Siesta Sand (section 1)- February 2024

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Hotel concerns abound

Drum circle sounds, sights a Siesta Key delight

Back-to-back workshops see high participation

By ChrisAnn Allen They have much to “take into consideration.”

This was the primary response shared by representatives of two potential Siesta Key hotel projects currently proposed when questioned by the nearly 250 people in attendance at Jan. 8 and 9 back-to-back virtual neighborhood workshops.

The session for a possible 85-foot Benderson Development hotel in the 5200 block of Ocean Boulevard in the Village was held Jan. 8 and the workshop for another hotel project, proposed at seven stories in height and nearby between Calle Miramar and Beach Road, was held Jan. 9. The current height restriction is 35 feet. Both projects would require amendments to the Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Code leading to special exceptions.

Realtor Robert Anderson is developer of the Calle Miramar proposal.

The work sessions are required by the county as part of the application process and allow people the chance to ask questions and share comments in response to the application. This information

Rain or shine, the Siesta Beach drum circle keeps the beat every Sunday night at sunset. (photo on right

by Yelena Meltok, photos on left by Paul Waters)

Continued on page 16

Final chapter for Davidson’s Just 2 months after closing of Village location, Southbridge store follows suit; family business goes back to 1958

By Jane Bartnett Once again, the sign above the entranceway to a Davidson Drugs said it all: “Thank you Sarasota for 65 remarkable years. It has been a pleasure to serve the community.”

Less than two months after the longtime family business ended on Oct. 28 its presence in the Village that went back 65 years, its second Siesta location on the south end at Southbridge Mall also experienced the same fate.

During the last week of December, a “store closing” sign emerged that noted that all inventory was 50% off. The company had already ended its pharmacy business and kept the location on Midnight Pass Road open as only a general store, but that didn’t last long.

It was in the 1960s, according to Davidson Drugs Continued on page 26

Page 5

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Page 14

Gilligan’s gets another no vote

Say ‘I Do” Again, Siesta style

It’s a business that’s booming

Happiness is…Hearts in Your Eyes Ah, February – the month of roses, chocolates, and all things romance and love! The folks at Abel’s Ice Cream are excited to celebrate with you.

Is there anything more special than a date with your sweetheart to a local ice cream parlor?

Friendly faces at Abel’s are ready to help you impress your special someone with traditional flavors like our award-winning chocolate or vanilla. Or go wild with their special love-inspired holiday flavors like Strawberry Cheesecake (the ultimate classic cheesecake ice cream loaded with chunks of creamy cheesecake and a flavorful strawberry ribbon), or Cherry Oblivion (creamy black cherry ice cream loaded with black cherries & luscious liquid chocolate chips).

If delicious, decadent chocolates are calling your name, Abel’s famous specialty chocolatier, Sweet Shop USA, lives up to their name. Check out their amazing variety of white, milk, and dark chocolate creations.

Come celebrate love at Abel’s Ice Cream. Life is too short to skip the sweet stuff! Abel’s Ice Cream is located at 1886 Stickney Point Road, Sarasota in the South Bridge Plaza. Open Sunday through Thursday from Noon-9:30 pm, and Friday and Saturday from Noon-10 pm. Learn more online at www.abelsicecream.com or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

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Greetings from the Gulf Signing off on some good things, some bad things; and someone signing on as a Michigan menace

By John Morton

S

ure, I’ll admit I once threatened Bobby Schneck’s life when he stopped a sizzling set at the stroke of 10 p.m. Hell, I was just about to break out my windmill air guitar/ moonwalk combo!

However, I can’t imagine what kind of music-requesting condition I’d be in come 2 a.m. if establishments were allowed to rock-it-out that late. I mean, for how many hours can a guy scream “Free Bird!” before he wakes up the neighbors?

Worse yet, the poor fella never even asked “What song is it you want to hear?”

Indeed, it just has to be the best for all concerned that Gilligan’s was denied its request for music until its closing time -- backed recently by a special magistrate’s recommendation. (See story on page 5.)

And, yes, it’s unfair that some other nearby venues have been granted permission to host live music later than the countymandated 10 p.m. shutdown time. The fact it has happened is yet another example of uneven, and probably incompetent, and possibly corrupt government being applied to Siesta Key from a building downtown.

Meanwhile, I always chuckled that the late-night request was coming from a place officially doing business as Nocturnal Properties. Had it been approved, the Terrace condos would have had to share that same name.

*** Rumor has it that another pizza parlor is going in where Pizza N’ Brew flamed out, at the entrance to Crescent Plaza.

The fact that Pizza N’ Brew’s torn banner sign is finally gone certainly is an indicator. The new business could be tossing the dough by the end of February, I’m told.

And thank goodness. The south end of the Key needs chow-down outlets and I can’t imagine how a decent establishment can’t flourish there. No pie-in-the-sky dreams required.

As for the place that was for decades called City Pizza, I recall countless visits in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s when, I’m pretty sure, it was the only pizza that delivered late and quite possibly at times the only traditional pizza provider on the Key. I’ll go as far as to suggest a second pizza joint will eventually be needed down there. And then a third. *** Kudos to the citizens of Siesta Key, and those off the island who share a question or concern about its future, for tuning in for the two neighborhood workshops in January. (See our story on the front page of this issue.)

As for these give-and-takes having the option of being virtual, that’s just chicken-bleep and the county commissioners should be ashamed for supporting such a cop-out.

You may recall they were allowed to go online during COVID-19 and, when our own Mark Smith reminded his colleagues that they should go

back to being held in-person, the others said no to that.

Our Siesta Key Association even invited the facilitators to hold it in conjunction with the civic group’s Jan. 4 meeting at St. Boniface. And, of course, it was a big ol’ nope.

The idea that one was first scheduled for Dec. 21, knowing holiday plans would limit interest, and then coming back with consecutive nights -- likely in hopes of overkill and meeting burnout -- was equally disingenuous.

Sure enough, because they could, the hosts left many questions unanswered when they pulled the plug at their own discretion. Had everyone been in a meeting hall ... well, good luck with that kind of exit.

By the way, a tip of the hat to hopeful hotelier Dave Balot for conducting his workshops on site and with his face behind his message. He seems to understand that a workshop is more than just a procedural obligation. *** The Crescent Club, known as a Michigan football bar whose patrons recently saw the Wolverines win it all, had a little rain-on-your-parade attempt come from none other than Urban Meyer -- the former mega-nemesis Ohio State coach.

Next door there’s Captain Curt’s, of course, and it prides itself as Buckeye heaven. Meyer not only wandered on over to the Crescent Club, he had a laugh as he signed a Michigan banner with: “Urban Meyer was here ... 7-0” -- referring to his record as OSU coach against

Urban Meyer (left) with Crescent Club owner Gary Kompothecras.

Below, Meyer’s handy work provided a banner moment for some lucky thief. (photos courtesy of Crescent Club)

the Maize and Blue.

I’ve been told that Meyer’s family owns a place on the Key near the north bridge.

Anyway, I love the fact that side-bar-side bars share such a fun and intense rivalry. And what’s strange is the fact that the Captain Curt’s owners, the Stewarts, are from Michigan and the Crescent Club owner, Gary Kompothecras, is a New Yorker.

But smart businessmen, clearly.

The banner would be stolen shortly thereafter, Crescent Club manager Mary Pisano reports.

One of my favorite football moments recently is when my buddy Andy Vandecaveye, a devoted Michigan Man who lives in Midnight Cove, dressed up as

Jim Harbaugh and, complete with binoculars, walked up to the Sniki Tiki crowd and zoomed on in.

Yes, he’s still alive and well -- clam chowder shower notwithstanding.

(John Morton is managing editor of Siesta Sand.)

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Island’s luxury-home inventory sees 2 additions

By Jane Bartnett Siesta Key has new additions to its inventory of high-priced luxury homes.

One is in Hidden Harbor, located along the eastern side of Midnight Pass Road, where a soon-to-be-completed property has emerged at 5191 Jungle Plum Rd. with a price tag of $19.95 million. It hit the market on the last day of December.

The community is a private enclave of only 36 homes located on three deeply foliaged streets. Listing agent Joel Schemmel of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty describes Hidden Harbor as a “charming old-Florida-style community.”

