Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 4.18.24

Anchored in friendship

The Bird Key Yacht Club’s annual Sarasota Bay Cup regatta on April 13 drew more than 60 boats and teams of sailors. Club members said the weekend represented what the BKYC stands for: boating and friendship. Teams came from Sarasota, Longboat and Venice. Venice’s Fruition won first place in the PHRF cruiser category. The team has competed in the regatta for years and said no other club beats the camaraderie of sailing together at Bird Key.

The club also hosted a party the night before as a chance for club members to mingle with friends and check out the competition. The awards ceremony was held April 13 after the races.

“There is nothing like the community here,” said BKYC Rear Commodore Tony Britt. “Most of our members are former CEOs of their companies, but what I like about the club is that we can leave all that behind when we come in here. It is like entering into your best friend’s living room.”

Sidewalks closed

Sidewalk repairs and general maintenance work has begun around St. Armands Circle, prompting the closure of St. Armands Circle Park, the city of Sarasota Parks and Recreation Department announced April 12.

Repairs are being made to damaged sidewalks around the park. The park is expected to reopen the week of April 22, barring any weather-related delays, according to a post on the Parks and Recreation Department’s Facebook page.

The repairs should be completed before the St. Armands Art Festival and Sidewalk Sale set for May 4-5.

City to develop own housing

City manager receives OK to buy two parcels to build affordable units. SEE PAGE 5A

STATE OF THE ARTS

Booker High School’s new visual and performing arts center brings enormous possibilities.

SEE PAGE 1B

Ian

Petra Rivera

Saul Landesberg and Mark Smith

TABS WHAT’S HAPPENING

WEEK OF APRIL 18, 2024

BY THE NUMBERS

$2.6M

City Commission-approved transfer from TIF revenues into The Bay Park Trust Fund for fiscal year 2025.

PAGE 4A

100

Affordable housing apartments planned for Lofts on Lemon II.

PAGE 10A 18

Age of former Riverview High soccer standout Ramon Kique Perales, who just signed a deal to play professional soccer in Spain.

PAGE 17A

CALENDAR

n Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Monday, May 6, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.

n Sarasota Planning Board regular meeting — 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 8, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.

“The airport does not agree with this initial determination and will pursue further discussions on this matter.”

SRQ President and CEO Rick Piccolo. Read more on Page 6A

Boutique condos coming to downtown

Two projects getting underway soon will offer “boutique” condos in two choice downtown Sarasota locations. The 625 Sarasota project plans to build “The Point,” a ninestory condo building on Golden Gate Point, and “The Palm,” a smaller four-story building near the intersection of South Palm Avenue and Alderman Street. The developer, V.J. Chukkapalli, also recently purchased a 10-unit vacation condo on Siesta Key that he plans to refurbish. Chukkapalli said he’s been

working on the Palm and Point projects for the past two years. With approval secured from the city and county, he said construction on the Palm project will begin in about a month. The Point is set to break ground in September.

Chukkapalli said he expects the projects to take about 18 months to complete.

Noting there hasn’t been new construction on that part of Palm Avenue recently, his concept of condos he described as “boutique” is being well received. The

response has been “very good,” he said, adding he expects the condos to sell in the “upper $2 million” range. Descriptions of the residences on 625Sarasota.com show plans for open-floor designs for 12 two- or three-bedroom condos ranging from 2,400 square feet to 4,400 square feet. The Point will offer only two residences per floor and two upper-floor penthouses, each between two to four bedrooms and two to five-and-a-half baths, with private glass-railed terraces.

Food bank campaign wins challenge match

During this year’s Campaign Against Summer Hunger, All Faiths Food Bank will benefit from a $1 million challenge match by campaign investors, the largest challenge in the history of the organization’s annual fundraising effort.

The challenge is backed by lead investors Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and Gulf Coast Community Foundation. The community campaign continues through May 15. All gifts totaling up to $1 million will be doubled by the challenge benefactors.

Approximately half of Sarasota County and nearly all of DeSoto County students rely on free and reduced-cost meals at school. The campaign supports efforts to feed children during the summer months when they no longer receive those meals.

In 2023, the campaign raised more than $2 million, feeding nearly 38,000 local children. Since its inception in 2014, donors have contributed more than $16 million to the campaign.

For more information about All Faiths Food Bank or to learn more about the Campaign to End Summer Hunger, visit AllFaithsFoodBank.org or call 941-379-6333.

Ringling/Pine work to close intersection

By the end of April, a key downtown Sarasota intersection will be closed for approximately nine months because of construction scheduled to begin on a new roundabout at Ringling Boulevard and Pine Place. The city’s contractor has received a notice to proceed on the project to replace the awkwardly angled intersection with a single-lane roundabout. The project will include drainage and utility adjustments, utility pole replacements, irrigation, paver crosswalks and a new shelter for Sarasota County’s Breeze transit. When opened by the end of January 2025, the roundabout will complete a chain of traffic circles along Ringling Boulevard including those at Palm Avenue, Pineapple Avenue and Orange Avenue.

Courtesy image An artist’s rendering of The Palm, a boutique condo project on South Palm Avenue in Sarasota.

CLOSE SHAVE

Sarasota Square Mall redevelopment wins narrow approval after reducing apartment building height.

WHAT IS A DRI?

South Sarasota will have a new mixed-use town center in the coming years now that Torburn Partners has received the go-ahead from the Sarasota County Commission to redevelop the largely vacant Sarasota Square Mall.

The Illinois-based developer envisions converting the 93-acre site into a mix of retailers, restaurants, offices and apartments, bringing an upscale lifestyle experience to the site just south of the city adjacent to Palmer Ranch. Aside from three big-box businesses, the mall has been nearly empty, occupying prime commercial property for several years.

Over the past two-plus years, Torburn Partners has spent $35.3 million on Sarasota Square properties, including the mall structure itself for $19 million in September 2021.

In March, Torburn’s plan received unanimous recommendation for approval by the Planning Commission.

Despite last-minute negotiations during the April 9 meeting, the developer was unable to achieve unanimity among commissioners, but the split decisions were enough to win the approval of five petitions over three separate votes to repurpose the Development of Regional Influence from all commercial into a variety of uses.

The Sarasota Square DRI is located within the southeast quadrant of Sarasota Square Boulevard and Beneva Road. The DRI was approved in 1974, comprising approximately 91 acres and entitled for 1,002,983

A Development of Regional Impact is a large-scale development that affects more than one county or jurisdiction. DRI categories include:

■ Airports

■ Attractions

■ Hotels

■ Industrial plants and parks

■ Commercial developments

■ Residential developments

■ Multi- or mixed-use projects

square feet of commercial uses.

The existing entitlements are not increased, rather the developer is using an equivalency matrix to convert existing retail/commercial uses to residential and office uses.

Commissioners unanimously approved adding just more than two acres to the project site, but were divided on one detail — up to seven-story, 85-foot-tall apartment buildings — that led to two separate 3-2 votes on the remaining four petitions even after Commissioner Ron Cutsinger brokered a deal from the dais to reduce the height of the apartments.

Representing Torburn, attorney Charlie Bailey had suggested that although the maximum height of the apartments would be seven stories, they are more likely to be six stories at most.

“You mentioned that you’re going with five or six stories anyway, you weren’t thinking about the 85 feet, so would the developer be comfortable with a 65-foot limit?” Commissioner Ron Cutsinger asked.

“That would allow us to do five stories, so it’s a stipulation we would proffer,” Bailey replied. “Wherever it appears in the critical area plan, the DRI or the rezoning ordinance, we would be willing to change any references to a maximum of 85 feet in the residential area to 65 feet.”

Despite Torburn’s proffer to reduce the maximum building height of the apartments, which will be built along Sarasota Square Boulevard, the plan was opposed by Neunder and Rainford.

Despite a four-lane roadway and rows of mature trees separating the planned apartments from existing single-family residences by some 150 feet, both said the 65-foot height and possible density of up to 1,200 units were too intense for the sur-

SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS

Among Torburn Properties’ petitions was a request for six special exceptions:

■ Bar with outdoor entertainment after 10 p.m. or outdoor dining after 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, or after 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday

■ Indoor entertainment after 10 p.m.

■ Outdoor recreation

■ Outdoor entertainment after 10 p.m.

■ Special events in conjunction with an approved outdoor recreation use

rounding neighborhood.

“I’m still stuck at a lower height, but that might just be only me,” said Rainford. “My big thing is the buffering. I think it needs to have some step-down, and to me that’s like a little bit of step up to the other community.”

Bailey argued to no avail that the distance between homes across Sarasota Square Boulevard, the existing trees and planned landscaping would render the apartment buildings unnoticeable. Although Torburn lopped two stories and 20 off the top of the apartments on the fly, that left the potential to build five-story buildings where Neunder and Rainford still insisted on four.

Expressing the majority opinion, though, Cutsinger said the height of the apartment buildings — which Bailey said will likely fall somewhere in between the 500 minimum units requested by staff and the 1,200-unit cap — will have little to no impact.

“This is much needed. I think it’s going to be very welcomed,” Cutsinger said of the entire town center plan. “I hear my fellow commissioners about the height issue. I just believe with where it’s located that the height will be OK, so I’m supporting it.”

