The city of Treasure Island, Florida, is on the Gulf of Mexico, part of the Gulf Beaches near St. Petersburg. This city, an island just a few miles long, has remarkably preserved a dozen '50s "Space Age" Mid-Century Modern style structures, including unique
motels and signs, and three Art Moderne causeway bridges that have already been determined to be eligible on the National Register of Historic Places.

Driving through this city is like going back in time to early Las Vegas, Palm Springs or Wildwood. It is really a remarkable find. The group of men who built these places back in the '50s were called, in fact, "The Rat Pack of Treasure Island," and postcards depicting some of these motels and places -- like the Surf, the Sands, and the Sea Chest -- are highly sought after today. And yet these places still look and feel the same today, even in some cases down to the original 50s furniture in the rooms!

In fact, this island is such a treasure trove of such unique, irreplaceable 20th century architecture so well preserved that it is not hard to imagine how, with coordinated effort and a little planning, that city could be a world-class destination for it -- much like Palm Springs in California is today. When people think of "retro" roadside Florida, they think of places like Treasure Island. But sadly, today that sort of thing exists nowhere else in Florida, certainly not on the water and in such abundance as it does in Treasure Island. By capitalizing on its unique resources, Treasure Island would be one of the country's most hip vacation spots, and these motels would command high rates by retro-seeking, affluent, jet-set tourists.

So it is worth saving, but it is being systematically and strategically altered to benefit outside corporate interests. Pressure is being put on the small motel owners now to sell out so that they can demolish the properties. "Instead of repairing them, the historic causeway bridges are scheduled to be replaced with new ones whose surface stylings do not maintain the character of the place, and the city's Land Development Regulations -- the only thing that's kept these old motels, signs and structures still there -- are about to be overturned to develop high-rise condominiums and hotel chains. In 2001, the city turned down a $20,000 matching grant for a historic survey.

The Surf Motel is in immediate danger. Please contact us if you have ideas or time to help save these valuable structures.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/treasureislandfriends/

Anyone can subscribe to the list by sending an email to:

treasureislandfriends-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Press coverage of Treasure Island -
Check the following links to discover more about the ongoing preservation efforts of TI!

**Edwards, Susan F. "Burying the Past, Looting the Future: Preserving Treasure Island's unique motels could spur 'retro-tourism.'"
Weekly Planet, March 11 2004
http://www.weeklyplanet.com/2004-03-11/metropolis.html

**Dougherty, Steve. "In Florida, Can 1950's Motels Become Hip Enough to Survive?"
The New York Times, March 5 2004
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/05/travel/escapes/05PETE.html

**Zucco, Tom. "Turf War over The Surf."
St. Petersburg Times, February 9 2004
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/02/09/Southpinellas/Turf_war_over_The_Surf.shtml

**Wimmer, Amy. "There's cash in kitsch, retro promoters say."
St. Petersburg Times, September 15, 2002
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/09/15/SouthPinellas/There_s_cash_in_kitsc.shtml