NEIGHBORHOODS
67 January/February 2020 StPeteLifeMag.com
early “streetcar suburb” conveniently
located along the downtown trolley line.
To this day, the neighborhood Roser
created is a veritable living museum of
post-Victorian architectural style with
close to 150 residences. Thanks to many
years of determination and hard work by
members of its neighborhood association,
Local Historic District in 1987. In 1998,
it was listed on the National Register
community planning and development,
architecture, and landscape architecture.
The association works closely with the
City of St. Petersburg to document and
manage the Roser Park “vision” using a
Neighborhood Plan.
Downtown Nearby
Historic Roser Park Neighborhood
Association since moving here two decades ago. She chaired
the volunteer committee that put on the 2018 Tour of Homes
on March 31, welcoming some 275 visitors. She loves the
neighborhood for its proximity to downtown and the close-knit
community. “I can ride my bike to downtown in a matter of
minutes,” she says.
It’s the kind of neighborhood where potluck Porch Parties are a
regular thing and a missing dog results in an all-out emergency
alert. “Everyone here is very friendly, very social. We all watch
1926 Mediterranean Revival home perched above Booker Creek is
something of a landmark.
Adam Gyson, the current president of the neighborhood
association, lives with his wife, Sarah, and young daughter in
a 1925 Dutch Colonial home. Coming from a condo lifestyle in
downtown, they embraced the idea of living in a historic city
neighborhood, with the restaurants and museums of downtown
only a few younger homeowners,” says Gyson. “Now I’m seeing
more younger couples moving in and more
young children.”
Like many older urban neighborhoods,
Roser Park fell into decline. It was in the
early 1970s that people began purchasing
the vacated rundown historic homes at rock
bottom prices. Ron Motyka was one of
them. “History is my passion,” confesses the
schoolteacher and resident historian.
He moved into a large stately historic home
in need of some TLC and jumped in head
determined to restore not only his home
but some the neighborhood’s former glory.
He worked diligently with the city to obtain
the historic district designation, and later
the national one. With funding from a St.
Petersburg neighborhoods grant, he set about
establishing an Outdoor Museum.
The display route initially wound along Booker
Creek but has since been expanded to most of
the other streets in the neighborhood. The 28 plaques, mounted
on 3 foot tall wrought-iron poles, describe the history and
development of Roser Park, and some show early 20th-century
photos of the neighborhood, half of which has disappeared in
place of urban development. The district retains many of its
original design features, including rusticated block retaining
walls, brick streets, original hexagon sidewalk pavers and granite
curbstones. Roser Park’s neighborhood association continues to
work to restore other original and period features, such as vintage
street lighting and signage.
over Booker Creek is called Charles (named after the founder).
And yes, there actually is a park in Roser Park. The city has
splendid reprieve and an almost idyllic sense that you are, indeed,
walking through history.
To see a 6-minute “Living Local” online video produced by the City