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Uptown Neighborhoods |
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The Uptown area comprises several distinct, attractive historic neighborhoods that are primarily close to downtown. Uptown is an area that is undergoing a popular transformation into a charming and still affordable historic area in which to live. Uptown Village, centered around the peaceful park at Round Lake, is still in its infancy, though neighborhood leaders are hopeful of attracting small cafes, antique shops, book shops, coffee houses, artists' studios and galleries. Plans for the first businesses in the area have recently been approved by the city. The special zoning allows artists or business owners to live upstairs and operate a gallery or business downstairs. Many opportunities exist which the neighborhood is pursuing.
Many parks are within or adjacent to the Uptown Neighborhoods, including Round Lake Park, St. Anthony's Park, Crescent Lake Park and Woodlawn Lake Park. Lighted tennis courts are located at Crescent Lake Park on the north, while St. Petersburg Lawn Bowling and Shuffleboard Club and the popular Coliseum Ballroom are located to the south. Many people run remote control boats in the water at Woodlawn Lake in the Westside of Uptown. Additionally, there are several churches and excellent medical facilities in the area. The downtown area can be reached easily by foot, bus, taxi or automobile. Here one will find a wonderful concentration of antique dealers, good restaurants, art galleries and museums.
Uptown was full of orange groves when St. Petersburg was in its infancy. The area of Uptown that was established first was Round Lake, which is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. The trolley car system ran along 7th Avenue North and stopped at what is now the gazebo in Round Lake Park. Here the cars passed each other as the northbound cars continued to 9th (now M. L. King) Street North. Round Lake Park was founded in 1911 and was purchased by the city for $600.00. A wide variety of historic home styles are present in the Uptown Neighborhoods. Because of Uptown Neighborhood's early development, there is a considerable presence of Queen Anne homes and cottages. Additionally, Uptown Neighborhoods have many American Bungalows, with a modest number of Colonial Revival and Mediterranean Revival. Some excellent examples of Art Deco architecture can be found at 5th Street and 11th Avenue North in the South Crescent Lake area. There are only a small percentage of Ranches, Masonry and Frame Vernacular Homes. Many homes date from the teens and 1920s. The neighborhoods have brick streets and many hex-block sidewalks. Renovation and restoration opportunities abound.
Plans are in place and appropriate zoning has been implemented for the development of a commercial/residential village surrounding Round Lake Park. There is a strong sense of "neighborhood" in the area and residents are always willing to lend a helping hand to others. The hard work of the residents, in cooperation with the City of St. Petersburg, has resulted in a tremendous revitalization of this once blighted area. The Uptown Neighborhood Association is one of the most active civic organizations in the city. A Neighborhood plan has been adopted by the City of St. Petersburg. Members of the association are represented on numerous city boards and committees and representatives from numerous social service agencies are represented on the Uptown Board of Directors. The association sponsors a Home of the Month contest, neighborhood beautification projects, and publishes a "top ten" worst properties list quarterly to encourage the neighborhood clean up. Renovators and redevelopers are encouraged and supported in their activities in the neighborhood. The Uptown Neighborhoods' boundaries are: North South Crescent Lake Neighborhood:
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