THE DRI-VING FORCE

Sarasota Square is a Development of Regional Impact approved in 1974, shortly before the popularity of indoor malls reached its peak and accounted for a massive amount of retail sales. The DRI comprised approximately 91 acres and was entitled for up to 1,002,983 square feet of commercial uses.

■ Garden center with outside merchandise

Outdoor entertainment may occur only in the commercial/ office area of the development or on the lawn area, which are located in the center of the development buffered by residential or commercial structures.

Torburn Properties proposes to demolish the mall and redevelop the site as a mixed-use town center to include up to 1,200 residential units, 692,500 square feet of commercial/office uses, and a focal area in the center of the site to be used for events.

Property owners JCPenney, AMC Theatres and Costco will remain on the project site and their current buildings incorporated into the plan.

The redevelopment will require an upgrade to the on-site stormwater management system and utilities. Torburn must meet the 100year storm standard, improving on the current 25-year storm design to improve water quality by reducing runoff.

The mobility plan aims to support diverse transportation modes including cars, bikes and pedestrians. All roadways will have sidewalks, and an 8-foot multiuse trail will link the central area to the corner of U.S. 41 and Beneva Road. An onsite transit stop will also be provided. The block structure plan is intended to enhance mobility by creating north/south and east/west access through the site, enabling on-site navigation without needing to leave the property.

DEVELOPMENT AREA

■ Gross area: 94.3 acres

■ Provided open space: 10.4 acres

■ Nonresidential: 692,500 square feet

■ Residential: Up to 1,200 units

■ Existing impervious area: 76.72 acres

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Courtesy image

The vision plan for redeveloping Sarasota Square Mall into a town center shows the proximity of the apartment buildings to Sarasota Square Boulevard and the JCPenney, Costco and AMC Theatres, which will remain in place.

More funding for The Bay

City Commission OKs $2.6 million in TIF revenues for park construction.

As

continues on the second phase of The Bay, half of the next infusion of capital into the Bay

Trust Fund has been approved by the Sarasota City Commission.

On Monday, commissioners unanimously approved the transfer of just more than $2.6 million in tax increment financing (TIF) revenues for fiscal year 2025, that amount is expected to be matched by the Sarasota County Commission at its next meeting.

Per an interlocal agreement, the city and county created the TIF district on land surrounding the 53-acre city property, from which the revenues from the tax value on improvements of properties within the district are earmarked for the trust fund. The TIF district includes properties such as The Quay.

The city and the county each transfer equal amounts to the trust fund annually but still require commission approval. The County Commission is expected to take up the matter at its next scheduled meeting. The Bay Park Conservancy, the nonprofit responsible for the construction and management of the site, is obligated to pay for half of the project, estimated at a total of $200 million.

Oversight is provided by The Bay Park Improvement Board, composed of two city commissioners, two county commissioners, and a member of the public. On March 29, the board unanimously recommended approval of the transfer by their respective commissions.

“I’ve been coming to Sarasota since 1998. We’ve been full-time residents since 2009. I have not been in another venue in the city that attracts the

“It’s absolutely amazing. We feel incredibly good, and you should feel incredibly good about what you’ve created so far in terms of one park for all.”

— AG Lafley

full and rich and complete diversity of our community,” said BPC Founding CEO AG Lafley of The Bay. “It’s absolutely amazing. We feel incredibly good, and you should feel incredibly good about what you’ve created so far in terms of one park for all.”

The first phase of The Bay opened 18 months ago, which Lafley reported has attracted 440,000 visits. More importantly, the work there has resulted in treating more than 70 million gallons of polluted stormwater that passes through the site and into Sarasota Bay.

With a budget of $65 million, the second phase of The Bay includes dredging the 10th Street canal and building day docks on the south side of the boat launch area, installing a resilient shoreline and construction of the Sunset Pier. Among the Culture District improvements along U.S. 41, the long-vacant Chidsey Building will be renovated into the offices and operations center for the Bay Park Conservancy. The Blue Pagoda building, which currently holds the visitors center and offices, will house an expanded visitors center.

Courtesy image

An aerial view of the completed first phase of The Bay.

City OKs parcel purchase for affordable housing

The proposed city-owned apartment complex would consist of two 10-story buildings with rents priced for the labor force.

Although many questions remain, the Sarasota City Commission on Monday unanimously approved City Manager Marlon Brown’s proposal to acquire two parcels one block north of Main Street and pursue plans for a workforce housing apartment development in the heart of downtown.

Introduced as a concept last week, Brown faced commissioners from the other side of the dais as a presenter during the April 15 meeting, seeking approval of 10 directives, including $7.4 million, including closing and other costs, to acquire two properties across First Street from City Hall. There, he proposes to build two 10-story buildings totaling 192 affordable and workforce-priced apartments.  The Barancik Foundation has committed $1.5 million toward acquiring the parcels, with expected additional support from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. The City Commission authorized funding partnership agreements with the three foundations to be drafted, and Brown was authorized to contact other government agencies and nonprofit organizations that may be interested in becoming a funding partner with the attainable workforce housing initiative.

Any funding gap in the cost to acquire the properties will be filled by the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund — which is currently at more than $4 million — and, if needed, the city’s general fund balance.

RENT TIERS

Workforce housing rents will be based on family size and area median income.

■ 80% AMI, or income of $51,200. Proposed maximum rent for one workforce member at $1,280 with utilities. Examples include medical assistants, paramedics, HVAC technicians, electricians.

■ 100% AMI, or income of $64,000. Proposed maximum rent for one workforce member at $1,600 with utilities.

Examples include firefighters, licensed practical nurses, police and sheriff patrol officers, elementary school teachers.

■ 120% AMI, or income at $76,800. Proposed maximum rent for one workforce member is $1,920 with utilities. Examples include special education teachers, respiratory therapists, web designers, power line installers/repairers.

The unit mix will include studio (540 square feet), onebedroom (720 to 800 square feet) and two-bedroom (900 to 1,100 square feet) apartments.

missioner Erik Arroyo amended the request to include a pro forma to demonstrate that construction, operating and ongoing maintenance costs can be covered by the proposed affordable and workforce housing rents.

Those rents will mirror the city’s affordable housing incentives program, will be tiered at 80% or less, 100% or less and 120% or less area median income.

Brown’s plan includes selling street-level commercial space to recoup a portion of the city’s capital investment.

Brown told commissioners some

Due diligence for the purchase of the two parcels at 1544 and 1590 First St. will begin immediately, with closing anticipated by the end of July. The city already owns a parking lot on the proposed development site at 1530 First St. As first reported by the Observer, construction cost is estimated at $70 million to $80 million, to be funded via revenue bond, with operations and debt service covered by rents.

state funding may be available for the land purchase. “Representative (Fiona) McFarland was supposed to be here this morning. She had something that came up that she could not attend,” Brown said. “Representative McFarland put in a $2 million requests to the state of Florida for assistance for this program that has passed both the Senate and the House and is waiting Gov. DeSantis’ signature for the release of those dollars.”

Once built, the city would not manage the apartments. Brown told commissioners the plan includes contracting a management company

or organization to tend to the dayto-day operations. The city would also contract an owner’s representative to oversee construction and other related development details.

“We’re not in the business of managing an apartment complex, so that is why I’m asking the commission to engage a development and a project team and an owner’s rep for everything that we are not capable of,” Brown said. “We are just providing that door to allow this to happen. We are providing that opportunity that, in perpetuity, this remains affordable and attainable.” In his motion to approve, Com-

The project will achieve 192 units by taking advantage of the city’s own affordable housing density bonus incentives program in the downtown area combined with the state’s Live Local Act, which grants by right height equal to the tallest building within a 1-mile radius, in this case 18 stories. Brown’s proposal is three stories of parking below seven stories of residences. The city’s program requires 15% of the bonus density be priced in the affordable housing range, in this case rounded up to 22 units in addition to the 122 bonus units plus 48 base density units.

Brown’s time line for the project has construction beginning in 2025 and occupancy in 2027.

“I think it’s a really good start,” said Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch. “I’m cautiously optimistic about this.”

Leading in Luxury Masterful Selling is our heritage

Courtesy image

The proposed site of a city-owned affordable housing development across First Street from City Hall. The red X marks the location of the city’s credit union office, which will remain in place.

Andrew Warfield

New College land deal violates FAA guidelines

FAA letter denies SRQ’s land sale and suggests the agency was unaware of the college’s lease.

or federal agencies approved the nonaeronautical land use,” reads the letter to Piccolo, signed by FAA Acting Manager Rebecca Henry.

“Based on information reviewed by the agency, it appears the land leased to New College was converted from aeronautical use to nonaeronautical educational/residential use without FAA consent.”

to

Florida. Back at his desk Monday morning, he had the five-page document that lays out reasons for the agency’s decision, which did not change Piccolo’s initial reaction, saying only, “The FAA has notified the airport that the FAA has declined to approve the request to release the land for sale to New College. The airport does not agree with this initial determination and will pursue further discussions on this matter.” Piccolo said he would have no further comment on the matter until he further digests the report.  Contacted on Monday, New College officials have not responded to a request for a comment. The document, though, goes further than simply denying the $11.5 million sale to the college of land it currently leases, a 99-year agreement that expires in 2025. It suggests that the FAA not only never authorized the lease, but that it was also unaware the lease even existed.

