St. Pete is a city with a rich history and, lucky for us, there are still some reminders left in good working shape. At 440 2nd Ave. N., “The Greenhouse,” (formerly the Business Assistance Center, an annex of City Hall) stands unchanged after all of these years. It is the oldest school building in the ‘Burg and it was recently renamed and repurposed.

Built in 1901 as the Domestic Science and Manual Training School, the Greenhouse “was one of the earliest buildings constructed in St. Petersburg for educational purposes and the first vocational training school for children in Florida,” according to the city’s website. The building received historic landmark status in 1998.

The Greenhouse will continue to serve as a business assistance center, providing valuable resources to entrepreneurs in the area. Additional resources have been added to revitalize the program. The endeavor is a partnership between the Chamber of Commerce as well as Eckerd College, University of South Florida St. Petersburg and St. Petersburg College.

“It’s really cool because we seem to be developing new partnerships every day,” said Sean Kennedy, Greenhouse Manager and Economic Development Coordinator for the St. Pete Area Chamber of Commerce. "If you want to start a small business in this city there are some great resources available to you."

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