Neighborhoods are the foundation of our community, and the Bay area has a unique collection of assorted neighborhoods and neighbors, from the tiki-toting, coconut-oil-scented beach tribes of Treasure Island to the eclectic, multi-culti mix of West Tampa. This year we asked you, our readers, to write about your favorite neighborhood. We got a great response, and the best of those entries are printed here.
Graham Park Apartments:
Livin' Here and Proud
St. Petersburg
I live in Graham Park Apartments, been here about three months just before it was taken over by a private agency out of Miami called The National Housing Group. It is still in the St. Petersburg Housing Authority and still is in HUD's 30 percent income bracket for those SSI disabled and over 62. I am 69 and retired on low income.
This is a Bay area neighborhood with many unique features. It is located on Ninth Street in St. Petersburg (now named Martin Luther King Street) right across from Winn-Dixie in Webb Plaza, which used to be Webb City and is still a neighborhood of very low incomes.
However, it has everything. You can pay much more, but you can't buy better. The location is superior, everything is within easy reach of here. I haven't used my car for 90 days. It is near the parking lot of Tropicana Field, so we're in The Dome District Neighborhood Organization. It's a great place to live or visit.
The Graham Park features include a snack-shop on premises, a pool room, a card-playing room, a library, an arts & crafts room, an auditorium and a USDA room, to name but a few. We have many bus trips from here and an exercise room as well as an office and residents council. To be sure, the building and area have not had a good reputation.
But I've learned the ones who are bad-mouthing the building are just jealous. They haven't learned the axiom that there's profit in poverty. They are life's failures, not the people who live here. I was hired off the campus of Carnegie Tech where I was attending college under the Korean GI Bill to work down-range on the missiles. As soon as I had a year's residency I changed my major to the social sciences and entered the master's program at Florida State University. I finally got my Ph.D. from University of Florida/Gainesville.
If you are a former Yankee and can hack it here, there's nothing cheaper in the Bay area. Or if you are a Southerner who can reject the teachings of his parents then this is the place to call home. I know the lines: It's a high crime area or nobody lives there or a host of other rural to urban remarks. Come and look it over.
—Paul Snyder
Hyde Park: The SOK Scene
Tampa
The sun rises and sets in Hyde Park the same way it does throughout Tampa and around the world. Only the residents here think it does so differently. And for them perhaps it does. Before sunrise, the quiet, tree-lined streets are first and frequently interrupted by the steady beat of the heels of runners and fitness folks that make their way down the streets to the waters of Bayshore Boulevard. Bayshore in the morning comes alive before the sun. Here is where you'll find the athletes, former athletes and wannabe athletes or those who seek a better body to go along with their better homes and cars and lives.
Our athletes are quickly joined by the first commuters making their way downtown. They drive Bayshore for the energy they derive from the rising sun and serene water around them. Of course, the chance of a passing glimpse of a young, firm and attractive person of the opposite sex is added incentive. Athletes of their own sort, they can drive their cars while delicately balancing a latte, a cell phone and still maintain a watchful eye on the youthful and energetic on the boulevard. So they think their solace is here. This is SOK: South of Kennedy, and some never leave or venture beyond unless, of course, it is to the mall. Our perfect little existence is here. In fact, most residents will reference where they live by how many blocks off Bayshore they reside.
The weekdays and weekends have no start or end in Hyde Park. The party is on every night. The options for entertainment can be staggering. Go to the Samba Room on any night and the newly rich will be there. Here they can be seen putting back drinks and appetizers few can pronounce correctly. Caution: Leave early while you can still hear. The crowds build early, stay late and before too long, you'll be shouting at your partner or trying to read her lips over the music.
The restaurants, bistros and clubs are many. The locals that frequent them live a happy and largely sequestered life, free from many of the realities so many face not just NOK, but in other lands. There are also plenty of Barbies in search of a life with Ken, and Kens in search of a night with Barbie. The perfect tan is as important as the car, the watch and the wardrobe. You'll find all in abundance here in Hyde Park. There is also more silicone in Hyde Park than there are cell phones, and those with silicone wear their wares as proudly as an Olympic Medal. Prouder.
