Neighborhood Partnership	Modified: Jun 22, 2009 04:14 PM

Crossroads

Amenities/character/etc.  

The Crossroads Neighborhood is a prime location for convenience and everyday living. It lies in close proximity to Tyrone Square Mall, grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, banks, post office, government offices, St. Petersburg Junior College, the Pinellas Trail and PSTA bus service. Since 9th Avenue North is the only through street dissecting the neighborhood, most of Crossroads delights in a quiet neighborhood with a minimum of traffic. Roads are laid out in a simple grid pattern. Brick streets in the older section of the neighborhood add to the area's charm.

Residents enjoy many recreational opportunities within walking distance. Tennis buffs enjoy the courts of St. Petersburg Junior College and nearby parks, which also offer playgrounds, basketball courts, soccer, football and softball fields. The Pinellas Trail provides a safe venue for walking, running, skating and bicycling.

Utilities include natural gas and reclaimed water.

Architecture

Crossroads encompasses a variety of architectural styles as a result of the area's development spanning several decades beginning in the late 1930s to the early 1970s. Styles range from small one-story bungalows to much larger one and two story homes, most of which are concrete block construction with either tile or shingle roofs. The residential area is comprised predominantly of single family homes, though it does include a small number of condominiums and apartment buildings.

History

Major area development was influenced by four important factors: the moving of St. Petersburg Junior College into the neighborhood, the widening of 66th Street, Crossroads Shopping Center and subsequently, the development of Tyrone Square Mall.

St. Petersburg Junior College began operating classes out of its new west St. Petersburg campus at 5th Avenue and 66th Street North in January 1942.

By the fall of 1959, county and state officials were predicting that the long awaited widening of 66th Street may begin in early 1960. In what became known as the "66th Street Miracle," civic-minded landowners donated 82 parcels (10 acres) of land, hoping to speed up the project. The St. Petersburg Planning Board recommended in April 1960 to build a bridge over Eagle Lake to keep the 66th Street widening in alignment, rather than the alternative, which would have curved the roadway over to 65th Street between 13th Avenue North and Central Avenue. By August of the same year, Pinellas Commissioners determined that a bridge over Eagle Lake was too costly and refused to furnish the funds. The problem was solved in December 1963, when Eagle Lake, behind St. Petersburg Junior College, was cut in two by earth fill to accommodate the widening to four lanes of 66th Street between Central Avenue and Tyrone Boulevard.

J.C. Penny, located in the Crossroads Shopping Center, announced in April of 1966, a proposal for construction of an enclosed shopping mall at Tyrone Boulevard and 22nd Avenue North, if the land could be rezoned from manufacturing to commercial. The existing Sears, Roebuck and Company would be integrated into the same complex. In an effort to further enhance area convenience, neighborhood residents attended a September 1980 St. Petersburg City Council meeting to support a proposed shopping center at the southwest corner of 68th Street and 22nd Avenue North. Planners feared a worsening of already congested traffic and said it should not be built. Residents who wanted a neighborhood grocery store were rewarded with final approval from the City Council two months later.

Organizations/programs

The Crossroads Homeowners Association meets informally, usually gathering on a street corner, when the need arises to disseminate information or handle issues of concerns to the neighborhood. Through the years neighbors have banded together and gotten involved with environmental concerns and traffic issues, such as speed zones, traffic lights and stop signs. The Crossroads Neighborhood belongs to the Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA) and participates in the City's Crime Watch program. One of our former Crime Watch Coordinators was Lars Hafner, who grew up in the Crossroads Neighborhood. We take pride in the fact that in 1988, Lars was elected to represent District 53, which includes Crossroads and has been our state representative ever since.

Boundaries

66th to 70th Streets North from 7th and 16th Avenues North.