Jeff Schorr, who is moving on after 23 years running the Craftsman House, says the property made an impression on him from the first minute he saw it.

On December 10, 2025, the Craftsman House hosted a joint holiday and farewell party, marking the end of an era. For 23 years, this historic property in Grand Central District has been owned and tended by Jeff Schorr as a gallery, café, pottery studio, music venue, and community space. Now, as Schorr embarks on his next chapter, so will the house.  

As Craftsman House transitions into its next iteration, we’re taking a look back at 2955 Central Avenue’s storied century.… Read More

Want a New Year’s resolution that doesn’t require a diet? Perhaps consider getting to know and appreciate some of our city’s historic buildings a little better. Only one percent of the city’s buildings is designated a local historic landmark, however many residents and visitors know little about them. Let us take you on a virtual tour of a few.

Detroit Hotel (215 Central Avenue) 

It is said that the history of a city may be read on its buildings. That is certainly the case with the Detroit Hotel, the first building constructed in the city.… Read More

Larry Weiner would not describe himself as a poet. But as the current chair of the Executive Committee of Tampa Bay Watch, he felt compelled to pen verse that addressed climate change and inspired others to fight for the environment.

Weiner grew up in Miami and, after getting a bachelor’s in zoology from USF, he went to George Washington University for a master’s in environmental science with a marine biology focus. 

“I was fortunate to work on a university research project that paid me to go diving in [Tampa Bay] every month to collect sediment samples,” he said. “I fell in love with the bay.… Read More

Featured image: Giant, public menorah lighting ceremonies have become newer tradition for celebrating Hanukkah.

Hanukkah, which will take place December 14 to 22 this year, is the eight-day Jewish festival that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt. It is celebrated as a Festival of Lights by lighting a menorah, with a new candle for each of the eight nights to remember the miracle of a small amount of oil that lasted for the entire period. The holiday also involves traditions like playing the dreidel game, and eating foods like latkes and sufganiyot (donuts) – preferably on my patio where my menorah is lit and chocolate gelt (coins) are shared.… Read More

Featured image: Prescribed burning has myriad benefits for the landscape and ecology, but also helps to mitigate larger, unplanned fires.

Smokey Bear famously taught us that we can prevent forest fires. But what if your forest needs fire to survive? 

Many of Florida’s natural communities, including scrub and pine flatwoods, are fire-dependent, meaning they rely on periodic fires to stay healthy. Our state’s long, wet summers produce heavy vegetation growth – ample fire fuel – and our spectacular thunderstorms supply the igniting spark. The result, for much of Florida’s post-Pleistocene history, has been regular, low-intensity fires across much of the region.… Read More

The motto of The Salvation Army is “Doing the Most Good,” which is ever-apparent during the holiday season – perhaps the iconic organization’s busiest time. 

The Salvation Army of Greater St. Petersburg (SAGSP) has an on-site food pantry stocked through donations and community partnerships that operate throughout the year. In the fall, a major food drive helps secure more donations for the winter holidays in addition to its usual stock of non-perishables, plus fresh, seasonal produce and vegetables.

“Our holiday season kicks off with the Holiday Food Drive, which helps families throughout Southern Pinellas County,” says Kim Duncan, development coordinator for The Salvation Army’s Florida Division, St.… Read More

It’s Saturday night. Dozens of things are vying for your attention, your leisure time, and your money. But you want to cut through the noise – get beyond the influencers and the biggest advertising budgets – to find the most up-to-date offerings that align with you: your vibes, your companions, and your budget. Where can you access all this for an arts and culture scene as dense as St. Pete’s?

The Warehouse Arts District Association (WADA), led by Executive Director Markus Gottschlich, is launching a vanguard technological solution: an interactive map and unified events calendar. This free-to-use, community-oriented guide is accessible and always live – aimed to help residents and visitors alike explore places they may not know about.     … Read More

Featured image: Florida Native Landscape and Design won the Home of the Year Award for a project on an historic home in the Historic Old Northeast.

City leaders, community members, and local visionaries joined the City Beautiful Commission for their 58th annual City Beautification Awards ceremony on October 23. Held at Sunken Gardens, the ceremony honored the projects that make St. Petersburg shine, including unique and remarkable work to improve our community and make our city greener. 

Projects included an initiative to develop a community pollinator corridor; an urban farming initiative that transforms empty lots into garden spaces; a volunteer community garden that focuses on sustainable regenerative farming practices to produce free fruits and vegetables for the community; as well as a local business’s preservation of the beautiful and established large oak trees on its property. … Read More

Featured image: Founder Michelle Sasha, left, and artist Jazzy Erickson are helping to lead the Love Thy Neighbor Project.

While street murals highlighting diversity and inclusion have been removed from the roadways around the region, those who still believe in that sentiment are finding new ways to express it. From flags to art to hand-painted signs in windows, neighbors are showing that love and tolerance still have a public face in our city. And at least one artist-driven movement, Love Thy Neighbor Project, is working to bring murals of empowerment and diversity to homes across Pinellas County.

Driveways, mailboxes, and doorsteps are being altered to host murals designed to, according to the project’s website, “celebrate inclusivity and honor marginalized communities.” The… Read More

St. Pete’s Historic Old Northeast neighborhood is a bland suburban HOA’s worst nightmare – in the best way possible. Few houses are alike. Many feature personalized touches like lawn ornaments, large artworks, fountains, or lush gardens – every block seems to have its own character.

One thing many residents do share: Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association (HONNA) flags hanging proudly from porches. The flags, and all HONNA branding, come in varying colors and designs, but with no unified theme – until now.

“We’re the oldest neighborhood in the city, and everyone knows who we are, so that made us a little lazy [about branding],” HONNA President Nick Bell said, laughing.… Read More