We have a few classic places as well. The Old Meeting House. A standard. It's a great place to feed a hangover on a weekend morning or to take your child for an old-fashioned ice cream. Alas, the Tiny Tap. Cold beer, a great juke box of old and new, and a 25-cent pool game. People are as welcome as pets, and both are as real as the sign out front. There's no pretentiousness here. It's a place where you can unwind. Larry at Bella's knows you by name and will always serve a drink with a smile. Does it get any better?
There are good people here in Hyde Park. This is the land of Ward and June Cleaver. We have families with family values. We know our neighbors, their children and our mailman by name. We talk with each other on the street at night and share our days over a cool beverage. There are families with two kids, two cars, one dog and a lifestyle some only dream of. The churches are full on Sundays and the parks are clean and well kept. Our schools have wonderful reputations and the teachers are as devoted as the parents are. Crime is low here, but everything except the newspaper machines has an alarm on it.
It's all here in Hyde Park. If you don't think so, just ask a local. You'll find them SOK.
—Robert H. Barrow
Mirror Lake: Reflections of a Tranquil Life
St. Petersburg
For the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' inaugural season, we all had to sticker our cars. Some clever entity at the city of St. Petersburg thought people were going to park two miles away from Tropicana Field, on the streets of the Mirror Lake Neighborhood. "Right," we said with a laugh. Some of us nonsports fans walked to Tropicana Field on opening day, just to soak up the atmosphere. We also walk there during the annual First Night activities on Dec. 31, when almost everything in the area is open for a pay-one-price evening of music and culture. The Mirror Lake Neighborhood is a couple of blocks north, and about halfway between The Pier and Tropicana Field.
I used to walk downtown every day. Then, for about three months in 2000, I did my video workout instead. Boom! My first return to the familiar intersections was a shock. Old hotels had been razed or quaintly renovated. Whole multistoried condominium buildings had sprung up. BayWalk, long rumored and planned, had finally opened, with movie theaters, galleries, trendy stores and great restaurants. The Florida International Museum had changed exhibits. Street-level restaurants and browsing stores had changed and been refurbished. I didn't even recognize the place as I tried to give a tour to a friend from Tampa.
Now, I make it a point to get around the neighborhood often, just so I don't miss any developments. If I recall correctly, I once ventured out on a jog and found folks setting up for both the Main Sail Arts Festival and the X Games (the only skateboading permitted in this part of town, and it is professional). One gets spoiled, hearing music from Jannus Landing and Straub Park all the way to one's condo. No longer do I dash to the window for fireworks because we have them for the Fourth of July, Taste of Pinellas and all kinds of other events lately.
If you visit my Mirror Lake neighborhood, please stroll around the actual Mirror Lake and view the Carnegie Library (donated by Andrew, not Dale, Carnegie) the old St. Petersburg High School (now condominiums) the Lyceum (church-turned-events space) and the Coliseum, a classic events forum. You might wander to nearby Williams Park, the city bus hub and site of public demonstrations and musical performances, surrounded on all four sides by architecturally interesting buildings, including the open-air post office and several large, beautiful churches. Seeing the inside of these historic buildings, when open, is an additional treat.
To avoid crowds, try shopping and dining west of Fifth Street on Central and First avenues North. I just had a wonderful light lunch with friends at Urban Ciao, at 536 First Ave. N., where the menu included salads, sandwiches and Urban Pies (pizza-type things) at very reasonable prices. The State Theatre, at 687 Central Ave., has in recent years housed everything from an evening lecture by Clarissa Pinkola Estes (author of Women Who Run With the Wolves) to concerts attended by young, pierced, spiked-and-dyed folks who seem to be having a great time. There are resale, curio and antique shops to enjoy in the blocks lining Central Avenue, just west of the downtown hubbub. For the adventuresome, the blocks north and west of Mirror Lake have houses and rental units being renovated, homes on sidewalk courtyards with alley access in the back, and long-lost, ancient tourist housing tucked just south of I-375. But even if wandering in strange alleys or feeding the ducks on Mirror Lake isn't your thing, there is something for everyone in the Bayfront parks, museums, festivals, sports events, and variety of dining and shopping within a short walk from tranquil Mirror Lake. Please come enjoy this quiet, urban residential area that I call home.