Designed by Sarasota-based DSDG Architects and brokered by Schemmel, the 8,165-square foot, six-bedroom, eightbathroom residence on .740 acres is under construction and expected to be completed

by June.

Entrepreneur Randy Nicolau purchased the property in 2018 for $2.5 million. He’s the CEO and co-founder of Poppin, a New York City-based manufacturer of workspace

New listings with a price beyond $15 million have emerged at 5191 Jungle Plum Rd. (artist’s rendering) and 8218 Sanderling Rd. (submitted photo). They are among four island listings now in that category.

furniture and accessories, and served as the president of Playboy Entertainment for four years in the early 2000s.

According to national news reports, when Nicolau was unable to find a modern Siesta

Key home that he liked he decided to raze the structure and build a new house to his own specifications.

As he watched the Siesta Key luxury market climb, Nicolau made the decision to

sell his home.

“Sarasota is quickly establishing itself as the young person’s Naples, with an unprecedented number of homes being offered at this price point and an amazing cultural and restaurant scene,” he told the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

When finished, the residence will feature 150 feet of deep-water frontage and a dock designed to service yachts and boats for sport fishing or cruising.

The main bedroom will have a spacious private balcony and a spa-like bathroom.

All five guest bedrooms feature ensuite bathrooms and three have patio access.

An oversized infinity pool, complete with a sun shelf and spa, are part of the exterior features. A balcony with views of downtown Sarasota, along with a floor-to-ceiling wine wall and a four-car garage, are also among the many attributes that luxury buyers may find intriguing.

Continued on page 20

LOVE A B U N D A N T LY Savor every moment and do more of what you love with the special people in your life.

To schedule a tour and to learn more, please call us at 941.966.5611 BAYVILL AGE.ORG

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Later live music at Gilligan’s denied

Continued on page 12

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By ChrisAnn Allen It’s not sounding good for Gilligan’s.

Following more than a year of hearings and negotiations, Sarasota County special magistrate Scott Steady on Jan. 12 issued a recommendation stating that Nocturnal Properties -- owner of Gilligan’s Island Bar & Grill -should not be given another chance to provide live music as late as 2 a.m. “… the magistrate finds that the denial was not unreasonable and did not unfairly burden the use of the property,” Steady stated.

The recommendation comes after a failed mediation attempt at a settlement between attorney Casey Colburn, who represents Gilligan’s, and assistant county attorney David Pearce. Gilligan’s, located in the Siesta Village at 5253 Ocean Blvd., had hoped the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners would reconsider its request after first denying it Jan. 31 of 2023.

Currently, Gilligan’s must cease live music at 10 p.m., per county ordinance. It would need a special exception to have it go longer. The establishment closes at 2 a.m.

The application for the special exception was initially heard by the Sarasota County Planning Commission on Dec. 1, 2022, where it was unanimously approved by five of nine members present. According to Colburn, changes to the application, which did not make it into the report presented to planning commissioners, were made between staff and Gilligan’s representatives, eliminating use of a back parking lot that faces a residential neighborhood.

This was explained by Colburn to the planning commission, which then approved the application with stipulations.

However, when the application was next presented to the county

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Vows get wows on this special day Judge Stephen Walker will lead the love for a second straight year on a day that’s the ultimate escape from his duties

By Jane Bartnett

O

n Valentine’s Day, hundreds of couples are expected to take part in the annual Say “I Do” Again ceremony on Siesta Beach.

Beginning at 6 p.m., as the sun sets on the horizon, Sarasota County 12th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Stephen Walker lead couples in renewing their wedding vows.

The non-denominational Feb. 14 ceremony will conclude at 7 p.m.

Held each year under the auspices of the Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department, the event has become a treasured Siesta Key moment.

Check-in at Siesta Beach begins at 4:30 p.m. By 5 p.m., the music begins and light refreshments are served as couples mingle and find their place on the beach where they will once again say those magic words.

This year marks Walker’s second year serving as officiant stationed upon a roses-adorned podium. He recalled last year’s Valentine’s Day ceremony, his first, as a very special day.

“It was a great ceremony,” he said. “The sun was out, the water was calm, and it was perfect.

Getting to be a part of something like this is very uplifting.

“From my vantage point, I have the best view.”

And looking ahead to the joyous occasion like this is meaningful for him, especially when you consider his occupation.

“We often see families in

Left, Judge Stephen Walker addresses the lovebirds on Siesta Beach during the annual Say “I Do” Again ceremony. Above, a beautiful sand scultpure sets the sunset mood for those in attendance. (photos courtesy of Sarasota County)

distress,” Walker said. “Looking out at a sea of people where everyone is smiling is special.

“Last year, when the ceremony was over, people came to tell me how important it was to them. This is an opportunity to give back to the public.”

In 2023, 310 couples attended the

vow renewal. Dating back some four decades ago, the tradition has become an annual and important event for many couples.

In years past, brides have come to the beach wearing the wedding veils that they first wore on their wedding day. Some couples arrive in what fashion critics might call

“formal beach attire.”

There are couples who have been married for many years, newlyweds, and those who come to simply publicly share their love for their each other.

And when Walker concludes the ceremony there’s a chance to dance on the sandy shores and snap a few photos at the beautifully designed heart-shaped photo displays and kissing booths that have been set up to capture happy memories of

the special day.

To learn more about the ceremony on Wednesday, visit Sarasotacountyparks.com. To register, call the central reservation number at (941) 861-7275.

The pre-registration fee for those who sign up prior to Feb. 11 is $15; for those who sign on afterward it is $25.

Participants who sign-up in advance receive a commemorative certificate and small gift bag.

On-site registration is also allowed at $25, but does not include the keepsakes.

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Reviewed December 18, 2023

★★★★★ Tara H. via TripAdvisor SECOND VISIT

Now accepting reservations for Valentines Day! Treat your Valentine to some Seafood Delights!

From the Market...

Large selection of fresh seafood.

Special Orders Welcome!

Stone Crab Season Starts October 15th.

Fresh Catch Market & Grill has the Freshest & Best Stone Crabs in Sarasota Area

This was our second visit, this time with family from Minneapolis near Christmas. WHAT a perfect delicious dinner on all levels! My daughter's family, very discerning food critics, said the Dungeness crab was equal to the best they had in Latin America. They inhaled their supper with gusto!

We love the more natural low key atmosphere and the close proximity of the staff to the dining area. This helps them too in observing guest experience, valuable feedback.

The fresh fish selection of approximately 8-10 varieties is impressive and well represented with truly delicious options. We had their fresh steamed clams in butter — small super fresh and so sweet. Even saved the broth to make homemade Italian clam marinara later!

And their crab cake was amazing.

From the Grill

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Meet the one-man Siesta fiesta John Sallazzo brings the laid-back tunes to life as Siesta John

By Jane Bartnett

M

eet Siesta John, Siesta Key’s very own one-man band.

A singer who accompanies himself on guitar while operating a keyboard with both feet, Siesta John has been delighting audiences on the Key and all-around Sarasota for years. Anyone who hears him perform could easily think that he’s a singer with a four-piece band.

How does he do it? The secret, he says, is his portable Yamaha keyboard and what he calls “organ-type foot pedals.” Working together, the devices create the sound of an ensemble.

“It sounds as though I have backup singers too, but it’s just me,” he declared.

When not performing at the Siesta Key, downtown Sarasota, and Phillippi Estate Park farmers markets, or at other local private events, the musician known as Siesta John is, in real life, John Sollazzo.

Earlier in his career, before music became his side gig here on Siesta Key, Sollazzo spent 28 years as a General Electric human resource senior executive. His days with GE took him and his family around the globe. Beginning in Schenectady, New York, there were stops in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Hong Kong and Japan.

“I loved it,” he said looking back on his time.

In 2005, at age 54, Sollazzo retired from GE. When old friends from Massachusetts invited Sollazzo and his wife to visit them on Siesta Key, the next chapter of his life began.

“We went out on a boat ride with a friend of theirs who was a builder. Our plan was to retire in New Hampshire, but three days after that boat ride we bought a condo from that builder,” Sollazzo said. “My wife, who had designed several homes in the past, designed it and he built it.”

