Open Air Post Office - St Petersburg, Florida
Downtown St Petersburg Florida has many Mediterranean Revival buildings, including this Open Air Post Office, which has been in operation since 1916. It's located at the corner of 4th St N and 1st Ave N right across from Williams Park.
In the early 1900s a government architect designed a very grand building, but it was set up high with lots of steps, and the postmaster at that time wasn't happy with it. Postmaster Roy Hanna designed the post office HE wanted, which was at street level, open to the air so that people could access their post office boxes at any time of day or night. It continues to serve that purpose.
The building was designed by George Stuart, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland. Also in 1916 Stuart designed the St. Petersburg Yacht Club building. He is said to have designed many of the residential properties in Saint Petersburg as well, though I've never heard which ones.
This photo shows more of the detail of the building, as well as the interesting frieze. It also shows one of the loggias, with the open arches along the sidewalk.
From our office, it's only a couple blocks, so it makes a pleasant diverson during the day to walk over to leave mail, get stamps, etc.
My team now lets me out each day for a Photo Walk so that I can take interesting pictures for blogging and the new downtown website that Amy is creating.
Note that there's even a table for sorting your mail, so that you don't have to carry your junk mail - just put it in their trash can.
Sharon -- This was fascinating. I will have to check it out for myself the next time I cross the bridge from Tampa to St. Petersburg.
Judy - it's one of those things that you may pass by many times without realizing what a treasure it is. After you check it out - try lunch at the Parkshore Grille at the corner of Beach Drive and 3rd Ave N - you can eat outside or in.
Carole - our team all love to volunteer for the "job" of walking to the post office.
Dena -
A loggia is a covered walkway along a building. It can be open on just the long side, or at the ends as well. The roof is usually integrated with the building, and the open side is often a series of archways or perhaps columns. Many of the Mediterranean Revival buildings have this.