Assignment: St. Petersburg » Vinoy Basin

Safe Harbor

Bob Horn — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:37:28 +0000

The Vinoy Basin in downtown St. Petersburg provides a safe place for traveling boaters to drop anchor for a few hours or a few days, protected from the more open waters of Tampa Bay or the Gulf of Mexico. On the day that I took this photograph last week, there were about a dozen boats anchored there. But sometimes, you can look out at the basin and imagine that there’s not room for even one more anchor! With all that there is to do downtown, it’s not surprising that this is a popular spot. There’s a dock along the Pier approach where boaters can dock their dinghies, paying a $5 fee, on the honor system, for the privilege. Once docked, shops, restaurants, movies, museums, bars and more are within a few minutes walk.

Next time you’re downtown on a beautiful day, park your car and take a walk along the edge of Vinoy Basin. It’s fun to watch the activity and to imagine that maybe, someday, I’ll be anchored in some sheltered spot in another part of the world as I explore new places… (for a better view, click on the photo to open a new window with a full-sized image)

Hoping For A Free Ride

Bob Horn — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:10:54 +0000

Not sure if this feathered friend is just looking for a safe place to rest, away from land-based distractions, or if he is hoping for a sail on Tampa Bay on this gorgeous day. In any case, he noticed me and gave me some suspicious looks as I paused to photograph him.

This image was taken last week at the Vinoy Basin.

Historic St. Petersburg Comfort Station

Bob Horn — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:05:36 +0000

Comfort Station One (click for larger view)

St. Petersburg has an abundance of beautiful historic buildings. Many of them have long since transitioned from their original purpose to some new function, such as the old Seaboard Freight Train station that has been renovated and is now the St. Petersburg Clay Company. But sometimes, one of these great old buildings manages to survive and continue to function in its original role, and today’s post is about just such a building.

St. Petersburg, in the 1920′s, was in its boom times. Development was strong, investors were investing, and people were flocking here from all over the country. There were beautiful homes being built and beautiful shops and hotels. When the city council decided, in 1927, that we needed a public restroom, they opted to build one that was not just functional, but would be aesthetically pleasing and would be an asset to the downtown that was rapidly developing.

So, to that end, they hired architect Henry S. Taylor, the same architect that designed the Vinoy Hotel, along with several other St. Petersburg buildings. The decision was made to build the new rest room at the northeast corner of Bayshore Drive and Second Ave NE, which was right on the Vinoy basin and at the base of the pier. The lot was quite small, and that factor lent itself nicely to the octagonal shape of the building, a shape that had its origins in the Greek Cross shape used in early Roman churches. The architectural style was Romanesque Revival, and the building was built with several different colors of brick, something frequently seen in Romanesque Revival buildings.

The end result, which was given the name “Comfort Station One”, was a truly remarkable building for any purpose, but especially for a public restroom. A prominent national magazine, The American City, featured the new comfort station in its February 1929 issue, praising it and praising the city for building a comfort station of such beauty. Comfort Station One lives on today, providing comfort for thousands of people walking through the neighborhood each year who are in need of just the sort of comfort that this beautiful building offers.

[Note: Tomorrow's post will be of another St. Petersburg Romanesque Revival building designed by Henry Taylor, St. Mary's Church.]

Comfort Station One (click for larger view)