At the time the lease was written in 1957, neither the FAA, New College nor the airport in its current form and authority even existed. The FAA was created in 1958, New College was founded in 1960 and, in 1970, the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority was created via a referendum of Sarasota and Manatee county voters.

“No documentation was found to indicate the FAA or its predecessors

As for the current and planned future uses of the site by New College, “The college contains elements that likely are incompatible with airport operations such as residential, educational, recreational and water retention areas that could attract wildlife, which may pose a risk to aviation safety,” reads the letter.

“Residential development, either standing alone or co-located as part of a hangar or other aeronautical facility, is not an acceptable use of airport property under the federal grant assurances or surplus and nonsurplus property federal obligations.”

The agency also rejected a concern expressed by the Airport Authority included in its request to sell the land that reclaiming it at the end of the lease period, at which time none of the principals of the college or the Authority will be involved, may involve legal entanglements.

“If evicted at the end of the agreement (and potentially before), the Authority fears the college will initiate costly litigation and/or eminent domain processes that could cause significant political problems,” reads the letter. “However, it is unclear why the airport could not lawfully reclaim airport property at the end of a lease.”

HOW THEY GOT HERE

According to the FAA, the entire airport property was transferred from the federal government to local civilian use authority in December 1947 under the Surplus Property Act of 1944. The land had been used for military operations.

never occurred and the lease was later assigned to New College after it took over the property. Then via amendment, it was expanded to the current acreage in June 1962.

Since that time, New College developed its West Campus, aka Pei Campus in acknowledgment of dormitories designed by famed architect I.M. Pei. The college has plans for new residences and athletic facilities on the site that now appear in doubt barring a change of bureaucratic heart, particularly in light of the FAA’s opposition to residential use of the property.

“The area has been zoned as property for medical, charitable and institutional development, which could include office space and meeting space, but residential and recreational use is not necessarily specified,” the letter reads. “It should be noted that FAA guidance requires all airport properties to be zoned airport/light industrial, consistent with federal grant assurances.” Its sole mission is to protect and enhance the civil aviation system;

the FAA’s Henry wrote the proposed sale yields no benefit toward that end, other than providing revenue to help fund capital expansion and improvements of the airport.

The FAA isn’t the only federal agency involved. The Department of Defense has a say in the final disposition of the property, or lack thereof.

“The FAA will not release airport property from its federal obligations so that it can be used for residential development,” reads the letter.

“Further, if the land is surplus property, then DOD must concur that it is not needed for aeronautical or emergency use for the foreseeable future. Obligated airport land may not be released unless the FAA finds that it is no longer needed for airport purposes, but the release must be restricted to ensure right of flight and prevent incompatible development like residential.”

Finally, the 99-year lease exceeds the 25-year limit suggested by the FAA, which also holds that airport land leases of any kind shall not exceed 50 years without advance agency approval as such a term is tantamount to disposal of airport property, limiting opportunities for needed aeronautical development.

File image

The FAA has denied a request by Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport to sell 31 acres leased by New College. The site is bounded by the red dotted line.

The city is not a developer

The city manager wants Sarasota to develop an $80M affordable housing project. Good intentions, but this approach always fails. A voucher program would be better.

Sarasota City Manager

Marlon Brown says that it is time for the city government to get into the housing business.

Brown is proposing to the Sarasota City Commission a complicated proposal to develop 192 affordable housing units across the street from City Hall. The plan considers buying up two parcels of land to create the project; having a private partner manage the housing for the city; asking local foundations and others to help fund the project; and selling ground floor commercial space in the buildings.

Estimated cost: around $80 million.

I could not find any details on who would build the project.

Brown wrote to the commissioners: “While some might question the government’s intervention in these matters, solely relying on the private sector hasn’t yet yielded significant results. We cannot remain passive as the demand for affordable/attainable workforce housing surges.”

There are many problems with this proposal. It risks a lot of money; it’s an approach that has failed over and over again; and it’s trying to work around a problem the city itself creates.

RISKY BUSINESS

The city would have to bet a lot of money on this project. Starting with about $7.4 million to buy the land. If the project never materializes, that money — $4.5 million which may come from foundations — is already spent.

Also, the city would have to bet it can balance the politics of setting rents for housing in the city housing project against the cost of building and maintaining the project. The end result of that balancing act is almost always to funnel a stream of tax dollars into the project rather than charge rents that cover costs.

What’s more, the city would be making a long-term investment to solve a problem that could change

RATIO OF NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS STARTED TO POPULATION, 1980-2022

Source:

dramatically in coming years.

Many, many cities have suffered massive costs for getting rid of public housing projects that became obsolete.

PUBLIC HOUSING OBSOLETE

For around two decades, local governments across the United States and the federal government have been turning away from government-owned housing as a solution, in large part because they failed so miserably. Cities from Los Angeles to New York have shut down and demolished government-owned housing projects and shifted to helping people get private housing instead.

In the 1990s, the U.S. military privatized millions of units of government-owned housing around military bases. In recent years, dozens of universities have privatized student housing projects the universities built in earlier years. In both cases, they did so because they were not good at providing housing.

A recent review of the history of government-owned housing by Governing Magazine called it “government-backed ghettos.” The liberal Brookings Institution outright says that government-owned housing is not the answer to affordability, for four reasons:

■ Public agencies that are designed to be real estate developers tend to do poorly.

■ Government-owned housing projects last much longer than current city leadership, and other priorities tend to relegate such housing to a backwater of policy.

■ Other means of helping individuals who need help affording housing have much more success

and better results for the investment.

■ Local rules and planning processes limit land availability and development of affordable housing by private builders, causing the problem government-owned housing seeks to solve.

THE PROBLEM: THE CITY

The Sarasota Housing Authority is a nonprofit entity mostly funded by the federal government to help people afford housing in Sarasota. It has tried for years to build affordable housing in the city and found it frustrating.

Its latest project, Lofts on Lemon II, is plagued with problems: delays that threaten time-limited funding; requests from city officials to add features to the project that dramatically increase the costs and make the units less affordable.

Sarasota Housing Authority President and CEO William Russell recently told Sarasota Planning Board members:

“We hear it often said that affordable housing is the most pressing problem our community faces, and it is extremely difficult to put a development like this together. (T)he city should be bending over backward to accommodate not just the housing authority but anyone who wants to build affordable housing in our community.

“(I)t just seems like we’re being treated as a for-profit developer who’s trying to maximize profit.”

I’ll state it more plainly than Russell was willing to. The city repeatedly demonstrates that it is not serious about allowing the private sector to build affordable housing by:

■ its unwillingness to approve affordable housing projects

■ its rules that make building housing in the city too expensive to sell or rent at affordable prices

■ its process of delay, delay, delay

■ its process of adding pet features that planning or city commissioners imagine would improve the projects

Just ask the ghost of Harvey Vengroff, who tried more times than I can count to build low-cost housing in Sarasota, only to be denied over and over again. So he went elsewhere to build them. And now workers in the city live in those projects in south county or up in Manatee County and commute to downtown.

Sarasota city commissioners and the city’s planners have ensured by their deeds that the city’s housing supply cannot keep up with demand. Indeed, they treat new housing as a harm to be mitigated, not the consumer good in massive demand that it actually is.

Unfortunately, Sarasota is not alone in this. The accompanying graph shows that we build housing in the U.S. at about half the per capita rate we did in the 1980s and 1990s. And when supply can’t keep up with demand, prices go up and up.

The Florida Policy Project has published a best practice guide for enabling alternative dwelling units, zoning changes and other policies that increase affordable housing supply. And just this month it released a report showing how much more bang for the buck cities can get using housing vouchers to help those in need rather than trying to subsidize the supply of housing directly.

For Sarasota, the answer is to embrace those approaches and to change policies and procedures to allow and to encourage affordable housing to be built in the city.

That’s a big shift in direction.

Approving development projects without unnecessarily driving up costs would be a huge part of this shift. So would allowing more organic increases in new units through small density increases and allowing new units to be added to many existing properties.

But the answer is clearly and incontrovertibly not getting itself into the risky business of providing housing.

Dr. Adrian Moore is vice president at Reason Foundation and lives in Sarasota.

1943 wisdom shows how things don’t change

Wdestructiveness of government.

Ayn Rand, a friend and contemporary of Paterson, wrote in a letter that Paterson’s book “could literally save the world.” But alas, good luck trying to find Paterson’s book in any American classroom. If read by enough people, it certainly could help save the United States today. Everything she wrote then is still relevant now.

dated with the mailings and rhetoric of candidates for public office.

Today’s politicians and government haven’t changed. A few samples:

■ Politicians: “Generally speaking, up to the Civil War, any man seeking political honors expected to do so at some financial loss to himself; he lived by his private means. It is only when this condition prevails that men of intelligence, integrity and good taste — the productive character — will be inclined to enter public life.

In particular, her words are worth remembering as you become inun-

“If he is obliged to forego in his private earnings more than he receives in the remuneration of office … he is at least certain that he did not seek office as a parasite.

“Professional politicians … are not aware of any objective in political life except parasitism.”

■ Political power: “Political power has a ratchet action; it works only one way, to augment itself. A transfer occurs by which the power cannot be retracted, once it is bestowed. “In the lowest illustration, a can-

didate for office may promise the voters that he will reduce taxes or the number of offices or the powers of office. But once he is elected, he can use the taxes, the officeholders or the powers to ensure reelection; therefore the motive of the promise is no longer operative.

