Our Downtown Neighborhood
You've no doubt heard the old real estate adage location, location, location, or, location is everything. Well, it's certainly true with BFT. It's probably the greatest amenity One Beach Drive has to offer -- especially now that St. Pete's downtown is thriving hub of arts, entertainment and shopping. Here is a listing of just a few of our downtown neighbors:
St. Pete Yacht Club
The St. Pete Yacht Club. That's BFT in the background.
Decades before the first piling was put in place for BFT, the SPYC was an integral element of St. Pete's social and business scene. Established in 1909, St. Pete's yacht club played host to the world-renowned Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) sailboat races. It also hosted countless social events as well as heavyweight business and political meetings. And just as soon as residents started moving their furniture into BFT, they started beating a well worn path to the Yacht Club.
The downtown landmark is kitty-corner from BFT, just across Central avenue, a couple minutes walk from our tower. Five BFT residents have served as Commodores of the club and approximately one third of the BFT residents are members.
St. Pete's is one of the most beautiful yacht clubs in the country, boasting great views, elegant dining, roomy meeting spaces and a world class reputation as a sailing epicenter.
For years the Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) anchored its month-long series of sailboat races at the yacht club. Long before major league sports franchises settled in Tampa Bay, SORC racing was the biggest event in town. The race from St. Pete to Havana was traditionally the start of the SORC series.
The club still sponsors an annual Sol al Sol Regatta, a race from St. Petersburg to Isla Mujeres, Mexico. SPYC fixture, Charley Morgan, an internationally known designer and builder of yachts, won the race in 1971 with his boat Encore. The club’s many other sailing activities include: disabled sailing regattas, junior sailing, Salty Sisters; women’s sailing, plus powerboat programs. In 2009 alone, the club hosted 31 different boating regattas.
SPYC also offers a lot to attract the landlubber. There is a golf group; a women’s club, a flying club, a ham radio club and motorcycle club as well as the annual Antique and Classic Car show. There is nightly entertainment at the club and a special treat for BFT residents: every day, precisely at sunset, folks living at One Beach Drive can hear the booming of the SPYC Sunset Cannon as it's fired towards the bay, announcing the setting sun.
The downtown landmark is kitty-corner from BFT, just across Central avenue, a couple minutes walk from our tower. Five BFT residents have served as Commodores of the club and approximately one third of the BFT residents are members.
St. Pete's is one of the most beautiful yacht clubs in the country, boasting great views, elegant dining, roomy meeting spaces and a world class reputation as a sailing epicenter.
For years the Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) anchored its month-long series of sailboat races at the yacht club. Long before major league sports franchises settled in Tampa Bay, SORC racing was the biggest event in town. The race from St. Pete to Havana was traditionally the start of the SORC series.
The club still sponsors an annual Sol al Sol Regatta, a race from St. Petersburg to Isla Mujeres, Mexico. SPYC fixture, Charley Morgan, an internationally known designer and builder of yachts, won the race in 1971 with his boat Encore. The club’s many other sailing activities include: disabled sailing regattas, junior sailing, Salty Sisters; women’s sailing, plus powerboat programs. In 2009 alone, the club hosted 31 different boating regattas.
SPYC also offers a lot to attract the landlubber. There is a golf group; a women’s club, a flying club, a ham radio club and motorcycle club as well as the annual Antique and Classic Car show. There is nightly entertainment at the club and a special treat for BFT residents: every day, precisely at sunset, folks living at One Beach Drive can hear the booming of the SPYC Sunset Cannon as it's fired towards the bay, announcing the setting sun.
Pioneer Park
Directly to the east toward the bay and just across the street from the BFT parking tunnel is Pioneer Park - Bayfront Tower's front yard. This nearby park is a huge perk for BFT residents. This spacious waterfront park sits on a full city block with lovely walkways, trees and flowers. It's a real treat for the eye and it's also a great place for BFT residents to exercise pets.
To look at it, you'd think the park was an integral part of the Tower's plan. But that was not the case. Early on in BFT history, there was an unsuccessful attempt by residents to buy the two-acre parcel for use as an adjacent parking lot. The scramble for the lot caught the attention of Jay Starkey. Starkey was a local developer and landowner and his family was one of Pinellas County's earliest settlers. He envisioned a better use for the property. Starkey wanted to honor early Pinellas County settlers (like his family) and their unique heritage. Additionally, he wanted to build a garden in honor of his wife and her family. His wife was the daughter of W. L. Straub (former editor and publisher of the St. Petersburg Times). |
Through newspaper editorials and lobbying efforts, Straub fought fiercely against development to make St. Pete's downtown shoreline the largest public waterfront park system in any city in the United States.
