Midtown newsletter

Midtown Mix

CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS Oral History Promotion Project going on now! Share your stories about the 22nd Street S community. Contact Steve Graves at (727) 455-5130 or email 22ndstreetredevelopment@verizon.net.

Check out the photography of Tom U. Gessler in “Verso: The Other Side of the Urban Vista.” The exhibit will run from April 24-May 13 at Studio@620, at 620 First Ave. S. Call (727)895-6620 or email info@studio620.org for more information.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Page 2 The Boys & Girls Club teams up with midtown’s Royal Theatre to educate youth on the arts.

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School gets green makeover It will be the city’s first environmentally certified building.

BY SYBIL CROCETTI St. Petersburg—After decades of neglect and almost 10 years of planning, one former elementary school is getting a makeover. A “green” makeover to be exact.

The building that once housed historic Jordan Elementary School, located on Ninth Avenue S near 22nd Street, will become the first city-owned building to be environmentally certified.

The project has been on the city’s to-do list since 2001, but construction did not begin until funding and approval from the state were obtained, city officials said.

The city needed permission to remove the 1948 addition, which sat in front of the original entrance. The plan is to restore the

original building using the latest in echo-friendly architecture and construction, planners of the project said.

“This is probably going to be the first high-profile St. Petersburg “green” project,” architect Paul C. Palmer, 38, said.

Palmer and partner Kathryn A. Younkin, 53, of Renker Eich Parks Architects, were chosen based on their historical restoration and environmental experience.

The building will be evaluated using the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.

LEED focuses on key health and environmental areas such as energy efficiency, water savings

and indoor environmental quality, according to the U.S. Green Building Council’s website.

In order to be certified, architects and contractors must adhere to LEED guidelines to earn a series of points.

The ratings are divided into certified (29-36 points), silver (37-43 points), gold (44-57 points), and platinum (58-79 points).

With a goal of 41 points, Palmer said the team hopes to be LEED silver.

The $4.7 million project will include solar panels for water and electricity and a rainwater harvesting system that holds 5,000 gallons of water underground, Palmer said. Points are also earned through a form of air conditioning recycling called en-

See SCHOOL, 3

Editorial: Midtown has many ways to move and improve.

Page 4 Lorene’s Fish House feeds midtown with their fried fish, crab and even chicken wings.

An old classroom is cleared out during the renovation of Jordan Elementary School. It will be the city’s first environmentally certified building.

We’re on the web! www.stpetemidtown.com

Sybil Crocetti

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A student records an original beat in the Afterschool Arts Academy.

The program, which includes daily tutoring and help with homework, is part of three different programs offered at the Royal Theatre Boys & Girls Club.

Greg Kennedy

Royal Theatre provides home for Boys & Girls Club The newly renovated facility encourages children to take an interest in arts.

BY GREG KENNEDY

Sybil Crocetti

The newly renovated Royal Theatre served as a movie theater for AfricanAmericans during the days of segregation.

To learn more For more information on the Royal Theatre and its programs call (727)3276556 or email royaltheatermidtown.com.

MIDTOWN

MIX

St. Petersburg—Once a movie theater for African-Americans during the era of segregation, the newly renovated Royal Theatre is the site of the Boys & Girls Club.

The Royal Theatre provides three different programs throughout the year: The Arts Academy, The Afterschool Arts Academy and The Summer Arts Camp.

First opening in 1948, the Royal Theatre, at 1011 22nd St. S, was one of only two movie theaters serving AfricanAmericans. It was shut down less than 20 years later after the end of segregation.

The Afterschool Arts Academy program is available for children and teenagers ages 5-18.

the center. Recently equipped with two donated vans, the Royal Theatre will be able to reach out into the community and allow the students to perform at different venues. This year, the camp will have themed recitals every two weeks.

The program includes daily tutoring, and homework help classes. It also includes a complimentary 10 week Summer Arts Camp with over 450 members participating annually.

“The center likes to empower the children, so we allow the students to choose the theme for each recital and how they will express the theme through their art,” Carty said.

The camp includes weekly lessons in ballet, creative dance, jazz, tap, hip-hop, recording arts production, graphic arts, poetry/literary arts and drama.

At the end of the summer, a performance is put on that integrates all the programs.

There is also an awards ceremony. These awards are another way the center is trying to reinforce empowerment in children.

Now a Boys & Girls Club, the facility has undergone a complete renovation and after $1.2 million, the Royal Theatre is now equipped with modern technology.

According to their website, the Royal Theatre’s mission is “to provide a community theatre facility and to encourage diverse artistic, cultural and educational activities that will enrich the lives of children, adults and the community.”

The Summer Arts Camp has grown over the years and George “Naps” Carty, the artistic director of The Royal Theatre, thinks that this summer will mark milestones for

The Royal Theatre is an organization that focuses on the root of the community--the children.

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SCHOOL continued from page 1 ergy recovery ventilation, he said.

dry climate, Palmer and Younkin said.

project. “This is the next evolution of construction.”

The parking lot will also contain a narrow pond to absorb excess rainwater to prevent it from ending up in the bay, Younkin said.

At the site, contractors of Hennessy Construction help earn points through recycling waste that normally ends up in the scrap yard.