Siesta Key became their home and Sollazzo had the time to get back to his musical roots that began during his high school days as a student at New York City’s prestigious Stuyvesant High School.

“Music has been a hobby of mine since I was 14 years old. It’s a portable hobby that I was able to take overseas,” he said with a laugh. “I loved cars and motorcycles, but music went with me. When I was with GE, I always had a guitar in my office.”

In the early days, Sollazzo’s band even made a local splash.

“In high school, I was part of a four-piece band called the CPO’s. We played at the

Left, Siesta John with his ‘67 Volvo Woody Wagon; below, ready to perform on Siesta Key and, years earlier, playing guitar in Hong Kong while friends sing along. (photo on left by Jane Bartnett; submitted photos below

Cedar Grove Beach Clubhouse in Staten Island and I sang and played rhythm guitar,” he said.

The band changed its name to Sweet Wine, performed at high school dance, and enjoyed other local bookings. Then, as a college student at the State University of New York in Albany, he played lead guitar with the Otto Road band at area colleges and clubs.

When his career with GE took him to the Boston area, he joined another group called Spectrum, a quartet. He was a singer and guitarist.

Along the way, Sollazzo met one of the owners of Fender Musical Instruments and he discovered the Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, bass pedals. It changed the way that he plays music.

Controlling the MIDI with his feet, the musician can also play the portable keyboard or the guitar. “I’m able to play major, minor, and seventh chords in real time and am able

to produce the sound of a four-piece band without any pre-recorded backing tracks,” he said.

With his MIDI, Sollazzo began perfecting his versatile musical skills at private parties in New England and Hong Kong. Performing at the Hong Kong American Club in Exchange Square, he said, is a fond memory.

After settling into his new life on Siesta Key, Sollazzo devoted more time to his music and Siesta John became his new professional name. He explained, “It’s so much easier to remember!”

With his trusty musical equipment in tow, Siesta John makes approximately 50 appearances a year throughout the Siesta Key region. “I do gigs all year round,” he said. “And, of course, I have to practice, too.”

In the new year, fans of Siesta John can hear him perform his easy-going upbeat music that hits just the right notes for this island lifestyle.

“I’ll also be at the Phillippi Estate Park Brown Bag Concert Series this winter,” he noted. It’s held every Thursday at noon in February and March, and Sollazzo is scheduled for Feb. 15.

He also gets a lot of requests to play at Jimmy Buffett parties, welcome-back snowbird parties, and homeowners association events.

Siesta John’s casual tunes have won him many loyal followers who enjoy his take on not only Buffett, but the Eagles, Beatles, Motown, classic rock, and country.

“I don’t play clubs and I’m no fan of karaoke,” he said. “During my earlier career, I was lucky to work with the coolest, brightest people on earth.

“And now, I just love living on Siesta Key and playing my music.”

To hear Siesta John’s music and to check his schedule for upcoming performances, visit siestajohn.com.

Your Go-To Store on the Island Morton’s Siesta Market is your one-stop shop for easy island living. We offer a large selection of staple groceries, beer and wine, as well as fresh produce, meats and seafood.

In keeping with our Morton’s tradition, we also carry a delicious array of prepared foods, perfect for take-out, picnics, parties and more.

Please stop in and say hello!

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Making it easier to make some waves

By Ned Steele

A

h, the joys of owning a boat! Buying it ... financing it … insuring it ... cleaning it … maintaining it … repairing it … storing it … worrying about storms …. and so on.

Or, you could call Tonya Lee. Lee is the friendly manager at Waves Boat & Social Club, just over the south bridge at 1530 Stickney Point Rd., and she and the Waves team will do all the work for you, leaving you with one simple task: Get out on the water and have a good time.

Waves, as its promotional material says, is “an affordable and worry-free alternative to owning or renting a boat.”

The proposition is straightforward -- you demonstrate to Waves that you can handle a boat, you hand over a lump sum once a year (far less than the cost of buying), and you’re eligible to take out any of the 60 or so boats the business owns, full or half day, as often as you like (pending availability) at no extra cost except for gas.

There are pontoon boats, flat bottoms, deck boats, and fishing boats -- mostly between 20- and 24-footers.

“No yachts,” said Waves director Aaron Dressel.

Most of the approximately 500 Waves members head for the Intracoastal Waterway and surrounding waters, with Big Pass, New Pass, and Longboat Key among the most popular destinations. They can go out for the morning, afternoon, or all day. Boaters can also book for overnight, if they have a safe dock to anchor in for the evening. Night boating is not permitted.

No one gets out on the water until they pass a threehour training course to the satisfaction of the Waves team.

Some members need to take it a few times, but all pass eventually.

“We’ll keep training people until they feel ready,” Dressel explained.

Key skills that Waves requires its boaters to master include anchoring, throttling, reversing, navigating, and calling for help. Even co-pilots and passengers are expected to know the latter.

All boats have a VHF radio on board for emergencies, but boaters who need assistance or have questions usually just whip out their cellphones. Life vests, fish and depth finders, and a compass are all standard

equipment. As an added convenience, a dockmaster is always on hand to assist the return to the dock.

The company owns the boats, and assumes all the financial obligations. Unless you run aground, crash, or break something.

It doesn’t happen often, Dressel and Lee say, but if it does it will cost you something. It’s not terrible -- the maximum damage charge is $2,500, and Waves offers insurance that lowers the individual liability to $200.

One thing that Waves hasn’t had too much trouble with is storms. When one comes, Dressel said, “We batten down the hatches.”

Damage to boats from Ian, for example, was limited to decks littered with roof shingles that had flown off buildings lining the marina on both sides. “We’re pretty sheltered here,” Lee explained.

Dressel, a former golf pro, and his wife, Carissa, started the business 20 years ago. She’s the top banana, the company president. Now there are five locations in the area: Philippi, West Bradenton, Venice, and Englewood.

Bob Bolier of Sarasota has been “a happy member of Waves for seven years.” He and his girlfriend reserve a deck or pontoon boat about once a week in season, load it up with friends and family, and cruise the Intracoastal Waterway. Sometimes they dock for lunch or stop for a swim off a sandbar.

“I never owned a boat and wouldn’t want to,” Bolier said. “This is a very convenient way to enjoy the water without the hassle of ownership.”

The cost of entry to the Waves club is a one-time initiation fee of $4,900 and annual dues based on the plan chosen which include weekday only, unlimited, or partial year. The dues range from $2,150 to $3800 yearly, with various options.

And what about the “social” part of the Waves club name?

If you yearn for even more fun than the pleasure taking a boat out to fish or chill for the day hassle-free, you can join your fellow club members for occasional sunset cruises, dinner cruises, and even bowling.

No training required for participation in those.

To learn more about Waves, call (866) 857-1018 or visit WavesBoatClub.com.

Above,, Aaron Dressel of Waves Boat & Social Club waves hello while upon a beautiful craft. Below, part of the company’s fleet waits to head out to the open waters while staged at 1530 Stickney Point Rd near the south bridge. (photos by Ned Steele)

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commission, changes to the staff report were not completed and the parking lot was still included, Colburn said. The commission voted it down 4-1, with Commissioner Mark Smith, a Siesta Key resident, casting the sole supporting vote. Then, near the end of the meeting, an additional motion for reconsideration was voted down 3-2.

Steady’s response to this concern stated, “Although I acknowledge the staff report could have been clearer and more accurate, after a number of viewings of the video of the Jan. 31, 2023 hearing, I believe it was clear to the board …” that the special exception excluded the back parking lot.

Gilligan’s Island Bar & Grill is located at 5253 Ocean Blvd. (file photo)

During a Dec. 19 mediation session, Colburn also challenged the county commissioners’ individual statements for denial, and asserted none of the commissioners provided evidence that live music would be any louder than recorded music, which currently is permitted past 10 p.m..

Steady’s response stated the

resolution adopted by the board to deal with the matter “lists the lack of mitigation efforts to address certain compatibility issues and states ‘specifically no enhanced buffers, noise mitigation or set location areas for music outdoors.’”

When asked if Gilligan’s would continue to pursue later live music, Colburn wrote “TBD.”

