deep-water access here.

Brightwater Boulevard Highlights

Nearby Bay and Gulf beaches are some of the finest found in all of Florida. A five-minute drive takes one to downtown St. Petersburg, which in recent years has transformed itself into a lively and vibrant center for the visual and performing arts, world-class shopping, lush family-friendly parks, professional sporting events and a plethora of dining opportunities. Tampa’s international airport is an easy 30-minute drive across the bay.

The Snell Isle Property Owner’s Association is a hands-on nonprofit organization that includes those residing on Brightwaters Boulevard. The Association carries on C. Perry Snell’s vision, and protects the heritage of the area by guiding improvements and maintaining its unique way of life. The Association is responsible for restoring Snell Isle Park Plaza, complete with meandering walkways, original European statuary and artwork Snell brought back from Europe at a cost of over $1 million in 1920s dollars.

The Community of Bridgetwater Boulevard

Despite the area’s changes over the years, Snell Isle and Brightwaters Boulevard continue to offer buyers a wide spectrum of styles, price ranges and strong long-term real estate value.

Brightwaters is located within the Pinellas County School District with the closest school being St. Raphael Catholic School. It is also home to two churches. The site of today’s St. Petersburg Women’s Club was donated by Snell in 1928, and continues to be an active community organization dedicated to preserving the character of the area. The Snell Isle Marina is a very active center for boaters, and a popular destination for west coast Florida cruisers.

If your desire is to live in St. Petersburg’s finest waterfront neighborhood, be sure to take a long look at Snell Isle’s Brightwaters Boulevard. Then give us a call  at 727-642-9107 to see what is available. We are the residential real estate leader in the Pinellas County area.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in August 2013. It has since been edited to reflect updated information and for cohesiveness. 

Historic Hyde Park Tampa Real Estate

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Hyde Park is renown as Tampa’s sophisticated, upscale historic neighborhood that refuses to remain quietly in the past.

Hyde Park’s Beginning

In the midst of Tampa’s harrowing 1886 yellow fever epidemic, which put a strangle hold on every facet of the city’s economy, railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant announced his vision for the development of farmland and citrus groves on the west side of the Hillsborough River adjacent to what is now the city’s center. At the time, the only access to the area destined to become Tampa’s Hyde Park was by ferry.

Plant possessed a strong reputation for results and the City of Tampa recognized an opportunity that might not knock twice. Very quickly, the city approved the construction of a bridge across the river at Lafayette Street (now Kennedy Boulevard), which is where Plant proposed to build a grand resort, the Tampa Bay Hotel. Suddenly, the land west of the river was accessible, and development, including the construction of a streetcar line, quickly followed.

By 1910, the groves had all been subdivided. During the 15-year period between 1913 and 1928, the area bustled with development. Simple two-story, wood frame homes soon gave way to

Hyde Park

photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

impressive revival-style (Queen Anne, Colonial, Tudor, Classical and even French and Mediterranean) residences that began to set the architectural styles of what would become today’s Hyde Park.

Home building began to slow when Florida’s real estate boom hit the skids in 1924. By the time the stock market crashed in 1929, building in Hyde Park was at a standstill.

Expanding Hyde Park

After the Depression, construction picked up again and followed the trend for smaller homes. However, World War II, and building that shifted toward the north and west created a stop-start construction environment in Hyde Park that lasted into the 1970s and 1980s when historic preservation gained popularity, which helped restart development again.

It is this stop-start development history, during which architectural styles came in and out of favor, that gives Hyde Park the diversity we see today, and what makes it one of the most desirable neighborhoods throughout the St. Petersburg – Tampa area.

Today, Hyde Park is bounded by Hillsborough Bay to the east, Kennedy Boulevard to the north, Bayshore Boulevard to the east and south, and Armenia Avenue to the west. Two of the neighborhood’s main thoroughfares, Swann and Rome Avenues, had streetcars operating on them, which is why they are extra wide still today. And Bayshore Boulevard, at 4.5 miles, is claimed to be the longest continuous sidewalk in the world.

Hyde Park Village – The Heart Of Tampa’s High End Shopping And Dining

historic hyde park tampa real estate

On the edge of the Hyde Park neighborhood is Hyde Park Village, a seven-block collection of national, regional and local retailers, cinemas, bakeries and some of the finest restaurants in all of the Tampa Bay area. It’s one of the most popular entertainment destinations along the West Coast of Florida.

Near the end of October, Hyde Park Village stages their annual Art Fair, which attracts thousands of visitors during a two-day mainly outdoor extravaganza combining all that makes Hyde Park so special. And year-round on the first Sunday of each month, The Fresh Market at Hyde Park Village presents 50-70 vendors offering up the best in retail, food and entertainment.

Overseeing the continual development and redevelopment of Hyde Park is the all-volunteer Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association (HHPNA), a non-profit association charged with preserving the historical integrity and safety of the neighborhood.

If living in a highly diverse, historic neighborhood closely adjacent to downtown Tampa, and complete with one of the finest shopping and dining menus in all of Florida appeals to you, Hyde Park needs to be on the top of your list of communities to explore.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in April 2014. It has since been edited to reflect updated information.

 

 

Discover Snell Isle

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Little did C. Perry Snell know when he began developing his community in 1925 on a muddy mangrove swamp, Snell Isle would become a much sought after place to live in the Tampa Bay metro area. His designs included Italian and Spanish architectural styles and peaceful environments. Today, a memorial stands in Snell Isle Park honoring his foresight.

Snell Isle’s boundaries start at the Snell Isle Bridge, which extends easterly along the shoreline to the Shore Acres Bridge, then along the shorelines of Eden Isle and Snell Isle Estates, 34th Avenue and Locust Street to Coffee Pot Bayou.

Own a Piece of History

Many of today’s homes date back to the 1920’s, some remodeled over the years, others exactly as they were originally constructed. In recent years, original houses, many directly on the waterfront, have been replaced by large, luxury homes priced in the millions. Despite the changes over the years, Snell Isles continues to offer buyers a wide spectrum of styles and price
ranges, all within a five-minute drive to downtown St. Petersburg, offering distinctive shopping, community parks, and a vibrant arts & entertainment scene. Over eighty (80) percent of the homes in the community have waterfront views or access.

Discover Snell Isle

Today In Snell Isle

The Snell Isle Property Owners Association is a hands-on nonprofit corporation that carries on Snell’s vision and protects the heritage of the area by guiding improvements and maintaining its unique way of life. The Association is responsible for recently restoring Snell Isle Park Plaza, complete with meandering walkways, original European statuary, and artwork Snell brought back from Europe at a cost of over $1 million (in 1920’s dollars!).

Snell Isle is home to two churches, two schools, and a thriving shopping center on Snell Isle Boulevard. The site of today’s St. Petersburg Women’s Club was donated by Snell in 1928 and continues to be an active community organization dedicated to preserving the character of the area. The Snell Isle Marina is a very active center for boaters and a popular destination for west coast Florida cruisers.

In short, Snell Isle, especially the Brightwaters Blvd. area, maintains its reputation as one of Pinellas County’s most desirable neighborhoods.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in September 2011. It has since been updated and edited for clarity and cohesiveness.