In 1976, Starkey pledged $100,000 to start the project. The City Council and the City Leisure Services Department made the land available. The park's obelisk memorial honors early pioneer families of this area.. The early settlers of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s arrived on this sparsely settled peninsula and began to build the city of their dreams. They developed the framework of the St. Petersburg we know today - with a systematic street plan, providing for wide streets and right of ways on a easy-to-follow grid. The streets would eventually provide access to the peninsula from surrounding areas. After much planning, the park was extensively renovated and rededicated in 2012. New brick pathways lined by beautiful tropical plantings now lead to the monument. The new design also features nighttime illumination which gives the park a magical feel after sunset |
Al Lang Field at Progress Energy Park
Al Lang field undergoing transformation into a professional soccer field in 2015.
Just to the south of the BFT is one of the most historic baseball fields in the country - but it's been recently converted to be the home field of the Tampa Bay Rowdies NASL soccer franchise.
Just think of any of the great baseball players from the 1930's to the late 1990's - most of them played here at the old Al Lang Field in spring training games. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Micky Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Don Drysdale, Willie Stargell and Johnny Bench all took the field at this sunny little park by the bay. This field was the home of baseball Spring Training for almost 90 years. It all started way back in 1914 when Mr. Baseball, Al Lang, enticed the St. Louis Browns to try out sunny St. Pete for the season.
Just think of any of the great baseball players from the 1930's to the late 1990's - most of them played here at the old Al Lang Field in spring training games. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Micky Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Don Drysdale, Willie Stargell and Johnny Bench all took the field at this sunny little park by the bay. This field was the home of baseball Spring Training for almost 90 years. It all started way back in 1914 when Mr. Baseball, Al Lang, enticed the St. Louis Browns to try out sunny St. Pete for the season.
Saturday Morning Market
Saturday Morning Market in downtown St. Pete
Every Saturday morning, from October through May, the parking lot of Progress Energy Park is packed with folks looking for farm-fresh produce, cheeses, treats, ethnic foods, art and fun-filled entertainment. If you've never been, be sure you set aside at least one day this year to visit the Saturday Morning Market. Early risers can walk in at 8:30 am and the market closes up at 2 pm. BFT residents won't even break a sweat, as the park is only a couple hundred feet from the southeastern corner of our building.
Albert Whitted Airport
Historic Albert Whitted Airport
You may not know it, but less then a half mile south of BFT is one of America's most historic airports. In 1934 National Airlines began the first regularly scheduled airline flights in the United States from its base at Albert Whitted Airport. It's also just a few hundred feet from the seaplane base where Tony Janus made the world's first commercial flight - a short trip on a cold New Year's morning in 1914. His flight took the mayor of St. Pete on a short trip across the bay to Tampa.
For recreational pilots, Albert Whitted (SPG) has to be one of the most scenic airports they'll ever fly into to. For business professionals, no other airport is as convenient to downtown. BFT's south facing units have the wonderful advantage of watching planes take off and land all day long.
For recreational pilots, Albert Whitted (SPG) has to be one of the most scenic airports they'll ever fly into to. For business professionals, no other airport is as convenient to downtown. BFT's south facing units have the wonderful advantage of watching planes take off and land all day long.
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
Indy car racing on the streets of downtown St. Pete!
Every spring, race teams in multi-million dollar rigs deliver 200 mile-per-hour Indy to downtown St. Pete. There congregate here to duel on one of the most exciting and scenic road courses in the world.
This race, usually held in late March, attracts thousands of race fans, car buffs and partiers to our fair city by the bay. Officials use 44,000 feet of chain link fence, 20,000 feet of steel-reinforced concrete barriers and more than 12,000 tires to protect spectators and property along the track. The inaugural race was held in November 1985.
The track runs along both the south and east side of Bayfront Tower which makes our building one of the best places in St. Pete to see the race. Unfortunately, it also creates a few logistic challenges for those living there, but only for a few days. The four days of practice and racing can be a bit loud for some, no matter where you live in the downtown. A lot of BFT residents get in the mood by throwing race-themed parties. For more information on the race, click this link.
This race, usually held in late March, attracts thousands of race fans, car buffs and partiers to our fair city by the bay. Officials use 44,000 feet of chain link fence, 20,000 feet of steel-reinforced concrete barriers and more than 12,000 tires to protect spectators and property along the track. The inaugural race was held in November 1985.
The track runs along both the south and east side of Bayfront Tower which makes our building one of the best places in St. Pete to see the race. Unfortunately, it also creates a few logistic challenges for those living there, but only for a few days. The four days of practice and racing can be a bit loud for some, no matter where you live in the downtown. A lot of BFT residents get in the mood by throwing race-themed parties. For more information on the race, click this link.