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Maintain that Youthful Look with Microcurrent Treatments Microcurrent Facials are a powerful anti-aging treatment that tightens and tones facial muscles and stimulates and neck, restoring suppleness and a youthful glow while tightening the facial muscles. This machine based treatment sends electrical impulses of very low voltage but high frequency through the skin resulting in a more youthful appearance. Crow’s feet begin to disappear, eyebrows lift, and cheekbones are more defined.

Clients normally fall asleep during the facial as it is extremely relaxing and painless. There is no downtime and clients may go outside with no concerns after treatments. Spa Director, Connie Lewis has been performing micro-current facials since 2005 after learning the technology during her studies at Fashion Focus Academy where she earned by the results I personally experienced on my own face I immediately acquired the machine right out of school,” says Lewis.

Results of the treatments are cumulative and the best visible results are after a series of 5- 10 treatments then monthly or weekly treatments are recommended depending on skin condition and desired result.

The system is completely safe and treatment is non-invasive. The current is extremely low, less than the output of a pacemaker. The system operates on a per-programmed setting and contains calibrated internal data monitoring and resistance meters. This allows full comfort to the client as well as optimal performance and results for the operator.

Microcurrent treatments are usually performed within 45-60 minutes, and are usually prescribed in a series of 6 to 12 treatments over a course of 60 days with one to two treatments a week recommended for maximum results.

The number of sessions in a series is complete, a monthly “booster” treatment is required to maintain results.

Our non-invasive treatment usually offers noticeable results even after just one session and effectively gives you Like exercise for the other parts of the body, the facial muscles need a regular workout to achieve good muscle tone. Muscle reeducation by microcurrent is often referred to as “sculpting” and “lifting.”

The lifting and strengthening action have an accumulative effect on the face with each systematic series of treatments, increasing the holding action of the muscles. Through repeated sessions, facial muscles will hold their tone. Just like the stomach muscles will “re-tone” after repeated sessions of sit-ups. During the initial program, we recommend one to two visits a week with the total number depending on the individual needs. A typical course of treatment will range from six to twelve sessions. And after that a visit once a month is usually all that is required to maintain good facial muscle tone and youthful appearance.

When you stop exercising the body, over a period of time the muscle will lose their increased tone and the face. It will not suddenly “fall,” but overtime will begin to resume its normal aging process.

Most individuals will see immediate changes in ADVERTORIAL

specialist can lift half of your face to show you the difference compared to the other side. But the improvement is increasingly obvious over a period of time with the series of sessions. Results depend What can microcurrent do for you?

Originally developed for treating facial palsy, microcurrent in the esthetic realm can: • Re-educate muscles • Increase blood and lymph circulation • Enhance the penetration of the active ingredients of skin care formulations • Increase the production of collagen and elastin • Increase protein synthesis, gluconeogenesis and cell membrane transport.

Additionally, research has shown that microcurrent may help with anti-aging at an even deeper level. In 1982, researcher Ngok Cheng led a study that provided hard evidence of microcurrent’s role in cellular vitality by proving that microcurrent increased levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in lab-rat skin cells by 500 percent. ATP is the fuel a cell needs to function.

Actually, ATP is a really big deal as it is the energy that fuels all biochemical functions in the body. It boosts protein synthesis, necessary for tissue repair.

If you are interested in seeing the results on yourself, you can book an appointment online at spaexperiencesiestakey.com or by calling 941-349-4833.

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Are your investments matching your goals?

Sarasota Local Brings Experience & Trust to Siesta Key

As you go through life, you’ll have various financial goals — and to achieve them, you’ll need to invest. But just recognizing the need to invest is not as useful as matching specific types of accounts or investments with specific goals.

How can you make these connections?

Let’s look at some common goals and how they could possibly be met with appropriate accounts and investments: • Saving for a down payment on a house – When you’re saving for a down payment, you want a certain amount of money available at a certain time — so, for this goal, you won’t want to take too much risk. Consequently, you might consider investing in certificates of deposit (CDs), which will pay you regular interest payments and return your principal when the CDs mature. CDs are issued in a range of maturities, from one month to 10 years. Other vehicles you might consider are money market accounts or other cash

equivalents.

• Saving for a child’s education – If you have children, and you’d like to help them pay for some form of higher education, you may want to consider a 529 education savings plan. Any earnings growth in a 529 plan is federally tax free, provided the withdrawals are used for qualified education

expenses, and you may also receive state tax benefits.

A 529 plan can be used for college, approved trade school programs, student loan repayments and some K-12 costs.

And if the child you’ve named as a beneficiary chooses not to continue their education, and doesn’t need the money in a 529 plan, you can generally switch beneficiaries to another immediate family member.

• Saving for retirement – This is the one goal that will remain consistent throughout your working years — after all, you could spend two or even three decades in retirement, so you’ll need to accumulate as many financial resources as you can to pay for those years. Fortunately, you likely have access to several good retirement-savings vehicles.

If you work for a business, you might have a 401(k) plan, which offers you the chance to put away money on a tax-deferred basis. (If you have a Roth option in your

Sheriff’s Report Dec. 2, burglary Complainant watches over an apartment when the occupant is out of town. Complainant checked on the residence at 2 p.m. due to a window being open, which was unusual since the occupant was not in town.

Upon entering, complainant noticed someone had broken the rear door off the frame and made a mess inside the apartment. He stated he had checked on the apartment two days prior and it was undisturbed at that time.

Complainant stated he had called early in the morning to report a suspicious person on the property.

Deputies had arrived and unaware that a crime had been committed on the property escorted the person off the property.

Deputies dusted for fingerprints on the scene. Upon further investigation the suspicious person escorted off the property was

located and charged with burglary.

Dec. 7, theft Complainant noticed his chairs and pillows were missing from the outside stairs landing area. A Christmas wreath from the front door was also missing.

Deputies canvassed for the items and for surveillance video. No items were located on the property and one camera was identified at the entrance.

Video surveillance was requested.

Dec. 10, battery A fight broke out at a Village bar.

The manager of the establishment reported the incident.

The incident was partially captured on video and was reviewed by deputies. Victims indicated that one was punched in the face and the other was struck multiple times.

Victims suffered bloody noses.

Based upon the investigation the suspect was charged with battery.

Dec. 13, theft Victim went to the beach and left wallet in the outer pocket of beach bag. The bag was left alone briefly when the victim went into the water. Members of the victim’s group were also sitting nearby.

When victim got to car it was discovered that the wallet was missing. Searched car and other areas and it was not located.

Dec. 29, theft Complainant contact the sheriff’s office to report that someone has stolen his Christmas wreath. The wreath was mounted on the front door of his residence.

Evidence suggests the suspect walked up on his grass, went to the front door, took the wreath off, and walked away with it.

401(k), your withdrawals can be tax free, although, unlike a traditional 401(k), your contributions won’t lower your taxable income.)

If you work for a public school or a nonprofit organization, you may be able to participate in a 403(b) plan, which is quite similar to a 401(k), and the same is true if you work for a state or local government, where you might have a 457(b) plan.

And even if you invest in any of these plans, you can probably also contribute to an IRA, which gives you another chance to invest on a tax-deferred basis (or tax-free basis, if you’re eligible for a Roth IRA). Try to take full advantage of whatever retirement plans are available to you.

Here’s one final point to keep in mind: While some investments and accounts are appropriate for certain goals, they may not necessarily be suitable for your individual situation — so keep all your options in mind and take the steps that are right for you.

Joe St. Onge, ChFC® Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Investments 5011 Ocean Blvd., suite 205 Siesta Key, FL 34242 (941)-346-0560 phone (941)-320-4030 mobile Joe.StOnge@edwardjones.com This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

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Left, Casey Daniels (behind bar) chats with a couple of familiar Siesta Key fellas.

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ood + Beer, the welcoming neighborhood restaurant that’s one of the most popular eateries in Gulf Gate, has become a major player in the Sarasota restaurant scene -- and even beyond.

Since opening in Gulf Gate’s own Superior Avenue in 2018, it has seen the rapid-fire opening of four other locations in greater Sarasota and one in Lakeland.

That makes six in those six years.