“By cutting down expenditure or the number of officeholders or graft, he will certainly create enemies, so the reverse motive, impelling him to evade his promise, is doubled.”

■ How we’re slaves to the federal government: “John Jay was chief justice, the first to hold the position, and as one of the authors of ‘The Federalist,’ surely acquainted with the nature of the Constitution, he gave a verdict sustaining the right of a citizen to sue the government.

“By the American theory, Jay said, the government is the agent of the citizen, having only delegated authority; and it is absurd to hold that a person may not sue his agent.

“Subsequently, Jay was reversed

… Since then, the citizen has been at the mercy of the government in the United States as if he were the subject of a king; he cannot even plead for redress of wrong done him by the government without

permission.”

■ The 16th Amendment, instituting the federal personal income tax: “Probably the majority of people … thought of it in simple terms of taxing the rich, perhaps with a vague infantile further expectation that the proceeds would be ‘given to the poor.’ “But money obtained from the rich in any form except wages is never given to the poor. It it is taken by an ordinary hold-up man, it goes to the hold-up man. If it is taken by a philanthropic organization, it goes to the organization. If it is taken by the government, it goes to the politicians. “Neither does increased taxation of the rich lower the rate of taxation on the poor; it is bound to cause an increase in all taxation, reaching down inchmeal until it expropriates a portion, not merely of the last dollar of a poor man, but of the first dollar he can earn. The tax will have to be paid before he can even touch his earnings.”

■ Government-liberty ratio: “The cost and display of government is always in inverse ratio to the liberty and prosperity of the citizens.” —

ADRIAN MOORE

Isabel Paterson

Congressional Research Service

Sarasota Players committed to community

The CEO of The Sarasota Players writes that his organization is focused on entertaining, educating and engaging.

It’s difficult to describe the affection and connection we have to this community. Not for lack of words, but because it’s unspoken. Like a family member that you share a knowing look with or a friend you’ve been close with for decades, we are tied together regardless of the circumstances. We are beyond lucky to have this support.

At The Sarasota Players, this is where we find ourselves. In a unique space nestled somewhere between past, present and future. Without moving forward, we do not honor all that has brought us here, to this moment, with so much ahead. Most importantly, we don’t honor the relationship we’ve shared with Sarasota for nearly 100 years.

It’s no secret we have faced challenges. But the advantage of facing challenges only reconfirms what most already know: The Sarasota Players is here to stay, and our commitment to this community is everlasting.

Our partnership with the city of Sarasota continues to grow, along

with the plans to develop our new home, The Stage at Payne Park. The support and guidance from the Sarasota City Commission and city staff has been immeasurable. Their encouragement to keep moving forward with our design process is exciting. The response from other arts organizations which may be future users of The Stage has also been positive and supportive.

As we move closer to our 95th season announcement, know it’s being carefully developed, with consideration, patience, and vision. Staff, board members and members of the community are working diligently to finalize the 95th season. We will utilize this approach across our organization going forward.

Collaborative decision-making is not a new way to run a theater or a community. Those we work with now and in the future will have a passion for theatre, a dedication to collaboration and communication with the creativity and expertise to drive success. This process is the right choice

to help guide us during such an important moment and to continue engaging and conversing with those who have supported us.  We are thinking beyond momentary success. We are thinking of growth, of the future, and continuing to push the performing arts forward. We are ultimately thinking of you. Join us in this approach that is reflective of our history and the ways our theater has evolved, because our future is bright. This is an exciting time. As we continue moving forward one thing is certain; as the area’s first performing arts organization, we will always stay the course of our mission: to entertain, educate, and engage the community through high-quality live theater. That will never change.

The recent conclusion of the outstanding production of “Hamilton” in Sarasota highlighted our community’s strong appreciation for top-tier cultural events. With a reported nearly 27,000 enthusiastic attendees filling 15 sold-out performances, the demand for such experiences is clear. Sarasota had to wait nine years to bring “Hamilton” here, since its Broadway debut in 2015. The delay in bringing such celebrated productions to Sarasota largely stems from economic challenges. Yes, arts are about money, too.  Theater authorities agree on the necessity of a larger venue with 2,400 seats or more to ensure financial viability. Unfortunately, the Van Wezel has 1,741 seats — its size being the key limiting factor in spreading the significant fixed cost of bringing these types of sophisticated and more expensive shows to town. The numbers simply do not work.

Ironically, just days before Hamilton performances began, the Bay Park Improvement Board, responsible for overseeing a large and growing tax fund earmarked specifically for The Bay Park and new performing arts center, failed to act.

Despite the city and county’s interlocal agreement in place, awareness of the Van Wezel’s limitations, and anticipation of “Hamilton’s” success as an example, the board missed the opportunity to approve a logical next step for a new performing arts center: authorizing that funds available could be considered for the retention of the architectural firm identified last year. This is a missed opportunity and could risk stalling progress on the new performing arts center, needlessly postponing crucial steps. Prompt action is both wise and necessary. The performing arts center serves not only as a source of entertainment but also as an educational event venue for our entire community, attracting a younger demographic to Sarasota. Without more prompt action, there is a risk of missing

out on the momentum for a new performing arts center, losing support from the public and other stakeholders and facing higher costs.

Building a new center might take five years or more, and during that time, the Van Wezel will remain in use. It’s time to multitask; we can both work on securing a new center and consider the repurposing of the Van Wezel. The Purple Ribbon Committee is diligently working on this.

Investing in a new performing arts center is important to maintaining Sarasota’s position as a regional cultural hub and sustaining its vibrancy and financial resilience. It’s time for our city and county leaders to prioritize the Sarasota area’s cultural future by recognizing the significance of the new performing arts center as a valuable regional asset. Bay Park Improvement Board, city and county commissioners, and city staff — the time for action is now!

— DAVID LOUGH SARASOTA

William Skaggs is CEO of The Sarasota Players.

Image courtesy of Joan Marcus “Hamilton” ran at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall from March 26

File image A partnership with the city of Sarasota would turn Payne Park auditorium into the new home of The Sarasota Players.

WILLIAM SKAGGS

100-unit affordable housing project faces design hurdles

Lofts on Lemon II would bring urgently needed working-class housing to Sarasota’s downtown.

Wand CEO William Russell told Sarasota Planning Board members. Before receiving unanimous approval of his appeal for adjustments to the project, Russell felt compelled to deliver an impassioned message as the Planning Board, as it has done during other recent public hearings, attempted to redesign the project at the dais, offering suggestions that would add time and money, both of which the SHA has in short supply. The clock is ticking on potential funding sources that Russell said must be completed in order to build the 100-unit addition to the 128 apartments, which comprise the first phase that fronts Cohen Way. That sense of urgency was evident during the April 10 Planning Board meeting as the SHA sought approval for two significant adjustments denied by

staff, both of them on the perimeter of the site and one of them not yet reviewed by staff.

Between denial of the adjustments and the Planning Board meeting, changes were made to widen the “pedestrian experience” along Lemon Avenue from eight feet to 10.5 feet, still 18 inches shy of the 12 feet required by code. That caused some angst among Planning Board members as they wrestled with possible future implications of approving an adjustment  modification not yet reviewed by staff.

The other adjustment is a 125foot length of ground-level façade, the east-facing garage wall, devoid of architectural treatment. Code requires architectural features at increments no less than 80 feet in length.

That’s the extent of what SHA can offer, said Russell, project consultant Joel Freedman and Chris Gallagher of Hoyt Architects, and still include parking needed for the tenants. The building footprint was moved inward toward an existing surface parking lot, and going any farther will encroach on a complete row of spaces. Lofts on Lemon II is planned as an eight-story building, including three levels of structured parking beneath. The 10.5 feet of pedestrian space was achieved by a plan to plant street trees eight feet from the street beneath grates flush to the sidewalk. Between the trees and the building is another two-and-a-half feet of

Andrew Warfield

The first phase of Lofts on Lemon on Cohen Way.

sidewalk, effectively resulting in a fully traversable surface nearly the width the code require.

“We hear it often said that affordable housing is the most pressing problem our community faces, and it is extremely difficult to put a development like this together,” Russell said. “I’ve spent a ton of my time on this. Right now we have three deals that I’m trying to get closed that are not yet funded, Lofts on Lemon phase two included.”

Any delays, he added, would jeopardize the project.

Representing the planning staff, Acting Development Review Chief Planner Noah Fossick said project planners fell short in exploring options to mitigate parking issues. Among those is the option to build a fourth level of structured parking to compensate for a row of spaces that would be lost in order to move the building farther from the street to accommodate a code-compliant sidewalk.

During rebuttal, Russell said it’s not that simple, adding the city should be more accommodating for a nonprofit working to address its affordable and attainable housing needs.

“To suggest we can just build another level of parking, which costs about $50,000 per space, when we already don’t have enough funding to build 100 units of affordable housing on the site, the city should be bending over backwards to accommodate not just the housing authority but anyone who wants to build affordable housing in our community,”

Russell said. “We’re trying to do this in the downtown urban core. This is very valuable land and we are trying to maximize the site. We’re trying to get as much from the building as we can and it just seems like we’re being treated as a for-profit developer that’s trying to maximize profit.”

