Rebranding HONNA: The New Look of the Old Northeast

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.

Bell explained that it was the most recent flag – the Centennial Home Banner, celebrating houses over 100 years old and launched in summer 2023 – that sparked the rebrand idea.

The banner’s design came from a public contest, awarded to the resident with the favorite submission. While the contest was fun, the board decided a neighborhood-wide launch deserved a more systematic approach.

Streamlining the brand had been on HONNA’s to-do list for years. Then, a new neighbor with an extensive background in design moved to town.

Samar Ibrahim relocated to the Old Northeast from Boston in 2024, bringing 15 years of branding experience. After meeting with board members and neighbors, she was ready to make her mark.

“We founded our own agency here and I wanted to do something for this brand,” Ibrahim said. That something? A fully reimagined brand identity for St. Pete’s oldest neighborhood. She started working on the new branding rollout in March of 2025. 

“We want to modernize the identity of the Old Northeast, not erase it,” Ibrahim said.

HONNA’s familiar hexagon iconography will stay, but instead of seven hexagons, there will now be three, each representing the pillars of the organization’s mission: Promote, Preserve, Protect.

The neighborhood association will also debut a new brand style guide outlining fonts, a softer color palette, and logo standards. Each pillar will have its own signature color.

“We wanted to do things that speak to our neighborhood and its whole range of architecture, and how we can bring that into our visual iconography,” Ibrahim said.

Ibrahim took her time parceling through what HONNA had previously used for branding on past event flyers and signage, which were full of history, but “not cohesive,” she said. She also ventured out into her new neighborhood, looking for inspiration from the tree canopy and the eclectic vibe of the homes. 

“I had to sit down and come up with options,” Ibrahim said. “So, I had six different options – all with their own feel – ranging from more historic to more modern, to closer and farther from what the original logo was.” 

Finally, the choice was boiled down to two and the board voted on the final product. 

“We wanted the logo to have the personality of the neighborhood,” Ibrahim said. 

In another hundred years, the Old Northeast will still be St. Pete’s oldest neighborhood, and 2025 will be remembered as its “brand change” moment.

“It’s an honor to be a part of this,” Bell said. “Florida – we’re not really known for preserving history. We have more of a wrecking-ball mentality sometimes.”

Meet the Brand Master 

Today, Ibrahim and her husband live in a Mediterranean-style house in the Old Northeast. 

But more than a decade ago, Ibrahim moved to Boston from her home country of Jordan to study architecture. It wasn’t until her last couple of semesters that she realized it was really the design aspect of architecture that pulled her in. 

“Actually, when I was doing my thesis I had to document every portion of the process – the structure, the electrical engineering – and put it in a booklet. It was laying out and designing the booklet that really got me into it,” Ibrhaim said. “It was the creative portion of it.”

After majoring in architecture, she worked to get an internship at a graphic design company in Boston where she worked in branding for 13 years. 

“As a neighbor and a resident, [the HONNA rebrand] has been a really fun project to be a part of,” Ibrahaim said. “Getting to know everyone in the neighborhood, seeing the behind-the-scenes, it’s so rewarding to bring forth the brand of where we live.” 

The new branding will officially debut at the Annual Old Northeast Candlelight Tour of Homes on December 7, the neighborhood’s premier holiday tour which features seasonal music, refreshments, and a sneak peek inside some of the neighborhood’s iconic, historic homes. All event materials – brochures, welcome kits, and more – will showcase the HONNA’s refreshed identity.

 Find more information about HONNA and tickets for the Candlelight Tour at honna.org.