St. Armands makeover options

ST. ARMANDS IMPROVEMENT OPTIONS

COMPLETE STREET n Project development and environmental study and design 100% funded by city.

ANDREW

Warfield Staff Writer

At eye level, St. Armands Circle attracts local residents and tourists alike as a quaint, upscale seaside shopping, dining and entertainment village. But at ground level and below, nearly every aspect of the infrastructure is showing its age with no significant updates and improvements made in half a century.

With city budget season in full swing, St. Armands Business Improvement District Board of Directors Chairman Tom Leonard appeared before the Sarasota City Commission on July 17, asking that the city embark on a $15 million streetscape project to address a number of issues, not the least of which are noncompliant sidewalk and handicapped parking conditions.

A streetscape plan was one of three options presented by city staff during an April 18 St. Armands Complete Streets workshop. The other two options are a $45 million-plus project that would address underground and surface upgrades, or do nothing at all. Neither the complete streets nor streetscape projects are currently funded, nor is a time frame envisioned for when they might be.

“We’re supposed to be the premier shopping district,” Leonard said, adding that a trip to St. Armands is the first or second thing visitors do when they arrive. “Yet we have curbs and sidewalks that are uneven and unsafe. So we’re just saying let’s get something done. St. Armands has had minimal improvements over the past 50 years and is in need of immediate improvements to compete with the region’s other premier shopping areas.”

The complete streets option covers the primary corridors over the entire key and includes multimodal and transit accommodations; landscaping, hardscaping and lighting; fiber connectivity; enhanced pedestrian crossings; parking reconfiguration; drainage and stormwater resiliency.

The streetscape plan would be limited to the business district and includes multimodal and transit accommodations; landscaping, hardscaping and lighting; enhanced pedestrian crossings; curb replacement; and drainage improvements.

Commissioners offered little input about Leonard’s request for immediate relief. Vice Mayor Liz Alpert did seek clarity that commissioners were only being asked to receive the BID’s report at this time.

“This is just the board report and just accepting, OK? Because I don’t agree with any of the suggestions,” Alpert said. “I think it’s short-sighted for what I think is needed.”

The complete street exploration was prompted by the Florida

Department of Transportation’s plans to rebuild or rehab Little Ringling Bridge between Bird Key Drive and Sarasota Harbour West. Funding for both the project development and environmental study and design phases is included in the FDOT’s Tentative Five-Year Work Program. The project is also included in the FDOT State Transportation Improvement Program through fiscal year 2026. Right-of-way and construction phases, though, are not currently funded.

“The complete streets plan is to connect that portion, which would include a multiuse trail, and connect it from there to all the way into St. Armands, and also look at the drainage, the resiliency factors and traffic operations around the circle and the parking situation,” said City Engineer Nik Patel. While the streetscape option will address cosmetic and some surface infrastructure issues, Patel said he expects some hesitancy to potentially throw good money after bad because, eventually, the underground work will become nec- essary. That would mean tearing up cosmetic improvements that disrupt the circle for two to three years to do it all over again.

“That’s the challenge. You do this project, you spend all this money and then the infrastructure, electrical systems and drainage cause more issues,” Patel said. “The longterm fix will have to happen, so the question is spend the money now and spend some more money later or just spend the money now to do it completely? That’s a commission decision to make.”

As a representative of the commercial property owners on St. Armands Circle, Leonard told commissioners that improvements to benefit the business district, for which the BID has set aside a contribution of $600,000, are his primary concern.

“We really are concerned with just St. Armands Circle and that’s what our focus should be,” Leonard said. “That’s why we’re trying to do this downsized version.” n Project will follow Federal and FDOT requirements, and seek federal grant for construction. n Project cost $45 million-plus. n 10-15 years to complete. n Project lifecycle 30-plus years.

STREETSCAPE n Project development and environmental study and design 100% funded by city. n Seek metropolitan planning organization funds for construction. n Project costs $15 millon-plus. n 2-3 years to complete. n Project lifecycle 10-plus years.

SATURDAY, JULY 15

JUMPING JUVENILES

1:51 p.m., 7200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Juvenile Problem: A Longboat

Key marine patrol unit was sent to Longboat Pass Bridge to locate six juveniles jumping from the bridge into the water. On arrival, the officer checked all around the bridge but was unable to locate the youths. Police contacted the bridge tender, who also confirmed the jumpers were gone.

MONDAY, JULY 17

BOAT IN DISTRESS

12:31 p.m., Sarasota Bay

Boat-Miscellaneous: Marine patrol was dispatched to waters north of the John Ringling Bridge to assist an overturned personal watercraft. At the scene, the officer saw a good samaritan had brought one of the boaters on board, and the other boater was attempting to upright the overturned watercraft. The marine patrol officer assisted in uprighting the watercraft and was able to help the boaters stabilize it. The watercraft was able to make it to the boat ramp successfully with a police escort.

TUESDAY, JULY 18

GUESTS ALLOWED?

1:59 p.m., 1000 block of Longboat Club Road

Citizen Dispute: Officers were called to respond to a disturbance. The officer met with the caller on the scene, who said there were about 10 people on the beach that were not supposed to be there. It was then realized that they were guests of a tenant.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19

PRIVATE BEACH CHAIR

1:58 p.m., 1000 block of Longboat Club Road

Trespassing: A resident called police to report a suspicious person.The property manager said there was a female on the property who was sitting on a private beach chair. The property manager asked the female to leave because the chair was on private property, but the female refused. Officers went to investigate, but could not locate the trespasser.

GOLF CART CONFUSION

1 p.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Citizen Assist: Longboat Key vacationers with a golf cart flagged down a police officer because they were concerned. The two vacationers told the officer that they were renting a property on the island and didn’t know if they were allowed to drive the golf cart that far down the island. The vacationers and officer contacted the vacation rental owner, who said maybe she didn’t explain the golf cart laws clearly enough. The vacationers made arrangements with a tow company.

THURSDAY, JULY 20

BIRD EMERGENCY

1:45 p.m., 3100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Animal Complaint: While driving on Gulf of Mexico Drive, an officer witnessed a white bird fly in front of an SUV. The SUV was unable to stop in time and struck the bird. Due to wing injuries, the bird was unable to fly away. Police contacted Save Our Seabirds, which sent a rescuer to pick up the bird.

WASTING WATER

11 p.m., 7000 block of Longboat Drive North Citizen Assist: Police were called to respond to an active water hose. On scene, police were able to locate the hose that had been left on and successfully turned it off.