Other items on the LEED checklist include utilizing existing parts of the building, installing energy efficient lighting, automatic faucets, and recycling facilities and using safer paints, adhesives and finishes.

The landscaping will include native plants that can handle a

They also removed asbestos glue found behind blackboards and lead-based paints on classroom walls to make way for cleaner finishes.

The team said they hope to finish the project by fall 2009, and once complete, federal daycare program Head Start will occupy the restored building.

“We’re kind of mixing the old construction with the new,” project manager Chris J. Roginski, 34, said of the LEED

Jordan Elementary School opened in 1925 as the city’s second school for African Americans during the days of segregation. The school closed in the early 70s.

Midtown on the move AN EDITORIAL BY ROBIN SHWEDO St. Petersburg—When talking with Walter Davis, one picks up on the complexities of the human spirit. His voice is just as apt to quietly describe his thoughts on the subject at hand as it is to ricochet into raucous laughter.

Today’s subject is how the visually impaired Davis, as well as many of his neighbors in midtown, navigates the streets without access to a car.

“I used to ride the bus when I worked at Goodwill,” Davis said. “I’d stand at the bus stop with my white cane and the drivers would stop. The drivers were real nice. That helped a lot.”

Now retired, Davis still occasionally takes the bus, but a cab is his first pick.

While Davis finds his transportation arrangements acceptable, there are numerous ways for midtown to move and improve.

According to Bob Lasher, a

supervisor at Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), a recent survey conducted in Pinellas County showed that 75% of those surveyed would rather use public transportation than pay for new roads.

Lasher said this is especially true due to the rising cost of gas.

The fare boxes have counters in them, showing how many riders each bus has. Routes with a higher or lower number of riders can have schedules adjusted.

“This way, if a route were to suddenly show a greater frequency of riders, we would consider scheduling a bus along that route every 15 minutes to half an hour.”

Route 20, which runs near Davis’s home, currently runs once an hour. Davis said that having the buses run more frequently would really help him.

Lasher pointed out that the

PSTA is also responsible for the Demand Response Transportation program (DART), which is contracted out to United Taxi.

This service is for those whose disabilities prevent them from using the bus system.

For Lasher, going to groups, such as United Taxi, is an important way to promote the service. He welcomes groups in the midtown area who want to learn more about the program and encourages them to contact him.

Alan Weatherilt, of United Taxi, is enthusiastic about the Demand Response service. He has no problem finding drivers to go into the midtown area.

“The fact that our hours of operation follow the same hours as the nearest bus route makes this a non-issue.”

Weatherilt tries to utilize drivers in areas they are most familiar with whenever necessary. “This way, both drivers and clients feel comfortable.”

See MOVE, 4

Renker Eich Parks

Project planners use old photos to restore Jordan Elementary School. This photo shows the original entrance.

Look what’s popping up in midtown!

Job Corps, a training facility for young people, is almost complete. The facility, located at 22nd Street and Fifth Avenue S, is set to be complete in fall 2009. Job Corps provides training in areas such as mechanics, construction, health care and hospitality. The facility also provides opportunities for students to earn a high school diploma or GED. Officials continue to negotiate plans for the first bank in the midtown area. The city hopes to open a full-service SunTrust Bank at 2240 18th Ave. S. The three-story building will include drivethough services and offices.

A new bike and pedestrian trail is in the works for midtown. The Historic Booker Creek Trail will follow the natural creek along Tropicana Field, through Campbell Park and into the historic Roser Park neighborhood. Planners hope to begin construction this summer. Each area featured in the trail will include outdoor museum markers, providing an educational option for trail-goers.

Midtown Eats: Lorene’s Fish House

BY ALEXIS DOKKA St. Petersburg—From the outside, Lorene’s Fish House looks like it belongs in New Orleans. But there is something about this 22nd Street hang-out that is so uniquely midtown St. Petersburg. Since 1993, Lorene Office has fed hungry patrons and has kept them coming back. But don’t let the name deceive you: their most popular dish is their chicken wings, which you can get in buffalo or garlic flavors.

The fried fish sandwich is another popular choice.

Paris Lovett, who has been the cook for the past five years, also recommends their crab. He makes it either spicy or garlic flavored. For your drink you can choose from their lemonade, punch or sweet tea--all homemade. The eat-in space is closed for the time being, but the take-out area is a cozy place to wait for your order. Don’t miss a chance to stop by!

Come to Lorene’s!

929 22nd St. S Open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.

Alexis Dokka

Paris Lovett, the cook at Lorene’s Fish House, takes a break from the kitchen. Lovett recommends Lorene’s chicken wings, which he makes with either garlic or buffalo flavors.

MOVE continued from page 3 Pinellas County also has Medicaid cabs, as well as services from the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Both work heavily in midtown.

While there are many ways for midtown’s residents to get around, there is always room for improvements.

Davis said that while he does use cabs more now that he is retired, he’d “like to see a bus especially for the blind.”

“That’d make it a lot easier for me to get around. And maybe have the buses come by more often.”

To Learn More For more information on the DART program contact (727)540-1800 or visit the PSTA website at www.psta.net.

Sybil Crocetti

Riders board a bus at the Central Plaza bus terminal on Central Avenue near 34th Street. In addition to the PSTA, Medicaid cabs and services from the Metropolitan Planning Organization work heavily in the midtown area.