—Lisa B. Wild
Old Seminole Heights: A Longtime Resident Reminisces
Tampa
My neighborhood is a hidden gem, carefully secluded in tree-shaded pockets of green from the noisy corridors of Nebraska, Florida and Hillsborough avenues. Many Tampans have no idea where we are located or that we are one of the largest and oldest neighborhoods in the City. Our area extends from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on the south, to the Hillsborough River on the north. It is bordered on the west by the Hillsborough River and extends eastward to 22nd Street.
Often you will see on our license plate frames, "Historic and Friendly Old Seminole Heights." That motto embodies two of the most important adjectives that describe my neighborhood, and of which I am very proud.
As a resident of Old Seminole Heights for 75 years, I have a unique perspective on its rich and colorful past, its struggle to survive the crippling hardships and decline of the '60s, and the renaissance for which it so valiantly fought and is currently enjoying today.
Old Seminole Heights has two impressive historic districts. One is mainly composed of traditional bungalows restored to their original splendor. The other proudly displays an eclectic composite of varied and interesting architectural styles selected by residents 50 or more years ago. They, too, have had the ravages of time erased by the restoring hands of their proud owners.
Our beautiful homes are not found only in the historic districts. Examples of restored historic houses are in abundance throughout our neighborhood. This brings me to another source of pride. Once a year, Old Seminole Heights residents reveal the fruits of their efforts to the entire city, through their "open house" Tour of Homes. The public is invited into approximately 12 homes, and the response has been overwhelming.
Our neighborhood association is the largest in the city, having nearly 500 current members, and 11 pro-active committees addressing neighborhood concerns. Its collective voice gives us good rapport with city officials, who are responsive to our needs. The association publishes a 12-page newsletter, The Advisor, each quarter, which is mailed to 2000 homes, including paid members. An additional 500 copies are available at neighborhood businesses.
There is also a strong sense of community as evidenced in our many social gatherings throughout the year. We have covered-dish meetings, an Easter egg hunt in the spring, with the Easter Bunny barge floating on Lake Roberta. There is a pumpkin parade on Halloween for the neighborhood children, a festive holiday dinner and a Santa Claus barge illuminated on Lake Roberta in December. All these events are provided by neighborhood residents. Our annual "Happening in the Heights" is a family gathering with a carnival atmosphere. Our firefighters and police officers are invited as guests of honor.
However, I feel that it is not mainly the tree-shaded streets, the air of architectural antiquity or our convenient location that make Old Seminole Heights a popular place to live. It is the people. Our warm, caring, friendly neighbors who provide the ambiance so lacking in many neighborhoods today. Neighbors of varied ethnicity, who push their baby strollers on the sidewalks, ride bicycles with their children, walk their dogs and jog on our streets, waving as they pass. Neighbors who welcome newcomers with baked goods or fruit baskets to say, "We're glad you're here." Neighbors who sit on their front porches speaking to passersby and neighbors who willingly offer a helping hand whenever it is needed.
We have porch parties and block parties where many friendships are made. Without these wonderful residents, my neighborhood would be no different than those where occupants rush from their cars to vanish behind closed blinds in their cookie-cutter houses for the rest of the evening.
There is so much more that I could tell you about this treasured and well-loved old gem, that, to me, is the very Best of the Bay.
—Barbara L. Farrar
Wesley Chapel: Kickin' It in Cow Country
I know what you're thinking, "Pasco County — where the men are men and the sheep are nervous." And although you still can't get a decent signal on your cell-phone in this literal "neck-of-the-woods," take my word for it: Wesley Chapel is one of the fastest-growing areas of Tampa Bay, and with that growth comes ample opportunity to add some diversity and culture where there was none before. As a left-leaning Jew who reluctantly moved back here from Boston, I consider this my mission.
Begin your day with some coffee and bagels at Holiday Cafe. Every once in a while there is some live music and, even better, the musicians now have all their own teeth. The locals are friendly and talkative, and you can sit there for hours without hearing a single twang. That's what I call progress. For a few hours of pampering, head to the Saddlebrook Spa and receive the care you deserve. See how the other half lives and eavesdrop on regulars who swear they are close personal friends of Jennifer Capriati. If there are manly men in your crew in need of a trim, head to Bob's Barber Shop. Bob will hook you up for fewer than $15, and include a story about how big-city Wesley Chapel compares to his bucolic upbringing in Wisconsin.
