St. Petersburg is home to nearly 100 broad and diverse neighborhoods. Many are represented by Neighborhood Associations; some, but not all, are Community of Neighborhood Associations (CONA) members and have provided a link to their website, Facebook page, or other online sites. If you are interested in knowing more about these neighborhoods, check out the CONA website at www.stpetecona.org

RE/MAX Metro realtor Estelia Mesimer uses her excellent professional skills to ensure clients have the best possible experience buying, selling or investing. She has also undertaken major home building and renovation projects of her own – all while keeping her sense of humor intact. Here are some of Estelia’s favorite St. Petersburg neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods

Allendale Terrace
Highly desirable neighborhood known for its giant oak trees, large estate homes that were built mostly in the 1920s and 1930s, cobblestone streets and Allendale Park. It is on high ground – outside the flood zone – and is considered by many to be the finest non-waterfront area of St. Petersburg.

Bahama Shores
This idyllic neighborhood on the Tampa Bay waterfront is only10 minutes from downtown St. Petersburg. It boasts large homes, spacious tree-lined streets and a wide range of residents from young professionals to families to retirees. The neighborhood is comprised of 173 households. Bahama Shores is full of mature landscaping giving it that “Old Florida” feel. The main entrance welcomes you with brick streets and a canopy of towering old oak trees. Full of elegant one story ranch homes, with impeccable style and attention to detail, you will fall in love with Bahama Shores. Trivia: it has the distinction as being the setting of the 1985 movie Cocoon.

Bayway Isles
Prestigious, 24-hour guarded, deed restricted island community of over 200 families. Consisting of two main islands, Bayway extends southward from the Pinellas Bayway into the aqua colored warm waters of Boca Ciega Bay. Most of the homes have a waterfront view across Boca Ciega Bay while others enjoy the views across the water toward Eckerd College. These single family homes are valued from the mid three to $500,000 price ranges to the multi-million dollar range.

Caya Costa
Homes here are always desirable. Known for its friendliness, this community sponsors Christmas lighting contests, bowling parties, Easter egg hunts, cookie exchanges, book clubs and a monthly newsletter. It’s a great place for families.

Coquina Key
Is an island surrounded by Tampa Bay on the east and Little and Big Bayous on the north, west and south and is accessed by the two bridges that cross the bayous. Coquina Key is a community of cooling sea breezes, striking open water vistas, sprawling streets and cul-de-sacs. It features a waterside city park complete with soccer fields, tennis and basketball courts, fishing docks and a jogging trail. Hundreds of waterfront homes, condominiums and town-homes (with deep water direct access to Tampa Bay and the Gulf) make Coquina Key a distinctive place to live.

Disston Heights
Characterized by the well-kept concrete block homes, manicured lawns and a smattering of lakes that all come together to form a quiet neighborhood in north central St. Petersburg. It boasts a Civic Association that is dedicated to bringing neighbors, local businesses and city officials together to share information and solve problems. It is the largest neighborhood civic association in St. Petersburg, representing over 5,000 homes.

Dolphin Cay
This community is situated on 88-acres that include a 24-acre wildlife preserve, nature trails and boardwalks on Boca Ciega Bay. The Lakeside Casino Clubhouse offers an elegant common area, while 3 swimming pools, tennis courts, and a 2-acre beach with a pavilion add amenities and grace to the 46 single family home sites and 7 condominium buildings. Dolphin Cay is a gated community, with an onsite manager, a full time assistant, three full time maintenance personnel and a full time cleaning person that help maintain the common areas of Dolphin Cay.

Downtown St. Petersburg
Living downtown means you have everything within walking distance…. movies, museums, restaurants, live theaters, art galleries, parks, supermarkets, a beautiful waterfront and more. Downtown has a strong sense of place. It is a great place to live, work and play. Once you make it your home, nothing else will compare.

