St. Petersburg, Florida
Bahama Shores
Historic Waterfront
Deed-restricted waterfront neighborhood, south St. Petersburg.
What Is Bahama Shores Like?
Bahama Shores sits on the Tampa Bay waterfront in south St. Petersburg, first platted in 1926 by developer Burnette F. Stevenson under the name Alta Marina. Robert W. Lyons redeveloped the neighborhood in the late 1940s, dredging and filling roughly a mile of shoreline to about eight feet above sea level, marketed at the time as the highest major waterfront development on Florida's west coast. Architect George C. Buchtenkirk designed most of the original homes, and city planner Henry S. Churchill laid out the streets.
Most homes date from the 1940s through the 1960s, with a number of newer builds from the 1970s through the 1990s filling in over time. The neighborhood is affluent but genuinely mixed, drawing young professionals, families, and retirees to its wide, tree-lined streets.
Bahama Shores maintains its own private, neighborhood-owned waterfront park for residents, and the community earned a moment of pop-culture fame as a filming location for the 1985 movie Cocoon.
What Is the Bahama Shores Real Estate Market Like Right Now?
Source: public IDX Broker listings for Bahama Shores, St. Petersburg, checked August 20, 2026.
What Makes Bahama Shores Different From Other St. Petersburg Waterfront Neighborhoods?
- ✔ Bahama Shores Neighborhood Association (BSNA), an active registered nonprofit
- ✔ A private, neighborhood-owned waterfront park reserved for residents
- ✔ Distinctive Florida ranch-style architecture recognized as a defined design identity
- ✔ Wide, tree-lined streets throughout the neighborhood
- ✔ Genuinely mixed demographic of young professionals, families, and retirees
- ✔ Neighborhood-owned green space maintained separately from city parks
- ✔ Streets originally laid out by city planner Henry S. Churchill
- ✔ Many original homes designed by architect George C. Buchtenkirk
- ✔ Shoreline historically filled to about eight feet above sea level in the late 1940s
- ✔ A documented pop-culture history as a filming location for the 1985 movie Cocoon
Why Do Buyers Choose Bahama Shores?
A Private Neighborhood Waterfront Park
Bahama Shores owns and maintains its own waterfront park exclusively for residents, a rare amenity among St. Petersburg's established bayfront neighborhoods.
Built Up, Not Just Built On
Developer Robert W. Lyons dredged and filled roughly a mile of shoreline to about eight feet above sea level in the late 1940s, giving many homes higher elevation than typical bayfront lots of that era.
A Hollywood Backdrop
The neighborhood served as a filming location for the 1985 movie Cocoon, a detail longtime residents still enjoy sharing with newcomers.
A Distinct Architectural Identity
Bahama Shores' Florida ranch-style homes have been recognized as a defined design identity in their own right, giving the neighborhood a cohesive look from street to street.
An Active Neighborhood Association
The Bahama Shores Neighborhood Association maintains an active presence with its own site and ongoing community programming, a sign of genuine, continuing civic engagement.
Planned by Named Professionals
City planner Henry S. Churchill laid out the streets and architect George C. Buchtenkirk designed most of the original homes, giving Bahama Shores a documented design pedigree unusual for a mid-century neighborhood.
What Should Buyers Know Before Buying in Bahama Shores?
Understand the Deed Restrictions
Bahama Shores is deed-restricted, meaning covenants govern things like exterior changes and property use. Get a current copy of the restrictions before making an offer, since they run with the land regardless of who is selling.
Seawall and Dock Condition on Waterfront Lots
For canal or bayfront lots, ask for seawall age, condition, and any permit or repair history. This is a significant line item for older waterfront property.
Flood Insurance for a Historically Filled Shoreline
The neighborhood's shoreline was filled in the late 1940s, so flood zone designation and insurance costs are worth confirming early for any specific address.
Home Age and System Condition
Most homes date to the 1940s through 1960s. Roof age, electrical, and plumbing systems are worth a close inspection, and can affect what insurers are willing to quote.
