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JANUARY 2024| 941.312.0665 | 27TH STATE MEDIA LLC | www.SiestaSand.us
A glorious greeting
formation For more in ge 21 turn to pa
Benderson proposal the focus By John Morton
They say the wheels of government turn slowly. Well, for those who oppose the recent efforts from Benderson Development to build a hotel on Siesta Key, a speeding locomotive may instead come to mind. Less than two months after it informed Sarasota County of its desire to construct an 85-foot, 147-room hotel upon 0.97 acres of land it owns at 5221 and 5239 Ocean Blvd. in the Village, the company on Nov. 28 received a 3-1 vote by county commissioners (with Siesta Key’s Mark Smith opposing) to pursue its process request for an amendment to the county’s comprehensive plan to allow unlimited density. All this, just a couple months after an August ruling by a county judge that said the commissioners violated their own policies in previously allowing unlimited density when approving three large hotels between the fall of 2021 and the fall of 2022. That ruling said no hotel can be taller than 35 feet or have more than 26 rooms per acre (recalculated by the judge to 36) as set forth in 1989. That amendment request by Benderson was selected exclusively in favor of two others submitted to the commission – one by Dave Balot, who in 2022 was approved for a six-story, 112-room hotel on 2.15 acres at 5810 Midnight Pass Rd. (he’s calling for 52 rooms per acre on a minimum of
Muralist Jaime Valdeiglesias works on a most welcoming message on the side of the Crescent Beach Market. (photo by John Morton)
It’s transition time The Village’s Davidson Plaza seeing new tenants and a possible new trend By Jane Bartnett Major changes are on the horizon for Davidson Plaza, the popular shopping and dining center in the heart of Siesta Village. The unexpected Oct. 28 closing of the long-standing Davidson Drugs store – it served as the anchor of the shopping center and a staple of the community for 65 years -- set the stage for new businesses in what was already a plaza in transition. Existing Davidson Plaza tenants, as well as residents and the small businesses that make up the
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Amen to worship on that soft sand
It was another doozy of a year
community, were surprised and concerned. When Davidson Drugs closed, company president Richard Davidson reported that because of the company’s agreement with Walgreens (which bought the pharmaceutical operations), leasing the space to another drug store was not permitted. That statement fueled increased speculation about what kind of retail or restaurant establishments might consider the valuable location. Continued on page 25
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This information is completely classified
Here’s to a guy who’s in command
IN OUR SECOND SECTION: • Music Calendar PAGE V3 • Village Map/business listings PAGES V8, V9 • Crescent Beach Map/ business listings PAGE V10 •Gulf Gate Shops PAGE V13
p Sho es tor In-S nline or O W NO SIESTA KEY
SWIMWEAR RESORT WEAR ACCESSORIES
1960 Stickney Pt Rd 941.922.4545
DOWNTOWN
50 N Tamiami Trl 941.954.8800
LONGBOAT
3170 Gulf of Mexico Dr 941.383.2288
www.SwimCity.com
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