St. Pete Beach board approves six local historic designations, one door restoration

St. Pete Beach’s Historic Preservation Board voted June 5 to add five single‑family residences and one duplex in the Pass‑a‑Grille/Don Cesar Place area to the city’s local historic registry and approved a certificate of appropriateness to replace the front door on a previously designated house.

The actions were taken at the board’s regular meeting after staff presentations and brief remarks by property owners. The approvals were unanimous in recorded roll calls.

The board approved local historic designation case 25032 for 3410 E. DeBazen Avenue after staff planner Lynn Rossetti said the 1948 masonry‑vernacular house “is still very representative and of the same scale and type of construction as other properties in the neighborhood.” Owner Michael Welch told the board, “We have loved the house ever since we bought it.”

The board next approved case 25007 to designate 3311 E. DeBason Avenue, a c.1950 ranch owned by William Stuckey. Rossetti noted Stuckey’s local and national service and staff said the property “exemplifies or reflects the broad cultural, political, economic, or social history of the Don Cesar Place neighborhood.” Stuckey described his White House service after Sept. 11 in brief remarks to the board.

Also approved were case 25071 (308 Passover Way, a craftsman‑style duplex), case 25054 (3222 W. DeBason Avenue, a ranch that staff found to meet the 50‑year threshold), and case 25061 (3516 E. Maritana Drive). During the presentation for 308 Passover Way owner Joy Hyland spoke about long family ties to the area and the shuffleboard courts.

The board additionally granted a certificate of appropriateness (case 25067) for a replacement front door at 3406 E. DeBazen Avenue; Senior Planner Gil Martinez said the proposed salvaged 1950s Art Deco door “is the exact same size as the [existing] installation” and “further enhance[s] the historic front.” Owner Leanne/Lane Manthos explained she brought the request because the property had recently received local historic designation.

Each approval was accompanied by a roll‑call vote. The board’s recorded voting members who participated in these actions were Amber Young, Amber Hurley, Amber Dashiell, Vice Chair Hawkins Smith and Chair Lowry; all recorded “yes” on the motions presented.

The board and staff noted that most of the properties had seen alterations (window replacements, enclosed porches, rear additions) but that staff found they retained sufficient character to qualify for local designation. Staff repeatedly reminded applicants that any future exterior changes to locally designated buildings would require review and, where applicable, a certificate of appropriateness.

The approvals add to the growing number of designated resources in Pass‑a‑Grille and reflect staff and board interest in documenting and preserving mid‑20th‑century neighborhood character.