Deputy City Attorney Michael Connelly said he shares some Planning Board members’ concerns about setting precedent with regard to a reduction in sidewalk width and in approving an adjustment staff has yet to review. He structured the motion to include staff determination of whether the adjustment complies with all other aspects of the zoning code.

He also agreed with the SHA that the sidewalk along Lemon Avenue — which is across the street from the rear of the Sarasota Military Academy on the edge of the Rosemary District, is sparsely traversed by pedestrians anyway, and given the location and the nature of surrounding properties that’s not likely to change.

Speaking for himself as a Rosemary District resident and not as President of the Downtown Sarasota Condominium Association, David Lough urged the Planning Board to approve the adjustments.

“Let’s cut some slack here if we can,” Lough said. “In my opinion, it’s maybe not perfect, but I would hate to see the Housing Authority have to go back for a redesign. Let’s get on with this.”

Courtesy image

A site map shows the current and proposed buildings of Lofts on Lemon.

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WRONG NUMBER THREATS

Stalking/harassment: Having received multiple text messages, a man contacted law enforcement to investigate the source. The man said he had received multiple messages from two unknown numbers in what appears to be extortion over alleged transactions with “escorts” on unknown dates. Other messages advised that blocking the number or reporting the threats to police will result in gruesome consequences, sending graphic images of others who allegedly suffered a similar fate for noncompliance. In one of the messages, the perpetrators identified themselves as involved with the “Sinaloa cartel,” once a powerful and violent cartel formerly led by the infamous “El Chapo.” While officers were on the scene, the victim received another text, to which he responded “wrong number.” That was followed by another that read he’d better call if he doesn’t “want trouble.”

The complainant advised that he has had the phone number since he moved to Sarasota in November 2023, and that perhaps the targeted victim previously owned that number. He said he has no idea who is contacting him, why he is being threatened and that he has had no experience with escorts. He eventually blocked the numbers and asked that the incident be documented.

SUNDAY, APRIL 7

NOISY NEIGHBORS 11:23 p.m., 2200 block of North

Civil dispute: A contractor was starting to pave a semicircular driveway when the neighbor next door called law enforcement to report the work was encroaching on her property. The complainant reported that the driveway extends into her lot. Whether that was an issue prior to the paving was not indicated in the incident report. The officer spoke with city code enforcement personnel, who advised that no permits had been pulled by either the contractor or the driveway owner. A complaint for nonpermitted work was filed and a code enforcement staff member will be in contact with the subject. The paving company was on the scene but stopped work and began to clean the area and leave for the day. A case number was provided to both parties and the complainant proceeded to park her vehicle on the portion of the driveway that lies on her property.

Lemon Avenue

Noise complaint: A woman who was knocking on the ceiling of her apartment because of noise upstairs brought a visit to her own door when the overhead tenant called police.

The complainant said she has an ongoing issue with her downstairs neighbor, stating that she bangs on the ceiling when the pitter-patter of her children’s feet is heard below.

On this night, though, she said the children were already asleep when the banging from below began. The complainant advised she sometimes responds by pounding on the floor. Officers attempted to contact the first-floor neighbor, but she did not answer the door.

The officer told the complainant the incident would be documented.

Comment conundrum

The school board discusses prioritizing agenda-related comments from residents, parents and students.

The Sarasota County School Board meeting on April 16 was quieter than usual, but the recent increase in public comments remained a topic of discussion during the preceding workshop.

In response to commenters, board member Tom Edwards brought forward a written resolution that the board hold discussions and a vote establishing how its motto of “Every Student, Every Day” should apply to the treatment of all students, including protected classes.   But other board members weren’t eager to adopt the resolution.

Board member Bridget Ziegler criticized an initial draft as targeting an inquiry she had made in a March 19 work session on the ability to keep track of the language or immigration status of students.

Ziegler said April 16 that her comments were not intended to support discrimination, but rather the gathering of data on English language learners for academic purposes.

Board member Robyn Marinelli said she found the resolution “a

sheer political maneuver” directed at Ziegler, holding up her printout and tearing it in half.

She also inquired about the cost for Edwards to have the documents drafted by attorneys.

Board member Tim Enos said he felt the resolution was simply reaffirming laws the district was already required to follow, stating he was concerned it could lead to other such reaffirmations.

Edwards said he had not requested the second draft of the resolution, and that his goal was to alleviate a “parade” of public comments as well as verbal attacks on board members. He turned Marinelli’s accusations of political theater back toward her.

Ziegler still called the drafting of the document a “reckless” use of taxpayer dollars.

After Ziegler and Enos said they were concerned that attorneys from Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick serving the board may not necessarily represent the board’s legal counsel, Rose said it was time for the board to examine the number of attorneys and the reasons they were serving.

RESTRICTIONS DISCUSSED

The board returned to topic of public comment restrictions.

Ziegler brought forward a modified proposal: that comments begin with residents, taxpayers, parents and guardians of current school students, current staff and students who wish to speak on the meeting agenda.

Those speakers would be followed by all other commenters, while comments on general matters would take place at the end of the meeting.

Ziegler said comment cards would require commenters to certify the information they are providing is accurate and that they agree to follow the rules of conduct, with Enos also emphasizing support for changes to the cards.

Marinelli called for the board to discuss the parameters of public comment with legal counsel.

“Either we, collectively, act like a board and have the common decency of what people say in here or we just let people say what they want to say, because that kind of is what is happening now,” she said.

“We have spent a significant amount of time on this conversation,” Edwards said, calling the solution “simple.”  He reiterated that the board should hold comments on board business before the meeting, with general comments at the end.

Rose said she believed the board had come to a consensus in favor of Ziegler’s proposal.

NEW POSITIONS APPROVED

The school board voted unanimously to approve several new staff positions.

It added two revised and expanded roles, ESE (Exceptional Student Education) Compliance Coordinator and ESE Instructional Facilitator, as well as the new position of ESE Pro-

The

“Either we, collectively, act like a board and have the common decency of what people say in here or we just let people say what they want to say, because that kind of is what is happening now.”

— Tom Edwards, board member

gram Facilitator, which Connor said would be “vital,” providing specialized support for students with disabilities.

It reinstated the position of state and federal grants coordinator, a role Connor said had been vacant for almost three years, with a raised salary scale and qualifications.  The role of program specialist — professional learning general -

ist would provide support to the department to move it towards its strategic goals, increasing retention and enhancing teachers’ practice, Connor said.

The roles of senior project manager for construction and assistant project manager for construction replaced an existing role the district had been unable to fill.

The position of executive director of elementary schools, Connor said, would relieve some of the responsibilities of Jennifer Mainelli, chief of elementary schools, who is currently overseeing all 26 elementary schools.

In addition to new positions, the board also approved Packback, an AI-based program designed to provide writing instruction to students and grading assistance to teachers.

File image

board approved several new staff positions at its April 16 meeting.

Planning Board denies condo adjustments, recommends golf clubhouse approval

The future owners of 1274 4th Street Residences will have to use an alley to access parking thanks to the board’s decision.

APlanning Board hearing Thursday over adjustments for a planned 10-story condo tower at the corner of Fourth Street and North Cocoanut Avenue morphed into an indictment of the city’s proliferation of primary streets in downtown and the associated development requirements thereof.

Although Developer 4th Street LLC is still working through the Development Review Committee, further progress was dependent upon approval or denial of requested adjustments beyond the scope of the city’s Development Services Department and requires a Planning Board decision.

The primary issue was access into the parking garage. Residents of the neighboring Encore condominiums asked that the developer seek approval for a garage entrance off Fourth Street rather than from the shared alley between the two residential properties.

The problem? Because both Fourth Street and North Cocoanut Avenue are designated by the city as primary streets, the project as designed would require an exception to place a garage entrance on a primary street. That would also require approval for a reduction of the minimum parallel façade along Fourth Street, per code.

Chris Gallagher of Hoyt Architects pointed out that out of 61 downtown streets, 41 are designated as primary streets, and projects located at the intersections of two primary streets are difficult to plan. Primary streets

in the downtown zone districts carry higher standards for habitable street frontage, setback, curb cuts and more than do secondary streets.

Although the project can be designed to enter from the 20-footwide alley that extends from North Cocoanut to U.S. 41, Gallagher said that detracts from the owners’ entrance experience and can create conflicts with the seven Encore owners who must access garages from the shared alley.

That wasn’t enough to compel the Planning Board, which voted 4-0 to deny the adjustments. Both Chairman Michael Halflants and Vice Chairman Dan Deleo were absent from the discussion; alternate Douglas Christy was in attendance. According to Assistant City Engineer Dan Ohrenstein, the 16 condos will generate an average of one vehicle trip through the alley every 10 minutes. At that, Planning Board member Shane Lamay said traffic impacts would be minimal.

“You made mention that it’s a better arrangement for the building.

I agree with you,” Lamay said. “I think that the residents of the building would benefit from the curb cut (on Fourth Street), but it probably doesn’t benefit the city, and that’s why it’s written in the code the way it’s written.”

With the denial in hand, design and administrative approval of the development will continue with alley access into the parking garage and with a full parallel façade intact.

CLUBHOUSE CONSIDERATION

One more hurdle remains for the construction of a permanent clubhouse at Bobby Jones Golf Club.

The city, which owns the golf course, received a unanimous recommendation for approval from the Planning Board during its April 10 meeting.

