There's a new historic district near Downtown St. Pete. City council approved making the Mirror Lake community the city's 10th historic district. In 2022, Mirror Lake residents partnered with a local historic preservation group that works to protect St. Pete's history. Since then, the groups have been going back and forth with city leaders explaining what makes the community special. And after two years many like Ellen Hays said they finally have something to celebrate. “I consider it a perfect microcosm of what makes St. Pete special,” Hays said. Hays said she's thankful for its historic buildings, like a library built with a Carnegie grant in 1915. “I'm a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church. Which is a 1929 Mediterranean Revival Building,” Hays said. Along with the quiet, peaceful nature of Mirror Lake, which she believes stayed intact over the years. “There's so many impersonal, sterile towers sprouting up all over downtown, and here the development will be respectful of the history of St. Petersburg,” Hays said. But, not all are on board. “This is downzoning. Where we're taking the most valuable property in our community and we're scraping away the density rights that builders, developers and property owners have,” a resident said during the city council meeting. “People maybe don't have the same sort of experience particularly on the development side that I do. I'm once again here to encourage this council to oppose the Mirror Lake Historic District,” another resident said. Preserve the Burg said this recognition will ensure Mirror Lake reflects the characteristics of the district. “Local designation doesn't preclude development or limit development. We can still see development, but as one of our council members said, we like to see good development, we like to see quality development,” Manny Leto said. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/mirror-lake-st-pete-historic/67-4e8bf3e2-5e1d-4f19-bc0e-520050cdc104