Owners Mike Whalen of Riverview High School and Casey Daniels, two guys who met while working as managers in the corporate restaurant business in the early 2000s, have taken their concept of offering a friendly atmosphere while combined with great food, a vast selection of draft beers and a full shelf of top-grade liquors, to new heights.

“We seem to have found the recipe for success,” said Daniels.

In 2019, the Fruitville Road location became their second restaurant. It was soon followed by locations in Bradenton in 2021 and Venice in 2022. In January 2023, the pair opened their downtown Sarasota restaurant and in August 2023 the duo opened in Lakeland.

That most-recent location was a departure from their Sarasota base but Daniels explained it is a growth area -- and the newest restaurant is indeed thriving.

“We’re just two guys who open up restaurants,” said Daniels. “We’re gonna keep doing it that way. We’re self-funded and our plan is to open one new store a year.”

Looking back on their growth during the past six years that took them through the COVID-19 years, Daniels recalled that early on the partners focused on success.

“We put everything we had on the table when we opened the first Food + Beer in Gulf Gate. We decided on the name Food + Beer because we didn’t have a liquor license at the time,” he said.

The concept appears simple, yet Daniels explained that as the pair opened new restaurants it kept their focus on the concept that propelled them to success at the Gulf Gate location.

“We listen to what people are looking for. We’re not sportsoriented all the time,” he said.

By Jane Bartnett In fact, at different times of the day, the clientele may be made up primarily families or people going out for a casual meal with friends.

On a big game day, Food + Beer takes on a sports bar feeling but on a Sunday morning it’s a brunch crowd.

“We opened an arcade in the Gulf Gate restaurant for people who want to go out late at night and have something to do. Earlier in the evening, kids and families enjoy stopping in the arcade.

“The focus is always on having a place to drop by wind down and have something good to eat.”

Having created a model that works with strong neighborhood appeal, he has understood that there is a continuing need and interest in establishing a comfortable scene where people can feel at home.

“We’ve worked hard to make Food + Beer be a place that everyone can be comfortable,” Daniels said.

That, he explained, includes attention to the atmosphere as well as the menu.

“The menu is always fresh.

Everything here is made from scratch,” he said.

Meanwhile, the decor in every Food + Beer is similar in design -- comfortable seating at the bar, in booths and at tables; lots of wood; and interesting murals by local Sarasota artist David Lee. They provide that feel.

Daniels also said that Food + Beer’s new seasonal menu offerings have been a success and a good way to try-out new recipes. The “Winter Flavors Menu” features Rangoon mozzarella sticks, Korean beef bowl, and lamb burgers. The spring months will bring new items as well.

Trivia is among the joint’s popular draws, and it takes center stage on Wednesday evenings beginning at 6:30 p.m. Then, every Saturday and Sunday there’s that extensive weekend brunch menu featuring a bottomless mimosa bar from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It has been a hit.

Going forward, Gulf Gate continues to be the base and touchpoint for Whalen and Daniels.

“Gulf Gate, like all of Sarasota, is booming. We couldn’t be happier there,” said Daniels. “After all, Gulf Gate is a place that people love to hang out.”

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Hotel workshops is then provided to the county as part of the application and provide the developer with an opportunity to incorporate the suggestions or make changes to the application based on community response.

The request discussed Jan. 8 includes modifying the comprehensive plan to provide for transient accommodations on Siesta Key, amending the UDC to classify transient accommodations as a nonresidential use and a special exception to permit the development of a hotel with a proposed height greater than 35 feet within the CG/SKOD (Commercial General/Siesta Key Overlay District).

The project discussed Jan. 9 also would be subject to the same comp plan and UDC amendments as those laid out Jan. 8.

The comprehensive plan is a staterequired roadmap for growth within a community and contains plans for transportation, capital improvement, economic and coastal development, as well as environmental protections. The unified development code contains the zoning map, outlining density and intensity requirements and is subject to the comp plan. A special exception is required for any changes and only is granted by the county commission is cases where a property owner is deemed “burdened” by the codes.

Both workshops were hosted by KimleyHorn, an engineering, planning and design consultant with an office in Sarasota. Philip DiMaria, a planner with the firm, along with Bill Merrill, an attorney with the Icard Merrill firm in Sarasota, led the Jan. 8 workshop. Kelley Klepper, also a planner with Kimley-Horn, spoke during the Jan. 9 meeting with Merrill again in attendance to answer questions and respond to statements.

The workshops are one step in the county approval/denial process for the amendments and special exception. Following the sessions, the application, including information from the neighborhood session, is reviewed by members of 15 county departments, known collectively as the Development Review Coordination

941.312.0665

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Continued from page 1

(DRC), which provides comments to the applicants before it moves to the planning commission for a formal public hearing.

Planning commissioners will vote and make a recommendation to approve/deny to the county commission, which will then hold two hearings on the matters and make the final approval or denial for each project.

If approved in the first public hearing, the proposed comp plans amendments are reviewed for consistency by the state.

If found consistent, the amendments will be heard a second time by the county commission. The comp plan amendments require a supermajority of four out of five votes to be approved.

SKV Hotel Following a presentation of the elements present in the application for the Village hotel -- which is proposed to replace side-byside strip centers where Flavio’s restaurant is located and is for now being identified as SKV Hotel -- the bulk of the session was spent answering questions and responding to comments by those in attendance.

One of the first to speak was Siesta Key resident Lourdes Ramirez, president of Siesta Key Community and a vocal opponent of the hotel projects who led the charge in two winning lawsuits -- one in 12th Judicial Circuit Court (county) and the other with the Division of Administrative Hearings (state) which ruled the county commission violated its own policies in previously allowing unlimited density when approving three large hotels between the fall of 2021.

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 March of 1989. The judges determined amendments must be made to the comp plan to move forward with the hotel applications, hence the current proposals.

Included in the comp plan amendments for which Benderson is seeking approval is one eliminating room counts for residential density.

Ramirez asked about the effect of the

The spot in the Village (signified by the star) that would be home to a Benderson Development hotel. (image courtesy of Sarasota County)

hotel on evacuations for residents and said Benderson was proposing not evacuating hotel patrons and paying for extended evacuation times during a storm event.

Merrill responded they are “not proposing to not evacuate visitors” and said they are proposing mitigation and following state statutes, without further clarification of the proposal.

Attendee Katherine Jones asked if the applicant was planning a traffic study.

“Because traffic is already ridiculous at times on Siesta Key, and I can’t see how putting in an 85-foot-tall hotel is going to help the traffic situation,” she said. “So, we need to understand what you are going to do about that.”

DiMaria responded they are “sensitive to that,” and “understand that’s been a big part of the discussion,” so as part of the preapplication they will discuss the methodology with the county, to be performed prior to

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“We’ll work to understand existing traffic conditions and opportunities to mitigate any impacts of the projects or the proposals that you’ve heard today,” DiMaria said.

Meanwhile, Benderson is proposing a 15% cap on hotels on about 44-plus acres remaining for available commercial land.

Currently, there is no cap. However, the four current proposed hotels in play would cover 5.23 acres of 6.6 available, according to the equation.

Mark Spiegel, a national commercial developer and co-founder/former president of the Siesta Key Coalition, an organization founded to preserve the character of the Key, asked if the county plans to do a benchmarking study of best practices of other barrier islands and coastal counties in the state to look at their density limitations.

Continued on next page

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Hotel workshops He said the intensity proposed would drive-up sewage, traffic, utility and pedestrian use.

He also said even the most intense development in the state, on International Boulevard in Orlando, has a 60-room-per-acre restriction.

Merrill responded, “I can’t tell you what the county is going to do,” and added there are other aspects that restrict room count on hotels and density that will be

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Continued from previous page

used to determine room count, including parking, which often restricts development.

Said Spiegel, “Now, with the lawsuits happening and the judges pretty much said the arguments that were made were invalid, I would think our county would want to step back from getting themself into another lawsuit and do some benchmarking and professional planning before just

throwing out density restrictions, which is very atypical across the country.

“I think we have to agree that you are setting a precedent here,” he added, noting other developers soon will seek approvals for similar projects and it will be difficult for commissioners to turn them down.