Now it’s up to the Sarasota City Commission to decide if it still

wants to invest some $9 million into the new clubhouse and whether the design meets its approval.

The restored Donald Ross layout off Circus Boulevard opened in November, currently operating out of a temporary clubhouse composed of three portable buildings. The new clubhouse will be built immediately adjacent to the temporary building, which will be removed when no longer needed.

At 17,000 square feet of indoor space, the two-story structure will incorporate architectural features that pay homage to the original clubhouse. In addition to a golf shop and offices, the proposed design includes a full-service restaurant and a wrap-around veranda with cart barn beneath.

“What we have done for this proposed structure is taking the uses and, generally speaking, the square footage that was on-site previously in three structures and consolidate that into this one new footprint and stacking that vertically,” said  Chris Cianfaglione of project consultant Kimley-Horn. “The cart barn and the clubhouse and locker rooms that were all kind of disjointed previously are now in one new structure.”

Planning Board member Daniel Clermont said the design appears to be in keeping with the City Commission’s vision for the clubhouse.

“Some may wonder, and myself may wonder, why we’re going with quite so large of a building, but that’s not our call here,” Clermont said. “It may be a bit supersized, but I really don’t have much objection to it.”

Added fellow board member Terrell Salem, “I like the building and it looks very nice. It’s a very large building. I just hope that the building is financially self-sustaining the whole park once it’s done, and I hope that works out well for the city.”

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Kelly Arbuckle Platt and Lynn W. Platt 50th Wedding Anniversary

Longtime Sarasota residents, Kelly Arbuckle Platt and Lynn W. Platt celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 6, 2024 with family and friends. Kelly and Lynn were married on April 4, 1974 and have one daughter, Julie Ann. Kelly retired from the Sarasota County School System and Lynn retired from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

SPORTS

Fast Break

Former Riverview High softball player Devyn Flaherty, a senior at Florida State University, went 2 for 3 with a stolen base and two runs scored in the Seminoles’ 10-2 win over the University of Notre Dame on April 14. Flaherty is hitting .279 with nine RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 2024. The Seminoles are 31-10 and ranked No. 19 by Softball America as of April 16.

… Riverview High girls lacrosse junior Chloe Hackl had five goals and an assist in the Rams’ 19-10 home win over Lakewood Ranch High. Hackl has 49 goals and five assists in 2024. The Rams are 10-5 as of April 16.

Cardinal Mooney High boys track and field senior Sean Scurry won the long jump (6.45 meters) April 12 at the 2024

Cardinal Mooney Invitational. The Cougars finished fifth as a team.

Cardinal Mooney High girls track and field junior Riley Greene won the shot put (9.59 meters) and finished second in the discus (30.15 meters) April 12 at the 2024 Cardinal Mooney Invitational. The Cougars finished first as a team. Booker High boys track and field sophomore Kevontay Hugan finished second in the shot put (12.85 meters) and fourth in the 100-meter dash (11.22 seconds) April 12 at the 2024 Cardinal Mooney Invitational. The Tornadoes finished sixth as a team.

Cardinal Mooney High football junior Chris McCorkle received an offer from Rutgers University on April 12. McCorkle, a defensive back, now has 28 college offers, according to 247Sports, and is rated as a four-star player and the No. 26 cornerback in the Class of 2025.

“I got into it when I was 5 because of my cousin, Joey Powers. He passed away when I was little (in 2010), but he went to Cardinal Mooney, too. He inspired me to keep playing the game.”

OVERSEAS DREAMS

Former Riverview High soccer player lands a professional deal in Spain.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

For the next three months, Ramon Kique Perales will play soccer harder than he ever has.  It’s his chance to stick at the professional level in Spain, something that has been his dream since he was old enough to dribble up and down the field.

In March, Perales — a former Riverview High standout — signed a three-month contract with Racing Club Portuense, a professional soccer team that was founded in 1928 in El Puerto de Santa María, Spain, just outside the southwestern port city of Cádiz.

The team currently plays in the Primera Andaluza league, on the seventh level of the Spanish professional soccer pyramid. It has played as high as the fourth level of the pyramid in the past, and has participated 19 times in the renowned Copa del Rey, a nationwide knockout tournament started in 1903.

Perales, 18, is now among the team’s ranks. He’s wanted an opportunity like this for a while, long before his time at Riverview began. Perales was born in Spain and grew up around the game before coming to the U.S.  “I have always identified with Spain,” Perales said. “This game brings so much passion. It means everything in this country. All my summers playing here, being around it, it is what has given me the most happiness.”

It’s the unity of a soccer team that appeals the most to him, he said. It allows for more connection than other sports.

You raise each other to meet a shared standard, he said, which in turn creates a hunger for success.

“I have always identified with Spain. This game brings so much passion. It means everything in this country. All my summers playing here, being around it, it is what has given me the most happiness.”

— Ramon Kique Perales

RAMON KIQUE PERALES’ CLUB SOCCER JOURNEY

2013-2015: Sarasota Spartans

2015-2020: FC Sarasota

2020-2022: Next Generation

Soccer Academy

2022: Indy Eleven Pro Acad-

emy

2023: FC Malaga City Academy (Spain)

2024: Racing Club Portuense (Spain)

In pursuit of his dream, Perales did not rely solely on his on-field abilities to get him a professional spot. He started marketing himself to scouts and other soccer professionals, especially via LinkedIn. The persistence paid off in 2024, when he got a message that Racing Club was looking for a player to fill in for the rest of the season and liked his film. The club asked him to attend a weeklong tryout, which Perales did.

At this point in his career, Perales does not have many nerves, he said. He’s either going to perform his best or he isn’t, and he’s confident in his ability to succeed. In that mindset, Perales expected to impress the Racing Club coaches — but when the club told him it wanted to sign him, he was still stunned by the moment.  “I stayed focused on this, maybe an unhealthy amount,” Perales said. “I stuck to this. It is everything I have ever wanted. It was my highest goal. Finally putting pen to paper, it was as incredible as I imagined.”

Perales’ contract will run through the end of the team’s season in May, but there’s a chance the team could bring him back for next season if he makes a big enough impression. For now, Perales is doing everything he can to make that a reality. He tries to be the first one to the facility and the last one to leave, he said. He also takes note of the other players on the team, learning from some of the savvier veteran players on how to conduct himself. Perales is the youngest member of the team.

When not on the field, Perales is taking in his new city. He’s staying in Cádiz, which he compares to a place like St. Augustine. The buildings there are old, he said, and the streets are usually quiet. But the waterfront view and the historic nature of the

place have some appeal.

Unlike most American athletes who travel overseas in pursuit of an athletic career, Perales’ transition to Spain has been smooth. He grew up speaking English with his friends and his mother, Jeannie Perales, but he speaks Spanish with his father, Daniel Perales, he said. His grasp of the language wasn’t perfect, but it was more than enough to have typical conversations. Living in Spain and using the language every day has further honed his understanding, he said.  It’s a part of living his dream, and Perales is going to enjoy it for as long as it lasts.

“The passion is so different here,” Perales said. “Our team will have away games and fans will travel hours away to come watch and support. And they leave everything out on the field, just like the players. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to play here, and I hope it doesn’t stop now.”

Courtesy image Former Riverview Rams softball player Devyn Flaherty is a star shortstop at FSU.

— Gio Zanoni, senior, Cardinal Mooney boys lacrosse. SEE PAGE 19A

Former Riverview High soccer player Ramon Kique Perales has signed to play for Racing Club Portuense in Spain.

Courtesy images Ramon Kique Perales (second from right) poses with a group of his new Racing Club Portuense teammates.

PROSE AND KOHN RYAN KOHN

Time to shine on the diamond

With a week to go in the regular season, some area teams are playing their best ball.

The 2024 Florida High School Athletic Association baseball and softball seasons will come to an end next week — but that is when the real fun will begin.  Here are the teams in contention for a playoff run and how they are hitting their stride, or not, as the most important time of year arrives. District tournament play will begin April 29.

BASEBALL

In Class 3A, Cardinal Mooney High (10-7-1) has won eight of its last 10 games, including a current fivegame streak, as of April 15.

The Cougars have done it with offense: Mooney has put up 123 runs through 18 games, good for 6.8 runs per game. Junior Eddie Zaun is leading the way with a .405 average, seven doubles, a home run and 12 RBIs, but seven other Cougars are also hitting over .300.

On the mound, the Cougars have taken a by-committee approach, with 13 Cougars making at least one pitching appearance and five Cougars throwing 15 innings or more. The team has a 2.93 ERA, so it has worked well enough thus far.

The Cougars have not played any of its district foes as of April 15, so evaluating the team’s chances in the district tournament is difficult, but Calvary Christian (18-1) appears to be the biggest threat. If the Cougars’ offense stays steady, though, they should be able to keep it close with anyone.

In Class 7A, both Sarasota High and Riverview High are under .500. The Sailors have lost four of their last five games as of April 15 and have not found a solution to their offensive woes: They have

been shut out in three of the four most recent losses. Meanwhile, the Rams (9-12) had won six games in a row before dropping two straight to Barron Collier High (14-6) and Lakewood Ranch High (10-9-1).

The Rams averaged 6.5 runs per game during the winning streak, but scored just one run in each of the two recent losses.