When the lunch pangs start getting to you, park yourself at ABC Pizza and don't forget to ogle at the pictures of the owner and Pete Sampras in the lobby. Nothing beats ABC's mushroom and extra-cheese pizza, and the owner isn't half as cheesy as the extra-large pie you can't get down fast enough.
We don't have a mall, thank God, but there are enough golf courses, antique shops, riding stables and farmer's markets to keep you occupied all afternoon. Hell, you can even take flying lessons and charter a plane. But, if you've done all that and are in need of more action, head to the Super Wal-Mart on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. Treat yourself to a manicure and pedicure, then take a look around and thank God above that your parents weren't related to one another before they got married. You can even pick up a vat of pickles for under $2. This is living.
Grab some dinner at Baci Italian Grill, an ice cream treat at Cool Beans Cafe, and still make it home in time to watch The Simpsons. Make sure you head in before the palmetto bugs head out. They're bigger than bats out here and twice as mean; but they keep the rednecks inside until October.
I am here to tell you that Pasco County is no longer the place where free thought goes to die. You heard it here first. Yes, Wesley Chapel in particular is growing, and there are all kinds of colors, shapes, and sizes to indicate that this area will be just as messed up and wonderful as the rest of the Bay area. For a lonely Jew in the outskirts of "cow-country," this is as good as it gets. Now, if only someone would build a synagogue and learn how to make great mandel bread …
—Catherine Durkin Robinson
Westchase: It's the People Behind the Appearance
Tampa
Behind pairs of stately brick pillars with gold-on-black signs designating each village, lie quiet streets lined with spacious, well-landscaped homes. Houses are nestled between carefully planned conservation areas, lush wetlands and upland forests. Well-designed parks, tennis courts, jogging trails, swimming pools and retail areas are convenient to all. People who drive by invariably remark, "What a great neighborhood!" They are right, but not for the reasons they might think.
Westchase is absolutely the best neighborhood in the Bay area, but it is best for reasons that have nothing to do with lawns, architecture or jogging paths. Westchase is best because it has truly put "neighbor" back into a word that today is too often abbreviated to just "hood." The people of Westchase have all but re-defined what it means to be a good neighbor.
Living in Westchase means living in a place where people care about each other. When you move in, people come to your door to welcome you with a basket of treats. When you bring a new baby home, you find a huge, hand-painted stork on your lawn, in addition to a basket of goodies and multiple neighborly offers of help. In Westchase, word travels fast if someone's in trouble. People prepare meals and run errands for you if you can't cook or get around — and they do it for as long as you need them to, sharing the work among many willing residents.
In Westchase, if someone in your family is facing a life-threatening illness, the entire community bands together and showers you with support. Then they extend that support outside the community, so that prayers, good wishes and innumerable acts of kindness flow in from people you don't even know, in other cities and states. When a child dies, as one did just recently, neighbors get up before dawn to tie ribbons around every tree, mailbox and light pole until there are thousands of fluttering reminders of the tiny spirit now floating free. Then the neighborhood mourns together.
In Westchase, every month, people make lemonade, bake cookies, then turn on their porch lights to say, "Come on up and sit a spell." There's a block party or a barbecue somewhere almost every weekend and on holidays, there are no brass bands, but neighbors turn out to cheer as kids parade by on hand-decorated bikes, strollers and scooters. Whatever age your infant or toddler, there's a play group where he or she can meet new friends. For older kids, there's non-competitive soccer, baseball and flag football, coached and organized by Westchase resident volunteers. The seniors meet weekly and have great meals, take trips or just hang out.
Yes, Westchase looks nice on the outside. Driving by, you might be tempted to discount it as just another neighborhood full of upwardly-mobile, materialistic, self-interested residents, but that's not who lives here. Westchase residents are people of unlimited compassion, dedication, energy and spirit. Westchase is the Best of the Bay because, and only because, it is a neighborhood that cares — about its future, about its character and about its people.
—Kris DiGiovanni
This article appears in Sep 20-26, 2001.