Following more than two hours of discussion, the hosts moved to

the submitted written questions, showing them on the screen and providing verbal responses.

Among these, with more than 100 questions posted, attendees continued to voice concerns about previously discussed topics including traffic, parking, sewage, beach capacity and ecological impacts. At 8:30 p.m., 2.5 hours into the meeting, Merrell and DiMaria stopped the discourse citing the

lengthy discussion, thanked people for attending, and the meeting concluded without clarification on whether all provided questions and comments had been addressed.

As the meeting was virtual, it ended when the hosts chose to shut down the process.

Workshops were changed to a virtual option during COVID-19 Continued on page 18

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Hotel workshops and the county commission backed the virtual option last fall despite Commissioner Mark Smith voicing his support of making them a mandatory in-person event, as previously required.

The Siesta Key Association offered the hosts to hold it inperson on Jan. 4 during the civic group’s monthly gathering at St. Boniface Church but were told no, said president Catherine Luckner.

Calle Miramar hotel About 70 people attended the Jan. 9 session to discuss the other hotel proposal, an L-shaped development on .96 acres on Calle Miramar which would contain 163 rooms, with seven stories, with four-and-a-half lodging floors above two-and-a-half floors of parking. It has previously been identified at Hotel Siesta Key. No rezoning would be required, but the request would require permitted transient accommodations within the existing zoning district and a special exception would be subject to the approval of the comp and UDC plan amendments requested for the SKV hotel project.

Near the start of the presentation, Klepper reminded attendees that the applicant will be working with the county regarding traffic and transportation, and must provide a traffic methodology to county staff for review and modification.

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By Jane Ba The Village yet. Luckner also asked about a “traffic model,” and I noted there is one under county consideration that is “robust” and includes bike and pedestrian traffic specific to the Key. He asked if the Wallace applicant would commit to using such a model.

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Merrill reiterated they had not yet had those discussions, but they “intend to comply with what is required by the state, contrary to what some of those statements have been. We do anticipate

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Continued from previous page

meeting any and all standards required of us.”

Luckner closed his questions by asking who the owners are and if they are foreign, to which Klepper said owner disclosure is provided as part of the process to be reviewed by staff and Merrill responded that three of four clients are local to Sarasota County.

Michael Holderness, co-owner of Siesta Key Beach Resorts & Suites on Ocean Boulevard located two doors down from the Calle Miramar proposal, expressed safety concerns for traffic on bridges which are already rated poorly by the state -- not just for storm events, but for matters such as medical emergencies.

“The safety concerns are not for hurricanes, but if your wife has a heart attack or your child gets hit by a truck,” Holderness asserted.

Additionally, he pointed out that the applicant has referred to the Key as “a destination, Holderness branded, valuable to the county,” but since only 10% of the beach is public and being accounted for by the state, he is concerned about where there will be room for an influx of visitors to enjoy the beach. “Where are these guests going to go to the white sand?” he asked.

“Our future guests will be going to the exact same places your guests are going to and using the public beach,” Klepper responded.

Patricia Nazzaro, who said she also attended the meeting the night before, commented “These don’t seem to conform to the neighborhood and it would be preferable to have this lowered to about half the height so it is consistent with the style and the quaintness of our Village. I have been paying taxes on Siesta Key for 49 years. I see some changes here and there, but nothing so drastic as this … To me it’s an overabundance.”

“Thank you,” Klepper responded. “I appreciate that.”

LD DeMeo also asked about traffic and how the raising and lowering of the bridges for boat traffic would affect the traffic study, and added she had previously submitted questions that had not been addressed. Klepper said that would be identified by the county transportation staff.

DeMeo responded that locals who leave the Key to go inland and come back already are faced with excessive traffic extending drive time and again asked how the study will include bridges and other events affecting transit.

“I’m not going to be able to give you a satisfactory answer to your comment or your guidance,” Klepper said. “There again, we’re going to comply with what the county says we need to study and that may be different than what your expectations are. However, that’s the rules and the regulations that we have to work through.”

DeMeo then asked, “So, you’re saying that our beef is with the county and not with you?”

Responded Klepper, “The county sets up the standards for traffic impact analyst, for stormwater, for utilities, for setbacks for buffering and all of those things.

“Those are the ordinances that are adopted as part of the standards … So, we comply with what is required of us and all projects across the county.”

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Luxury homes Continued from page 4

Up on the roof, a deck with a spa, fire pit and wet bar will be a part of the outdoor entertaining area.

As of mid-January, the new Hidden Harbor mansion was one of three Siesta Key residences listed for sale at $15 million or above.

Meanwhile, the Guy Petersondesigned home at 8250 Sanderling Rd. in the Sanderling Club, listed for $21 million in Schemmel November and also represented

by Schemmel, remains the most expensive house currently for sale on the island.

January also brought a luxuryhome news update. According to real estate property details, the sale of the new-construction property at 4136 Higel Ave., listed at $16.995 million by Patrick DiPinto of Ocean Real Estate, is pending. That project is situated on close to 1 acre of land with views of the gulf, and the new home will have 7,464 square feet of main residence as well as 1,530 square feet of a detached guest home.

The residence is expected to be completed within 15 to 16 months.

Then, on Jan. 12, another Sanderling Club home at 8218 Sanderling Road, listed at $14.995 million, entered the fray. The 10,624-square-foot home has an 8,600-square-foot main residence and a 2,600-square-foot guest house.

The home sits on a waterfront 4.5acre lot. There are six bedrooms and seven-and-one-half baths. A five-car garage and tennis courts are also featured.

Brandy Coffey with Keller Williams Island Life Real Estate is the listing agent.

Looking ahead to what the near future holds for the active luxury real estate market on Siesta Key, Schemmel sees opportunity.

“We will see new price thresholds achieved in the coming months and years,” he said. “The pool of buyers narrows quickly and significantly when you go over the $10 million threshold. But they are certainly still there and are more focused on finding the right home and lifestyle. The buyers are generally entrepreneurs and or successful businesspeople looking for a special place to call home.”

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The Highs and Lows of Properties Sold on Siesta Key

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Provided by William Raveis Real Estate / www.raveis.com

The following are properties sold on Siesta Key in the last 60 days, providing a snapshot of home values on the Key for both single-family homes and condominiums.

HIGHEST-PRICED SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE 722 SIESTA DRIVE $4.127 MILLION The custom multi-level home offers 4 BR, & 3.5 baths. A convenient elevator accesses all four levels.

Expansive water views set the stage in the main living area with its own balcony, 2-story ceilings, and clerestory windows. Adjacent a contemporary kitchen has been remodeled with new coastal-inspired furniture quality cabinetry, stone counter tops, a vegetable sink, a breakfast bar, a planning center, and high-end stainless-steel appliances.

The 6-foot cooking island has matched cabinetry and twofold cascading stone surfaces and a Wolf brand gas cooktop with a stainlesssteel hood. A large walk-in pantry has additional storage space.

Handcrafted built-in shelving surrounds the gas fireplace here with vaulted ceilings and a front overlook balcony. The penthouse floor is LOWEST-PRICED SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE 701 SANDY NOOK ST. $899.000 This amazing Siesta Key oasis is modern and stylish. It has plenty of parking for your out-of-town guests and no HOA fees!

The new roof and gutters help the crisp, updated navy paint impart a nautical feel. The home offers lots of natural light, modern neutral paint color, open feeling and pristine condition of the immaculate island home.

The oversized screened-in Lanai, accessed by two large French doors, adds a huge amount of entertainment area and even the possibility of a spa.

comprised of only the Owner’s Suite and includes a waterside balcony.

Two facing California-style walk-ins connect the spa-inspired personal bath. Separate vanities each have their own hammered copper basins, and LED lighted mirrors. A water closet, stone tiles, a skylight, and recessed linear LED lighting add the fishing touches.

Two bedrooms with a middle bath can be found at the entry level of the home. Bonus millwork includes crown moldings and wainscoting.

A ground level bedroom suite (with a pool bath entrance), a large walk-in closet, and a recreation room. Sliding glass doors open to extend the living space onto the covered patio overlooking the saltwater pool and spa.