The two teams will meet at 7 p.m. on April 24 at Sarasota High, a final chance to grab momentum before the district tournament begins. Both teams will likely have to reckon with Venice High (17-3) and Lakewood Ranch on the way to a district title, but both teams are capable of taking down good teams when at their best. It’s a matter of playing well at the right time.

SOFTBALL Riverview High still looks like a legitimate contender in Class 7A. The Rams are 15-3 as of April 16 and have won seven games in a row. Three of those wins have been shutouts, another sign of just how dominant junior pitcher Allison Cole has been. She now holds a 1.12 ERA and has struck out 192 batters in 99.2 innings while walking just 66 batters.

The team’s offense has come alive, too, scoring double-digit runs in two of the last three games. While the Rams are not a power team — they have yet to hit a home run — they have the speed required to leg out extra bases. Junior Sierra Lipton’s five triples are particularly impressive. If there’s a team that could dash Riverview’s hopes earlier than the Rams would like, it could be Sarasota High. The Sailors are just 7-8, but have played the Rams close twice, with each game ending 3-2. They have also found a rhythm: Sarasota won five games in a row from April 1 to April 9 before a 6-4 loss to Palmetto High and one of the aforementioned losses to Riverview. Like the Rams, the Sailors have benefitted from strong pitching.

The team holds a 2.64 ERA and has been led by sophomore Ashlan Guengerich, who has a 2.22 ERA over 47.1 innings.  The Sailors’ offense, which had an inconsistent start to the season, has also come around to find consistency. Four Sailors regulars — junior Mady Pint (.390), senior

Abbey Johns (.372), junior Sommer Speers (.370) and junior Lydia Kaskey (.314) — are hitting above .300, and unlike the Rams, the Sailors do have game-changing power. Sarasota has hit six home runs this year, three coming from junior Carley Ramsden.

A district tournament rematch between the two teams would be a lot of fun.

At Cardinal Mooney High, the Cougars have romped through their schedule to hold an 11-3 record, but a lack of top teams on the schedule makes the club a difficult evaluation in terms of making a deep postseason run. The Cougars have a strength of schedule of -7.35 according to the FHSAA, and as a result are ranked No. 39 in Class 3A, despite their stellar record.  What’s not a difficult evaluation, however, is the play of Mooney’s top hitters. Freshman Olivia Lockhart is hitting .674 with four doubles, six triples, seven home runs and 41 RBIs. Senior Madison Duncan is hitting .568 with three doubles, four triples, a home run and 24 RBIs. That pairing could hit no matter the level of competition. And when five other Cougars, all freshmen or sophomores, are hitting .400 or better, it becomes a whole lineup worth your attention, not just this season, but for the next several seasons.  If the Cougars can keep up that level of offense into the postseason, there’s no limit on how far the team can go.

Ryan Kohn is the sports editor for the Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer. Contact him at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

Ryan Kohn

Riverview High junior pitcher Allison Cole has a 1.12 ERA in 2024 as of April 16.

Gio Zanoni

Gio Zanoni is a senior boys lacrosse player at Cardinal Mooney High. Zanoni leads the Cougars with 41 points (21 goals, 20 assists) as of April 15. The Cougars are 11-5.

When did you start playing lacrosse? I got into it when I was 5 because of my cousin, Joey Powers. He passed away when I was little (in 2010), but he went to Cardinal Mooney, too. He inspired me to keep playing the game. I wanted to make him proud.

What is the appeal to you now?

The history of the game. It is centuries old. It’s called “the medicine game” because it was created (by Native Americans) for healing the mind, body and spirit. I love the meaning behind it.

What is your best ability?

I have a good lacrosse IQ. I can see the field well and I have a good shot. What have you been working to improve?

I have been working on my dodging this season. I want to create offense instead of waiting for it. It has been a work in progress this year, for sure.

What is your favorite memory?

My first goal. I was 6 years old and playing with my brother’s (Tony Zanoni) team of U12 kids because the organization (Lakewood Ranch Lightning) didn’t have a “B team.” I don’t think I played a lot that year, but I did score a goal, so I must have done something right.

What has gone right for Mooney this season? We have a lot of talent. A lot of guys have great stick skills and great lacrosse IQ. Our team chemistry is good. We just need to stay focused on our end goal (of a state championship) and make sure everyone knows the objective.

What is your favorite food?

I have to go with chicken Alfredo

If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Ryan Kohn at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

What is your favorite TV show or movie? My favorite show is probably “The Office.” Movie? I’ll say “Ratatouille.”

What is your favorite school subject? Photography. It gives you the ability to get creative and express yourself. It’s open. It’s whatever you want to do. That’s how lacrosse is, too, in a way. It’s read and react based on what you see. You make the best of it.

What is the best advice you have received?

Stay true to yourself on and off the field. You have to know who you are and what you want before you can make any kind of impact anywhere.

Finish this sentence: “Gio Zanoni is … ” … Tenacious.

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Curtain rises on new Booker theater

The renovated Visual & Performing Arts Center at the high school features seating upgrades, a black box theater, costume shop and lobby.

Booker High School senior Cora Gerdes said it was a relief to finally have the Booker Visual & Performing Arts Center back in business.

Following the approval of renovations to the building in 2020, student performances were held in the school’s cafeteria.

The new $28 million facility offered a stark contrast to that location, as attendees saw at a ribboncutting ceremony on April 11.

Students led attendees on a tour showcasing the renovations, which include a new black box theater, a dressing room, a costume shop and an upgraded Main Theater.

The venue will serve the Booker High School Visual and Performing Arts magnet program, which is Sarasota’s premier pre-professional arts education program.

“The possibilities that exist in this space are so enormous that we have to almost think from the ground up, because what we used to do is not what we can do anymore. We can do so much more,” said VPA Director and Coordinator Courtney Smith.

STATE OF THE ARTS

As Smith told attendees, the year after the opening of the original theater in 1995, she found herself in the audience witnessing what she called “the most spectacular” production of “Guys and Dolls” she had ever seen. “A packed house was awestruck with the talents, the acting, the singing, the dancing, the costumes, the sets, the props, the lighting, there was no shortage of magic,” she said. “The experience confirmed for me a stance that I already knew: I was meant to be a Booker Tornado.”

Booker High School Principal Rachel Shelley said in addition to serving the school’s nearly 350 VPA students, the space will also benefit another 150 non-VPA students involved in performing arts classes and 120 students in the school’s musical program, calling the facility, as well as all the Booker schools, a staple of the Newtown community.

The new additions do not end with the theater itself, but include an alternative space, a more intimate black box theater, seating 125 people, which students said could host shows like dance performances and those with smaller casts.

The space includes rearrangeable seating, balcony seating, multiple catwalks that allow the curtains to be used in various ways throughout the room, state-of-the-art lighting and rigging equipment for lighting, projections and backdrops.

A new costume shop allows for the construction and maintenance of costume stock, featuring storage for accessories, sewing equipment,

industrial washers and dryers and a fitting stage.

The facility also features a new dressing room. The previous dressing rooms doubled as a classroom, creating scheduling conflicts between the groups who needed to use the space. Dedicated classroom space is now included.

A central part of the renovations, however, is the Main Theater.  Originally, the area had more of an auditorium appearance, but a revamped layout and design now aims for a more professional use and aesthetic, Smith said.

Rather than the original one-level seating, the theater now includes a mezzanine. It also has flexible box seating that can be rearranged, wood finishings and fabric accents designed to enhance both aesthetics

and acoustics, along with new curtains and drapes.

Much of the equipment had become outdated, Smith said, but that issue has been addressed by the new additions to the room, which include LED lighting, sound equipment and new operating boards.

The new facility also takes accessibility into account, with audioassistive technology available for the performances, as well as two wheelchair lifts.

The building has grown in size, too. An expanded lobby section featuring the grand lobby welcomes visitors to the space.

“I think this space has such potential to be an agent of change,” said senior Morgan Takacs. “And for students to have opportunities opening left and right, I mean literally left and right, to perform their own pieces for solo plays in junior year, as well as our capstones from sophomore and junior year of medley productions, and I think having a space that so reflects a professional level, really shines a light on the professional part of the professional training program.” Jackson Carney, a senior, said traveling performance companies will now be able to use the school, whereas previously they only used the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall or the Venice Performing Arts Center.

“Sarasota County now has this center as well, that so many touring companies will be able to come through,” he said.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony saw the project praised by speakers at the ceremony, which included speeches by Shelley, Vice Chair Karen Rose, Superintendent Terry Connor, Sarasota County Schools Assistant Superintendent Operations and COO Jody Dumas, CORE Construction President Scott Olthoff and Smith.

As Smith told attendees, the facility is also about more than students it will benefit today.

“It is a place to house the passions and hopes of future generations, a place for brilliance to be displayed, a place where work is not just seen but celebrated. It is a home and it’s my honor students, to welcome you here.”

WHO YOU WORK WITH MATTERS

Photos by Ian Swaby Federico Hradek stands in the black box theater.

The performing arts center building has been renovated.

Art of ‘The Painmaker’

lock’s Fist,” which is about a pirate who is also a wizard.

Harris, his brother, Jake, 4, and his parents, Ashley and Dan Harris, were among the hundreds lined up for the comic book signing on April 13, which preceded an exclusive invitation-only Q&A with Jericho, both of which were held for the benefit of Booker High School’s Visual and Performing Arts magnet program.

