New St. Petersburg historic district draws praise, ire

ST. PETERSBURG

A block of 10 homes in the Old Northeast neighborhood forms the city's newest historic district.

Its shady sidewalks, brick streets and houses from the 1920s are nestled in one of St. Petersburg's most desirable neighborhoods. For a majority of homeowners in the newly named "700 Block of 18th Avenue Northeast Historic District," the designation brings to a successful end efforts to save a cherished neighborhood from teardowns and unsuitable replacements.

"We are excited and really glad that we were able to preserve this block, because we've seen what has gone on," said Elizabeth Skidmore, who has owned a house in the new historic district with her husband, David, for more than 20 years.

"We just feel that it is a special neighborhood and a special block, and we just wanted to preserve the integrity and the character of the block," she said.

The new designation requires homeowners to go through an extra layer of city approval before demolishing, building or doing exterior work on their properties. Two homeowners on the block — both with plans to build new homes — opposed the historic designation.

Arnie Cummings called the move "ridiculous."

"I think that what they did was dishonest, disingenuous and means not a historical anything," he said. "It's not about preserving historic structures. It's about controlling future building."

Richard McGinniss, who has built modern homes in the Old Northeast, said he and Cummings were shut out of neighborhood discussions.

"What was disappointing was we were never engaged in this decision," said McGinniss, who owns a Colonial Revival house at 736 18th Ave. NE that he wants to demolish.

Skidmore said homeowners of all 10 properties on the block were notified of the plan through certified mail.

McGinniss said he supports his neighbors' concerns to protect the quality of the Old Northeast, and pointed out that most of his personal homes have been historic.

"The reality is that these homes suffer from neglect, and in some cases, can't be salvaged and in some cases, weren't designed properly," he said.

The Cummings property at 715 18th Ave. NE is unusual for the block. A garage apartment from the 1920s is the only structure on the property. The main house was never built. Cummings, who has lived in the garage apartment since 2009, said his neighbors have disrupted his plans to build a home to which he could welcome his elderly mother.

"In this deal, I have lost property rights," he said. "None of them have the responsibility now of bearing all the extra costs and burden to go through this administrative hoopla to build a property, to change a property. I don't have the same property rights as the people on the next block."

Skidmore said the neighbors are respectful of property rights, but believe they are "caretakers" of the historic homes in which they live.

"And we'd like the history to carry on, but again, we're not opposed to change," she said. "We recognize that the house that Mr. McGinniss has may be a teardown and are not opposed to that, but we want something built in the character and scale of the block."

McGinniss now says that he's looking forward to working with the city's staff and the neighborhood "to come up with an appropriately scaled and executed home."

"All we want for our family is what our neighbors already have for theirs — a home that is structurally sound, functional and at a scale that is within the median of the other homes on the block," he said in an email. "We ask for nothing more and demand nothing less."

The City Council approved the new historic district on March 16.

Derek Kilborn, manager of the city's urban planning and historic preservation division, said homeowners in a local historic district must apply for a certificate of appropriateness to make exterior changes, a request that is handled by city staff. Major modifications, such as a new addition, must have a public hearing before the Community Planning and Preservation Commission, he said.

"For demolition or for new construction, the commission renders a decision and that decision is final," Kilborn said.

Cummings said that rather than build, he might put his garage apartment up for rent.

"I'm really angry about me having to change my life around because of what my neighbors think is their artistic right to control," he said.

"I think it's very unfair and I just think they are a well-organized group of vigilantes. I bet you will see this happen again."

Skidmore said advocates of the new district had considered broadening it, but were advised by St. Petersburg Preservation president Emily Elwyn and representatives from the Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association to focus on their block.

"We knew that we had a pretty unified block and support," Skidmore said. "The feeling was, let's just leave it with us and if other blocks feel inspired, or want to do it for themselves, we certainly wouldn't be opposed. We've had several other neighbors approach us."

Contact Waveney Ann Moore at wmoore@tampabay.com or (727) 892-2283. Follow @wmooretimes.