The “custom dock and davit” accommodates two vessels with a boat lift for a 25-foot vessel and will house another boat up to 38 feet.

Courtesy of Candy Swick

This home features a large open living room, dining room, new kitchen, and new Kitchen-aide appliances. Master bedroom is spacious with a walk-in closet and beautiful, sleek private bath. The second bedroom is good sized as well and both bedrooms have ceiling fans.

Bonus room could be used for as an office, TV room, or even extra room for guests and has its own private outside entrance. The laundry room has Maytag washer and dryer that comes with a warranty.

The newly fenced back yard includes a double wide gate to give you flexibility to store your “toys.”

Courtesy of ReMax Preferred

HIGHEST-PRICED CONDO 1035 SEASIDE DRIVE., UNIT 501 $3.95 MILLION Located directly on the sands of world-renowned Siesta Key Beach, TEN35 SEASIDE brings a new level of luxury to Siesta Key, showcasing the natural beauty of our island while offering gracious residences with the very best of beachside living. This coveted gulffront, three-bedroom, three-bath residence presents the pinnacle of modern architecture and thoughtfully appointed luxury.

Walls of glass, open flowing interiors and an expansive terrace will delight owners with world-class views of the sea, sand, and endless sky. Gracious appointments include porcelain wood-look tile floors, premium cabinetry, top of the line appliances and a spacious master suite with spa-like bath.

Additionally, owners will enjoy a fitness center, gulf-front fire pit, pool, spa, grills, cabanas, and spacious entertainment terrace overlooking the pool deck and beach.

Courtesy of Sarasota Real Estate Company

LOWEST-PRICED CONDO 5950 MIDNIGHT PASS ROAD, UNIT 107 $450,000 This one-bedroom, one-bath property is fully equipped to host four people with one queen size bed and one sleeper sofa in the living room.

The open concept kitchen features a great breakfast bar that serves as the perfect eating area. The master bedroom is bright and spacious.

A dream turned reality, this rare gem on the Key is an opportunity to experience the perfect beach lifestyle that you were looking for.

Courtesy of Sarasota Land and Homes

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Keeping it Real By Natalie Gutwein

You’re baaack! ... and it’s been real (estate) scary here!

I

t is Jan. 11. I’ve been attempting to write this article for days on end, but my typically hectic schedule has of late taken a turn toward chaotic.

Why is that you ask?

Why does it seem like I’m catching myself coming and going and my children are again starting to forget what I look like?

In my best Carol Anne Freeling voice (think Poltergeist), “THEY’RE BAAACK!” Indeed, esteemed readers, you are back!

The snowbirds have descended upon what was, for a brief moment in time, a tranquil little island. Not that it had been sleepy very long -- just a few short months -- but we did get a little break.

Could this mark the long-awaited return to “normalcy” following the challenging times of the pandemic? Could it be that the patterns of daily/yearly life and our “season” on the world’s most beautiful island have resumed?

I dare say, it seems like we might be on the brink of such a welcome restoration.

So, what did 2023 look like on Siesta Key? The most modest (lowest-priced) condo sale was at 22 Sandy Cove. The property is

a 532-square-foot, one-bedroom/one-bath home that sold for $375,000.

In contrast, the pinnacle of opulence was attained at the newly christened building at 84 Avenida Veneccia. This development will be referred to as 89 Beach. And this majestic 3,098-square-foot condo, featuring three bedrooms, two full baths, and one half-bath graced the market in October, commanding a regal sum of $4,569,723.

Turning our attention to single-family residences, the lowest price home sale was last February at 5218 Winding Way. The 1,184-square-foot dwelling in the Twin Oak Pond subdivision is a two-bedroom/ twobath unit and was swept-up in a mere 14 days and sold above the list price at $462,000.

Conversely, the zenith (highest-priced) single-family home sold is a mega-mansion

by Siesta Key standards. It’s at 4001 Flamingo Ave. and has 7,487 square feet, has five bedrooms, four full-baths, and two halfbaths. This is a new-construction home that overlooks Roberts Bay, boasts a 16,000-pound boat lift, a four-car garage, generator, and an Infinity-edge pool. In the month of June, this masterpiece changed hands for $12.25 million.

To get the full picture of the market on

Siesta Key, I think it’s important to analyze the price categories in which the homes are selling. The majority of the homes on the island are selling between $1 million and $2 million with 47 of the 105 homes sold in 2023 selling in that price range.

Some numbers:

The year 2023 marked significant shifts in Siesta Key’s real estate landscape, and I am optimistic about our current position.

Following the whirlwind of activity experienced in 2021 and 2022, property valuation became a challenging task leading to a noticeable surge in price adjustments.

However, after the summer spike in prices in 2022, we have witnessed a rebound and it appears that we have found a more stabilized footing in terms of pricing. The market seems to have settled into a more balanced state, reflecting a positive trajectory for Siesta Key’s real estate scene.

I’m looking forward to the year to come.

Stay sunny, Siesta!

(Natalie Gutwein is a licensed Realtor with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s Judie Berger Team and a member of the board of directors of the Siesta Key Association.)

(Data accurate as Jan. 11 from Stellar MLS.)

WHO YOU WORK WITH MATTERS

5188 SIESTA WOODS DR | $1.8M

W

816 EDGEMERE LN | $3M

5125 OAKMONT PL | $1.699M

622 TROPICAL CIR | $1.695M

PE ING

W

ND

NE

1280 HIDDEN HARBOR WAY | $7M 778 SIESTA DR | $6M 3731 INDIAN BEACH PL | $6M 4034 ROBERTS POINT RD | $5.6M 521 CASEY KEY RD | $5M 8415 MIDNIGHT PASS RD | $4.775M 5315 HIDDEN HARBOR RD | $4.15M 1035 SEASIDE DR #501 | $3.95M 326 ISLAND CIR | $3.9M 3423 LA PALOMA AVE | $3.55M 7340 PINE NEEDLE RD | $3.5M | RECORD SALE 7323 PINE NEEDLE RD | $3.375M 642 WATERSIDE WAY | $3.2M 713 TREASURE BOAT WAY | $3.1M 5382 SHADOW LAWN DR | $3M | RECORD SALE 746 SIESTA DR | $2.75M 8008 MIDNIGHT PASS RD | $2.675M 6909 LONGBOAT DR S | $2.615M 657 SIESTA DR | $2.5M

NE

RECENTLY SOLD

1

No. 319 OGDEN ST | $1.725M

Judie Berger, P.A., REALTOR ® Judie.Berger@PremierSIR.com 941.928.3424

SIESTA KEY’S TOP SELLING REALTOR ® SINCE 2005

115 SAND DOLLAR LN | $1.195M

Natalie Gutwein, REALTOR ® Buyers’ Agent

homesofsarasota.com Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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Siesta Sand

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Davidson Drugs $650,000

Residential 8767 MIDNIGHT PASS RD Unit#204F SARASOTA, FL 34242 2 bd • 2 ba • 1,421 sqft

Pending Sale

DIRECT WATER VIEWS Located near Siesta Key’s Turtle Beach this Somerset Cay 2nd floor condo has spectacular water views from your private 900 SqFt lanai!

Furnished 3BR / 3BA, 2558 SqFt featuring high ceilings, crown moldings, bamboo floors, generous storage, restricted entry and an oversized 2 car garage.

9122 Midnight Pass Road, Unit # 24

president Richard Davidson, that the south-end location was established in the plaza that used to hold Captain Curt’s Crab & Oyster Bar restaurant.

Since then, Davidson Drugs remained a constant presence while the area saw plenty of change – as did its industry.

“They’ve been very good business neighbors and I wish them well,” said Monica Galfre, owner of plaza neighbor Silver City. “I will really miss the convenience of being able to run in and pick up a card or whatever I needed.”

Fellow plaza neighbor Nathan, co-owner of Green Turtle Shell & Gift City, added “It’s hard to think of many family-owned drugs stores that are still around today. I wish them the best.”

Independent drug stores across the nation are struggling to survive, and Richard Davidson in October pointed to many factors in the family’s decision to begin the elimination of the business.

Staffing shortages, inflation, the high cost of drugs, limits in reimbursement, and supply issues that began during COVID-19 are but a few of the reasons.

