The Pink Streets of St. Petersburg and the Pinellas Point Neighborhood
The Pink Streets is a desirable neighborhood at the southernmost tip of St Petersburg and Pinellas County. The name “The Pink Streets” comes because yes, the streets are actually pink! Not hot pink but a muted soft reddish-pink that actually goes well with the surrounding landscape. This neighborhood is surrounded by water and features a large waterfront park. I consider this a little known area of St. Pete to find St. Petersburg waterfront real estate at a value. Prices are generally lower here than in north St. Petersburg, and often the elevation of the homes in Pinellas Point is higher. That means, you guessed it, some homes here require no flood insurance. (Not that everyone near water shouldn’t carry optional flood coverage.)
Where is Pinellas Point in St. Petersburg?
Pinellas Point is the southern tip of St. Petersburg, where the Pinellas peninsula ends at the mouth of Tampa Bay. The city’s neighborhood map calls the area Greater Pinellas Point. Lakewood Estates, Bayou Highlands and Coquina Key border it to the north, and the bay wraps around the rest. Most addresses here use the 33705 ZIP code.
Pinellas Point Drive South is the main road across the point. The Pink Streets sit on the bay side of it, and the streets that dead-end at the water look out at the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
Parks on Pinellas Point
- Katherine B. Tippetts Park sits at the south end of 14th Street South, with views through the mangroves toward the mouth of Tampa Bay. It is named for the woman who founded the city’s Audubon Society chapter in 1909.
- Bay Vista Park is on the water at the southern end of 4th Street South.
- Indian Mound Park on Pinellas Point Drive South protects the Pinellas Point Temple Mound, built by the Tocobaga people around A.D. 1000. Ed C. Wright donated the site to the city in 1958, and you can climb the mound today.
Pinellas Point Real Estate
So you may be wondering: why are the streets pink? Back in the 1920s, the Pinellas Point Pink Streets development was dreamed up by a gentleman named George Cook. Cook’s Murok Development Company had visions for an upscale neighborhood that would be grander than any other development in the area, and ordered the pink streets because no one else had them. They were thought very chic and caused a sensation. Actually, Cook’s plans for the Pinellas Point neighborhood were much grander than what actually was built. An old plat map of his development shows the existing streets and neighborhood, but also shows proposed additions, made up of fill that was to have extended out a third of a mile past the current waterfront, out into Tampa Bay. There would have been canals and a lot more houses, probably looking something like areas of Venetian Isles do today. But in 1926, the St. Petersburg boom period was over, and not only was the additional fill never completed, but much of the Pink Streets development area sat empty for years. Many of the early investors in the Pink Streets who purchased lots fell into bankruptcy, however over the years, many different styles of homes were built in the Pink Streets giving it the wide diversity of architecture we see today.
Over time, lots were purchased and homes were built. But regardless of the type of house, the area residents have always loved the Pink Streets, the lush trees in the neighborhood, the curvy roads, the essence of being different from the rest of the city. And so, in the 1980s, when the old concrete streets were so badly cracked and patched that you risked your car’s health to even drive on them, it’s not surprising that residents pushed the city to ensure that, when it came time to repave their streets, they’d be paved in pink concrete again. The streets pink tone really helps to avoid the sun’s glare and reflection and absorb heat!
Where are the Pink Streets in St. Pete?
The Pink Streets run between about 10th and 22nd Streets South, from Pinellas Point Drive South down to Tampa Bay. The color is in the concrete itself, not painted on: the streets and curbs were poured together from a pink mix. Some of the roads dead-end with a view overlooking the bay and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. There are some gorgeous older homes, along with some fine newer construction homes! It’s a nice drive if you’d like to check out a waterfront community you didn’t know was there, and it’s really only about 10 minutes from Downtown St. Pete. I’ve clocked it!
View All Pinellas Point Homes for Sale
You can also search every home for sale in the Tampa Bay MLS.
Own a home on the point and thinking of selling? See how we list and market waterfront homes in St. Petersburg.
Pink Streets and Pinellas Point FAQ
Why are the streets pink in St. Petersburg?
In 1924 the Murok Development Corp. laid out the Pinellas Point streets in pink concrete to make the new neighborhood stand out. When the city planned to repave them with standard materials in the 1980s, residents pushed back for five years, and the streets were rebuilt in pink again.
Where is Pinellas Point?
Pinellas Point is at the southern tip of St. Petersburg, south of Lakewood Estates and Bayou Highlands, around Pinellas Point Drive South. The Pink Streets are the bay side section between about 10th and 22nd Streets South.
How far is Pinellas Point from downtown St. Pete?
About 10 to 15 minutes by car, depending on traffic and where on the point you start.
Do homes in Pinellas Point need flood insurance?
It depends on each home’s flood zone and elevation. Some higher homes sit outside the high risk zones, so a lender may not require a policy, but many owners near the water carry flood coverage anyway. Look up the address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center and get a quote from a licensed insurance agent before you make an offer. For more, read 5 St. Pete neighborhoods that don’t require flood insurance.
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