These places are in preservation limbo, as they are currently standing but may loose that privilege in the coming months – maybe even weeks.
SPP is working hard to help save them, and would be thrilled to have your help. If you can send e-mails, write letters, or spare a few hours and care about historical preservation please contact us. Thank you!
If you would like to see these places preserved, please contact your elected officials.
And if you know of a building, structure, or place threatened by demolition or otherwise in need of preservation assistance, please contact us.
Featured on our home page: the Union Trust Company building, also known as the Ninth Street Bank and Trust (far right) photo Courtesy of the city of St. Petersburg.
Blocker House (1905)
UPDATE:Blocker House redevelopment plan withdrawn
On the eve of the city council hearing, property owner and developer Lee Allen pulled his redevelopment plan for the Blocker site, at least temporarily putting off the home's date with a wrecking ball. The plan, calling for a new condo building that required a variance, had been opposed by neighbors and preservationists.
City Council, at Allen's urging, had previously denied SPP's landmark application for the home. Two landmark buildings across the street from the Blocker House – the Henry Bryan cottage and Chateau France Restaurant (Bay Gables) – which had also been threatened, have recently been purchased and the new owners have indicated a desire to restore the buildings.
SPP president Peter Belmont noted, "Reuse and restoration of the Blocker House would maintain the sense of place and scale for the 4th Avenue Historic Corridor that makes downtown so special to residents and tourists."
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Now known as the Mansion by the Bay, the Blocker House is a single-family Queen Anne-style residence built by A.T. “Bert” Blocker in 1905. Blocker was an early mayor of St. Petersburg and the owner of the Blocker Livery and Transfer Company. The St. Petersburg Shrine Club purchased the home in 1926 and converted into their clubhouse. During this time, the clubhouse served as a meeting and entertainment facility for many of St. Petersburg’s most important civic organizations. It subsequently was known as the International Club, then was transformed into a nursing home and finally housed a school of dance.
St. Petersburg Preservation has nominated the Blocker Residence at 145 4th Avenue NE for Local Landmark Designation; information on this can be found in our letter to the public.
Blocker House - past Blocker House - present
Blocker was an early mayor of St. Petersburg and the owner of the Blocker Livery and Transfer Company. The St. Petersburg Shrine Club purchased the home in 1926 and converted into their clubhouse. During this time, the clubhouse served as a meeting and entertainment facility for many of St. Petersburg’s most important civic organizations.
The Blocker residence is one of four remaining historic structures located in the 100 block of 4th Avenue Northeast, two of which, Bay Gables and the Henry Bryan House, are designated local landmarks. This excellent collection of early 20th century residential architecture provides the visual context for understanding St. Petersburg’s unique history. The structure is also a critical piece of the visual landscape of the 4th Avenue historic corridor, stretching from 4th Street North to Beach Drive North. The loss of this significant structure would negatively impact all the historic resources contained in the corridor.
In 2006 the Mayor’s Historic Preservation Summit identified the Blocker Residence as a potential Local Landmark. It is also a contributing structure to the Downtown National Register District. This noteworthy historic building is currently threatened by a proposed multi-story condominium project.
The building was in the news in 2000 and 2007.
City Council voted 6 to 1 to deny St. Petersburg Preservation's application to name the Blocker Residence at 145 4th Avenue NE a Local Historic Landmark, with Councilmember Jeff Danner being the only member voting to support the designation.
SPP would like to thank those supporters who sent in comments or spoke in support of the landmark application. The remarks that Council members gave when voting reminded us of how critically important it is for citizens to voice their support of preservation and landmarking designations. With your continued support, SPP remains committed to its mission of protecting the special buildings that give our city its unique sense of place.
The owner of the Blocker House will now submit his development plan for the property, likely resulting in the home's future demolition. If you wish to express your opinion on the vote to City Council or thank Councilmember Danner for his support we encourage you to send them an e-mail at Council@StPete.org. Thank you for your support.
St. Pete's most endangered buildings
The Creative Loafing article "St. Pete's most endangered buildings?" was published in May 2008 and lists nine properties of historical interest.
4th Ave. NE Historic Landmarks (1910-1912)
2011 Update! Hotel project dropped, new owners, a former Seattle architect and private school principal, have purchased Bay Gables (Chateau France restaurant) and the adjacent Inn by the Bay (historic Morrison Hotel) with the intent to renovate both buildings for use as a boutique inn. The Henry Bryan home has also been purchased by a new owner but the historic home remains closed.
Two local landmarks - both designated local landmarks in 1994 - are endangered by a proposed development for the 100 block of 4th Ave. NE. The Henry-Bryan Home is located at 146 Fourth Avenue NE and is built in the Queen Anne Cottage style. Bay Gables, now operating as the Chateau France restaurant, is located almost next door to the Henry-Bryan House, at 136 4th Avenue NE. It is a Vernacular style home with Queen Anne and Colonial Revival elements. The Henry-Bryan home is named after two early city contractors, Walter Henry and Hardy Bryan. Henry built the First Congregational Church and the Carnegie Library. Bryan worked on the Open Air Post Office and the Snell Arcade. The site also includes a contributing structure to the Downtown National Historic District, the Morrison Hotel (Inn by the Bay).
The Liberty Group proposes to build a hotel on the site of these two landmarks, relocating the Henry-Bryan. Information about the feasibility of relocating Bay Gables is being developed, and if it is not feasible to relocate the developer proposes to demolish it. These buildings are on the 4th Avenue-4th Street corridor, one of the most historic corridors in the downtown. The 1905 Queen Anne Mayor Bert Blocker Home (Mansion by the Bay) is directly across the street.
While SPP’s preference is to maintain these historic buildings on their present sites, we are in discussions with the developer about acceptable alternative sites for possible relocation and mitigation measures proportionate to the harm being done to the Downtown National Historic District. The development as proposed to the city Development Review Commission in August 2008 did not include mitigation for the displacement and loss of historic resources, and SPP registered our objection. The development nevertheless was approved, and the approval is now under appeal by SPP. The developer subsequently proposed to the city Community Preservation Commission (CPC) to relocate the Henry-Bryan to 22nd Street South near the old Seaboard Train Station. SPP opposed this location as having no historic association with the home and being inaccessible to public view. The CPC agreed with SPP and denied this proposed relocation site.
Ninth Street Bank and Trust Company (1926)
The Ninth Street Bank and Trust Company building was constructed in 1926, at the end of the 20's boom era. The building was designed by M. Leo Elliott, one of Tampa’s premier architects. Elliot designed the bank building in the Classical Revival style, which also shows elements of the Beaux Arts style of architecture. Several prominent St. Petersburg business and political leaders are associated with the development of the Ninth Street Bank, starting with John N. Brown, the first President of the bank, and St. Petersburg mayor during 1927-28.
While the bank grew rapidly after opening, it was forced to close on June 12, 1930 as the economy collapsed and the nation sank into a depression. The bank reopened two months later as the Union Trust Company and was the only bank operating in southern Pinellas County. In 1950, Florida's first drive-in teller machine was installed on the east side of the property and named "Snorkel."
The bank and building were closed in 1996. A large residential project was proposed for the site in 2005 but plans did not move forward before the economy soured. The building was designated as a local landmark in 1997.