Your Bahama Shores Real Estate Expert in St. Petersburg, Florida
2025 Broker of the Year (Tampa Bay Real Producers & STAR). RealTrends Top 1.5% of Agents Nationwide. Nearly 500 transactions and almost $200M in career sales.
Who Is Liane Jamason?
Liane Jamason is the Broker/Owner of Corcoran Dwellings and a St. Petersburg waterfront specialist, with nearly 500 transactions and almost $200 million in career sales.
What Does Liane Do at Bahama Shores?
In Bahama Shores, Liane helps buyers evaluate flood zone exposure and elevation despite the neighborhood's historic engineered fill, and helps them understand the neighborhood association's role and any deed restrictions on a specific property. For sellers, she prices bayfront and interior lots correctly and markets to buyers drawn to the neighborhood's distinct ranch-style character.
Who Does Liane Help at Bahama Shores?
- ✔ Buyers searching for Bahama Shores homes for sale
- ✔ Buyers specifically drawn to Florida ranch-style architecture
- ✔ Bayfront buyers wanting private, neighborhood-owned park access
- ✔ Sellers who want to know what their Bahama Shores home is worth today
- ✔ Buyers relocating to St. Petersburg who want an established, walkable bayfront neighborhood
- ✔ Buyers comparing Bahama Shores to other south St. Petersburg waterfront neighborhoods
What Bahama Shores Problems Does Liane Help Solve?
- ✔ Flood zone designation and insurance costs despite historic elevated fill
- ✔ Deed restriction terms specific to a Bahama Shores property
- ✔ Bahama Shores Neighborhood Association membership and private park access rules
- ✔ Seawall and dock condition for bayfront lots
- ✔ Comparable sales between bayfront and interior lots
- ✔ Age-appropriate inspection for 1940s to 1960s construction
What Does Liane Specialize In at Bahama Shores?
Bahama Shores Homes
Liane helps buyers understand the real difference between bayfront and interior Bahama Shores lots.
Waterfront and Deed-Restricted Real Estate
Her practice covers flood zones, seawalls, and deed restriction considerations across St. Petersburg's bayfront neighborhoods.
Buyer and Seller Representation
Liane represents both sides of a Bahama Shores transaction, from the first showing through closing.
Why Work With Liane to Buy or Sell at Bahama Shores?
Bahama Shores combines genuine bayfront access with a distinct architectural identity and an active neighborhood association, but deed restrictions and flood zone details vary by property. Liane and her team verify those specifics for every Bahama Shores buyer and seller.
Bahama Shores, Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bahama Shores a waterfront neighborhood?
Yes. Bahama Shores sits directly on the Tampa Bay waterfront in south St. Petersburg and includes a private, neighborhood-owned waterfront park for residents.
What is the price range for homes in Bahama Shores right now?
Listings we checked started around $415,000, with recent listings in our sample reaching as high as $3,095,000. There were 10 active or pending listings on the day we checked.
How old are the homes in Bahama Shores?
Most homes date from the 1940s through the 1960s, when the neighborhood was redeveloped by Robert W. Lyons, with additional homes built from the 1970s through the 1990s.
Was Bahama Shores really used in a movie?
Yes. Bahama Shores was a filming location for the 1985 movie Cocoon, one of the neighborhood's better-known bits of local history.
What does 'deed-restricted' mean in Bahama Shores?
Bahama Shores carries deed restrictions dating to its mid-20th-century development, which can govern matters like lot use and setbacks. Buyers should request and review the specific deed restrictions for a property, along with current Bahama Shores Neighborhood Association information, before making an offer.
Where Is Bahama Shores Located in St. Petersburg?
Talk to St. Petersburg's Bahama Shores Specialist
Nearly 500 transactions. Almost $200M in sales. 2025 Broker of the Year. Let's talk about Bahama Shores, whether you are buying, selling, or just exploring your options.
Contact Us
Nearby St. Petersburg Neighborhoods
See all 96 St. Petersburg neighborhoods on the interactive neighborhood map.