The Old Northeast
Adjacent to downtown and situated along Tampa Bay, is one of the most sought after historic neighborhoods in St. Petersburg. Visitors reflect on local history as they travel along the nostalgic brick streets, avenues and alleys, and delight in the time honored majestic homes, each with its own unique style and character. The majority of the homes were built the thirty years between 1920 and 1950. Excellence in structure and design are the common architectural theme. The neighborhood hosts approximately 9,000 residents in over 5,000 houses, apartments, and condominiums.

Placido Bayou

Gated community that consists of a combination of 636 single-family homes, condominiums and townhouses. It has 10 stocked ponds, numerous walking and bicycle trails. It is one of the few gated, deed-restricted communities in St. Petersburg city limits, and those who live there say they cherish the privacy and sense of security it offers.

Greater Pinellas Point
Culturally-diverse, casual community located at the southernmost tip of Pinellas County. Surrounded on three sides by Tampa Bay, it has two community recreation centers, eight churches, two grade schools, a middle school and a high school. Specialty shops, pharmacies, grocery stores, restaurants, and medical services are conveniently located for the neighborhood’s 10,000 plus residents. The earliest developed portion of Greater Pinellas Point is called the Pink Streets – given the name because of the pink concrete that was used to pour the exclusive streets. Homes in the Greater Pinellas Point neighborhood typically range from the $300,000s to $3,000,000.

Shore Acres
This neighborhood, listed as one of St. Petersburg’s most popular, offers amenities for young families, retirees and first-time home buyers. Comprised of approximately 2,300 households, the median value of a home in Shore Acres, according to Zillow, is $250,300. In the heart of this closely-knit community is the Shore Acres Recreation Center where, like the popular sit-com Cheers, everybody knows your name. Within the one-acre complex you’ll find: an aquatic facility with a wading pool perfect for toddlers and a six lane lap-pool, a covered playground, half-court basketball court, picnic shelter and a variety of programs for youth, teens and adults. Weedon Island Preserve is just minutes away for scenic kayak and canoe trips.

Tropical Shores
Lovely neighborhood consisting of traditional one-story ranches, reflecting the style of the 1950s when they were built. Residents appreciate the diversity and value the variety of tastes and preferences in home styles. As a waterfront community, many of the homes lend themselves to the open Florida feeling. Expansive views of Tampa Bay, impressive sunrises and sunsets and sightings of dolphins, manatees and the vast variety of birds are all part of life in this lovely community.

Venetian Isles
Popular, upscale waterfront neighborhood consisting of 500+ homes. A majority of the homes, most of which were built in the mid-60’s, have undergone extensive renovations, and the Venetian Isles Homeowners Association ensures that remodeling is done in accordance with its goal of preserving the unique character of the community. With its deep water canals, the area is great for power or sail boats of any size. The northeast location of Venetian Isles is convenient both to Downtown St Petersburg and Tampa, including MacDill AFB which is why many retired military officers have chosen Venetian Isles as their home.

Bottom Line: With nearly 100 neighborhoods, the St. Petersburg’s real estate market offers an option to fit every lifestyle. The way to choose the right neighborhood for your needs and your budget takes research, some soul-searching about your priorities and working with a knowledgeable realtor.

Related Reading:
The Making of St. Petersburg, by Will Michaels
St. Petersburg and the Florida Dream, 1888-1950, by Raymond Arsenault
Warm Wishes from Sunny St. Pete: The Success Story of Promoting the Sunshine City, by Nevin Sitler

St. Petersburg Communities

If you’re interested in any of these of communities or live in one of them and are thinking of selling, call Estelia today!

Allendale Terrace
Bahama Shores
Bayway Isles
Coquina Key
Crescent Heights
Crescent Lake
Downtown
Greater Pinellas Point
Historic Kenwood
Historic Old Northeast
Historic Roser Park
Historic Uptown
Isla del Sol
Old Southeast
Placida Bayou
Snell Isle