Meanwhile, neighboring businesses are watching and waiting with great interest to see what kind of business will take its place in the large, 10,253-square-foot locale. Speaking of the property, Davidson said he expects the space to be available for lease after the existing merchandise is sold.

A sign on the outside of the building states that Hembree & Associates, a commercial real estate broker in Sarasota, is handling the leasing of the property. Hembree is also serving as the broker for the former Davidson Drugs space in the Village.

The Davidson family owns its space in the mall, while others rent from a different landlord. Behind the building sits its corporate office.

As of mid-January, the south store was still open although most

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Continued from page 1

of the shelves were bare. When asked to speculate on a what kind of business he thought may be interested in leasing the property, Davidson said that he believed that the location could become a restaurant or retail establishment.

Tana Anderson, co-owner of nearby Crescent Beach Market, said that she would welcome a restaurant. “There’s real demand for a nice breakfast and lunch restaurant. I think that would do very well in the Davidson Drugs space. So many people walk here, which helps with parking,” she said.

Gary Kompothecras, a nearby resident and owner of the neighboring Crescent Club, expressed hope that a service business will open in the space.

“We need some more services on the Key and in the south end of the island,” he said. “The banks are gone, the drug stores are now gone.

We have no commerce and I hope to help revitalize the area.”

Kompothecras hopes to build on the south end a seven-story, 120room hotel along with a five-story parking garage.

Added Bryan Guenther, a longtime Realtor who recently re-established his business in neighboring Crescent Plaza based in part upon the area’s potential, “It was a fun store to shop at with a family-run atmosphere. The market is changing and the south island is becoming an exclusive place to live.

“There are many businesses that would like to open on Siesta Key in that location. There is very little commercial space to rent on the south island. One of the best uses of the space may be to divide it up into several smaller stores.”

Davidson Drugs was created

by John Davidson in the 1958, first occupying a space in the Village near where the Beach Bazaar now sits. At its pinnacle, the business featured seven Sarasota locations.

The family will continue to be involved in the Siesta Key real estate business, owning several commercial rental properties.

SERVING FLORIDA SINCE 1980

$1,450,000 Murphy Stevens, Realtor 941-587-8879

Alan Stevens, Broker 941-925-1818

Exceptional service, exceptional results.

“Stephen was excellent in negotiations and looking out for my interests, [selling our home for] $35,000 - $45,000 more than [what] other realtors were willing to even list it for… I would be happy to hire him again and recommend him to anyone.” — TONY C.

ANNUAL CLEARANCE SALE

UP TO

65 OFF

Take advantage of this

%

Sizes from 2’x3’ up to 16’x20’ in stock

Traditional • Contemporary Persian & Area Rugs

10% OFF

Unlock Your Home’s Potential. Call Stephen Today!

HAN CLEA D NING w ith th

is ad

Steve Weeks REALTOR®, ABR Quality Service Certified

941.504.3689 OFFICE 941.349.3444 MOBILE

StephenWeeks@michaelsaunders.com StephenWeeks.michaelsaunders.com

5100 Ocean Blvd | Sarasota, FL 34242

941-366-6511

4801 S. Tamiami Trl, Sarasota

Tues. - Sat 10am 4pm, Sun & Mon by appt www.shahabbasrug.com

www.siestasand.net

941.312.0665

CLASSIFIED

CONNECTION SiestaSand.us ACUPUNCTURE

FEBRUARY 2024

FREE

27th State Media LLC

27

PAINTING

Free Piano

PAINTING / INTERIOR / EXTERIOR:

Gordon Laughead Upright Console 35” x 64” - Great Condition If interested, call Jean 941-925-1291

Sarasota Interior Painting. CALL or TEXT Don @ 941-9009398. We are the BEST High-End Painting Business. I’m the Owner & the Painter. Free Estimates.

Fully Insured Licensed 941-312-0665 Delivering Siesta Key & Surrounding Area Business. You’ll love the results.

HOME WATCH

Have something to sell?

hWhE dhZ Θ DKZ Advertise in print & Hiring for your business?

ACUPUNCTURE & MASSAGE online for 30 days.

KE ^d͘ ZD E ^ /Z > Have place to rent or sell?

Acupuncture Provide a professional service?• •Acupuncture

$25 for 50 words $35 for 75 words $45 for 100 words Add photo for $10

POOLS

Deadline is the 15th of the preceding month.

• Injection Therapy

ͻ /ŶũĞĐƟŽŶ dŚĞƌĂƉLJ Includes ad on SiestaSand.US for 30 days. To advertise, email your text, to info@27statemedia.com and • Herbology include your phone number. Credit card payment is required prior to advertising. Questions? Call 941-312-0665. ͻ ,ĞƌďŽůŽŐLJ

• Homeopathy ͻ ,ŽŵĞŽƉĂƚŚLJ

941.250.6911 941.250.6911

Massage • •Massage

AcuMedFL.com • KCHILL@ACUEMEDFL.COM AcuMedFL.com • KCHILL@ACUEMEDFL.COM 11 S. Blvd. of the Presidents | St. Armands Circle 2953 Bee Ridge Rd | Sarasota LANDINGS RESIDENT OWNED AND OPERATED

COMPANIONSHIP

HOME WATCH (CONT.) PRESSURE WASHING

raphics.

Insured, Bonded and Licensed by The National Home Watch Association.

(941) 961-4309

www.SuncoastHomeConcierge.com

CONTRACTORS

Welcome Back Snowbirds!

Happy Holidays!

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

Citizen Jack

HOME WATCH SERVICE,LLC

HELENE M. HYLAND REALTOR®

(941) 685-2274 Cell (941) 349-4411 Office (800) 237-9403 Toll Free (941) 349-8090 Fax HeleneHyland@comcast.net

Accredited, Bonded, Insured & Certified

Jim Farley 941.350.3610

5145 Ocean Blvd.

Sarasota, FL 34242

info@citizenjackhws.com citizenjackhws.com

DESIGN SERVICES

LEGAL SERVICES

Owned and Operated by NRT, LLC

Tracy Boutelle

www.SheSellsSiestaKeySarasota.com

TRANSPORTATION

tracyboutelle@gmail.com buildingbridgesdesign.com

Building Bridges Design

518-852-3831

Airport Shuttle Limo/Taxi

Sarasota to Tampa Airport $ 89 each way

LIMOUSINE

DRY CLEANERS

Airport Rides Starting at

$5.00

Environmentally Conscious Laundry and Dry Cleaning Service

Call Jerry

Free Pick Up & Delivery Service

941.735.4732

NOW EXCLUSIVELY PICK-UP AND DELIVERY ONLY Call 941-275-4647

from your home or business

ExEcutivE Shirt SErvicE • houSEhold itEmS • SamE day SErvicE availablE

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To advertise in print or online contact: 27th State Media LLC at 941-312-0665 Send editorial and/or photos via email to: info@27statemedia.com

TOP NOTCH OVER 7,500 TRIPS AIRPORT TAXI SERVICE • SK to SRQ..................$40 Regular Hours • SK to Tampa............$80 XL Van add $20 • SK to PIE.....................$70 All Luxury Cars • SK to PGD.................$80 Never Late www.Topnotchtransportationservice.com 941-718-9933

Published by 27th State Media LLC Contributing Writers and Photographers will be noted with bylines.

Guest commentary not necessarily the opinion of 27th State Media LLC Reproduction without written permission prohibited. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.

All business bios are extensions of the display advertisements.

27th State Media LLC is not responsible for claims made by advertisers.

All ads are subject to the approval of the publisher. It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in Siesta Sand to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with town, county and state codes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that when you hire an unlicensed/uninsured person to do work at your home, you accept the liability. 27th State Media LLC is not responsible for claims made by advertisers.

6547 Midnight Pass Road, PMB 70, Sarasota, FL 34242 www.siestasand.us

28

Siesta Sand

FEBRUARY 2024

941.312.0665

www.siestasand.us

back by popular demand

��raok� Saturday Nights 9-12:30 in the

Captain curt's

Backroom Saloon 21+ only

join us for more karaoke at the tiki tonk trailer tuesday and thursday nights 6-10