Crescent Heights Neighborhood Association

Crescent Heights Neighborhood Association

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AMENITIES/CHARACTER

Crescent Heights lies just north of beautiful Crescent Lake Park, which includes in its amenities, a large lake, a playground, tennis courts, and several landscaped acres. Crescent Heights is convenient to downtown St. Petersburg with its, museums, parks. entertainment, restaurants, businesses and I-275. Many original brick paved streets remain, and towering Live Oak trees shade the streets. The people who make Crescent Heights their homes are a diverse group including young professionals, families,and retirees who enjoy the lively and charming architectural styles found in homes built in the 20s and 30s.

ARCHITECTURE

The largest percentage of homes in Crescent Heights were built in the 1920s and 1930s, and range in style from Florida Bungalows, Frame Vernacular, Colonial Revival, Mediterranean Eclectic and Pueblo style homes. Most of the homes have pine or oak flooring,large eaves,front and side porches,and uniquely built in features such as custom cabinets and brick fireplaces.Many homes are two bedroom Bungalows, however, large two-story, three and four bedroom homes are also common.

The variety of home styles and sizes makes Crescent Heights attractive to "empty nesters" and retirees wishing to downsize as well as first time home buyers wishing to build equity. In recent years the area has attracted buyers who value the neighborhood atmosphere and enjoy restoration. The restoration, landscaping, and positive activites of a strong neighborhood association has attracted the attention of realtors as home prices have risen dramatically.

HISTORY

Crescent Lake was called Thompson's Lake in the early days of the city because it was on Thompson's farm.The area that now comprises Crescent Heights is in fact on higher ground that slopes gradually toward the lake to the south. The lake is natural, although man has altered it somewhat.

The first homes in Crescent Lake were built in the 1920s on the site of an old orange grove. Most of the early homes built were used as winter homes. One home on 7th Street was built for Mrs. Mueller of Mueller's Macaroni; an apartment building on 24th Avenue served as the spring training home for Babe Ruth when the New York Yankees trained at Huggins-Stengel Field at the south end of Crescent Lake.

ORGANIZATIONS/PROGRAMS

The neighborhood association was begun in 1989 and the name Crescent Heights was chosen when one resident commented that the home she lived in had a concrete sign in the yard saying "Crescent Heights." The organization itself was formed primarily as a social organization to get residents together to talk and share information. Since then, the goals of the association have grown to include public service, traffic and safety, neighborhood beautification and participation in the Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA) as well as city sponsored events such as "Parade of Neighborhoods" and "Celebrate Our Neighborhoods."

Monthly meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the American Baptist Church on the corner of 28th Avenue and 8th Street. There are no meetings in August or December. A newsletter is independently published and produced by the association and is distributed to all homes and businesses by dedicated volunteer deliverers. Association meetings generally contain 15-30 minutes of neighborhood business followed by an informative speaker. We have had speakers on subjects ranging from xeriscaping to traffic engineering.

We have been successful in bringing reclaimed water to many areas of the neighborhood, neighborhood signs, major traffic calming in the neighborhood and 22nd avenue.

Crescent Heights is a community of people who enjoy the charm and lifestyle of a time past while embracing new technologies and conveniences of a new millennium. We are commited to serving our neighbors and our city and preserving the special qualities that make St. Petersburg unique.

NEIGHBORHOOD GRANT PROJECTS

Crescent Heights was awarded a major matching grant in 1999 to develop our Neighborhood Plan that will be submitted to the city.Because of the dedication of the volunteers that have worked so hard on the Neighborhood Planning Committee our neighborhood will be seeking matching grants from the city for further beautification and preservation.

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