Christopher Harris, 9, couldn’t wait to meet professional wrestler Chris Jericho. Jericho is debuting “The Painmaker” comic book series, the story of a former serial killer who hunts down other serial killers. Like Jericho, Harris is working on a comic book series of his own, “The War-

Harris, who attends Tatum Ridge Elementary, left the signing with some words, and a hand slap, of encouragement. That sense of inspiration was the purpose behind the event, according to the two organizations that partnered to bring in Jericho — the New York-based studio Semkhor and the

Sarasota and Manatee nonprofit Caring for Children Charities. The involvement of students with the wrestler, musician and comic book writer didn’t end with getting to meet him.

A collaboration between Jericho and Semkhor known as the “Painmaker Project” is bringing the book to life digitally, via graphic design and animation, giving some animation students at Booker the chance to work on the project.

GAINS WITH ‘THE PAINMAKER’

Often cited as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Jericho is a six-time world champion, the lead singer of the band Fozzie, creator of the Chris Jericho’s Rock

’N’ Wrestling Rager at Sea cruise ship experience and host of the “Talk is Jericho” podcast. “We’re working with Semkhor studios to bring in these amazing speakers, so students see and hear from industry professionals,” said Adam Armbruster, the Creative Empowerment Program advisor for Caring for Children Charities. “The goal is to inspire them to learn more, and learn faster, in younger years.”

David Shapiro, the founder of Semkhor and the producer of the digital comic book, is convinced that inspiration will go a long way at Booker High School. He said walking into the school’s facilities, he felt as if he were in a college classroom.

In fact, the agency is planning to hire students from the school in paid internship roles, with junior Emily Fluegel and senior Kat Wright currently set to be hired.

“There are a lot of people here who can’t afford four years of time or money, but they’re incredibly talented, and I view what’s happening in the world as a shift,” Shapiro said.

“People are relearning about the vocational model, meaning, how to

get to work quickly, and in creative arts, I really, truly believe it’s an apprenticeship type of situation, so people are going to learn at a much higher pace.”

“I’m having a lot of fun working with it. I think it’s really excellent art,” said Fluegel.

As Fluegel worked on the artwork, the meet-and-greet line could be seen beside her, stretching across the school’s library.

“It’s nice to see all the people here,” she said. “Someone might drop by the school and say, ‘Hey, I should go here.’”

Students also enjoyed the chance to meet Jericho.

“It was pretty cool,” said Jamie Taylor, a senior at the school, after having his “Painmaker” poster signed by Jericho. “I’m one of the students animating, so I’m glad I got the chance to get this signed.”

“This whole school is amazing,” Jericho said. “You can see it’s so expansive, and there’s a lot of excitement here, so it’s been a lot of fun, not just doing the signing, but actually seeing what’s going on at Booker High School.”

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Wrestler Chris Jericho visited Booker High where students are helping animate his comic book.

Photos by Ian Swaby Chris Jericho meets Jake Harris, 4, and Christopher Harris, 9.

Emily Fluegel, a junior in Booker High School’s animation program.

Small steps to Passover

Rabbi Brenner Glickman said with new children being born, there are always new generations entering Tot Shabbat.

Held once a month at Temple EmanuEl for the past 18 years, the event, open to the community, brings young children and their parents or guardians together to explore the Jewish faith.

On April 13, however, the experience had a special significance due to the upcoming holiday of Passover.

Glickman led the session focusing on what he called “one of our principal, most important foundational holidays of the year.”

The morning featured songs and prayers, crafts, snacks and a Passoverthemed photo booth.

“This is a way of introducing the little tots to the traditions of Passover: the story, some of the foods, and getting them excited for the holiday that’s coming up,” he said.

Tot Shabbat begins on the playground before heading inside, giving kids a chance to both learn and socialize.

Adam Parker called the event a chance for his son, Isaac Parker, 2, to experience Jewish life as well as to play with the other children.

— IAN SWABY

Adam Parker and Isaac Parker, 2, perform an art activity.

Photos by Ian Swaby Rabbi Brenner Glickman speaks to the group about Passover.

Sinead Goldman and Callum Goldman, 1, clap during a song.

Evan Stein, 6, and Natalie Stein, 4 Layla Goldman, 3, and Tot Shabbat assistant Marni Mount.

SOS soiree sets up success

Save Our Seabirds supporters gather for the 11th annual Sunset Soiree.

executive director, really cares about each other and the birds.”

Athough those are big parts of his job.

Walton shared with the longtime SOS loyalists at the annual Sunset Soiree that his favorite constant has been his new best friend.

The great egret, or “Slim,” as Walton has named him, never fails to stop by when Walton is at the SOS campus and has helped him develop a great passion for his new job.

The 11th annual SOS Sunset Soiree was a highly anticipated event for both supporters and Walton. It was held on April 11 at Michael’s On East. Walton said this was the first time he was going to meet many of the donors, and he was excited to finally put faces to names.

This is the second year Michael’s On East has hosted the SOS event. It was previously held at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, but guests shared that they enjoy the space they have at Michael’s On East to mingle and meet their fellow SOS supporters. Guests arrived between for a cocktail hour in the courtyard to catch up with longtime friends and speak with new employees of SOS, such as Walton and avian keepers Amber Paffenroth and Kyla Gerson. “These first few months have been great,” said Paffenroth. “We have about 100 birds as full-time residents now and then some will come and go as they rehabilitate. But working with everyone at SOS is truly great. We are all friends. Everyone from us the keepers to even Brian Walton, our

Paffenroth and Gerson were in charge of the live and silent auction that people perused during the cocktail hour. At 7 p.m., everyone took their seats inside for dinner. Nancy McLean, who organized the event, started the presentation by sharing her story and passion for SOS. The presenting sponsor, Rick Konsavage of the Longboat Key Club, followed her by sharing his excitement to be a part of the Sunset Soiree.

“With the amazing variety of birds in the area, we know they are in great hands with Save Our Seabirds,” said Konsavage. “Our club is totally with them all the way, with Brian and his team, the amazing people in this organization.”

After Konsavage spoke, Walton introduced himself to everyone by giving an update on how his first few months had been at SOS. He shared that he never thought he would end up working for such an amazing nonprofit and is excited to continue to grow with it.

“If you don’t hear anything else I say tonight, this is the message that I want you to hear for me: I love my job,” said Walton during his speech. “I knew I was going to like it. I knew I needed a change, but it has exceeded my expectations. What better mission can you get than being able to be a part of rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing this diversity of bird population? It is a great honor to be a part of it.”

Walton shared that they are close to raising enough money to build five new aviaries, thanks to SOS fundraising since last year. He also said they are partnering with DSDG architects to craft a master plan for a complete renovation of the SOS campus. This will include a new hos-

pital and all new aviaries.

After dinner, SOS resident veterinarian Dr. Maria Passarelli followed with a talk about the importance of caring for birds and being a part of SOS.

Walton’s fiance, Scarlette Antigua, moved to Sarasota with him for his new job at SOS and has seen him grow an immense passion for his work.

“I love to see how passionate he has become,” said Antigua. “He has really dedicated time to becoming an expert on birds, which he didn’t know much about before. He also has used his time getting to know the staff and letting them know that he is there for them.

“That is just him. He is so passionate about understanding the people he works with and the mission of what they are doing.”

Photos by Petra Rivera

Save Our Seabirds hosted its annual auction on April 11 at Michael’s On East.

Save Our Seabirds Executive Director Brian Walton and his fiance, Scarlette Antigua

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The music of a community

Temple

Sinai held a tribute for Chazzan Cliff Abramson.

When Chazzan Cliff Abramson saw the Hebrew words “shema koleinu,” meaning “hear our voices,” featured on the website of Temple Sinai, he wondered at first what it truly meant.

Later, when Abramson met Rabbi Geoffrey Huntting, he asked, “Do you mean that? Or was it just something nice?”

He recalls that the rabbi laughed and said, “We’re going to be good friends.”

Over the 18 years Abramson has served as chazzan, or leader of songful prayer, at the synagogue, the two became good friends, as did Abramson and other congregants.

Elana Margolis, who co-chaired a tribute weekend to Abramson alongside Barbara Sander and Emily Levin, said his work has gone beyond the call of duty. Abramson said he has found the words on the website to be true.

“It’s so you can come from a place where you’re feeling this way, wherever you come from, whatever you do, to a place where you can feel this way, but we love and respect who you are, what you are, no judgment of any kind — just unite, just be of solidarity together, and especially now, that is extremely important to me,” he said.

A PLACE TO CALL HOME Abramson has taught, conducted services and led life cycle events at the synagogue since leaving Central Park in New York for Siesta Key Beach shortly after his ordination by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion School of Sacred Music.

“It’s an unusual experience for me

to be honored for something that I love to do to begin with,” he said. The weekend began April 12 with a welcome reception and a musical Erev Shabbat service, both free to the community, as well as a reception thanking gala sponsors.

It continued with the gala at The Ora, the event venue of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, on April 13, featuring music by The Fletcher Jazz Quartet and The Hot Club SRQ, and concluded with a concert on April 14 by Genevieve Beauchamp, Marcus Ratzenboeck and Michael Gordon.

Abramson has sung on stage, in cantorial concerts and in recitals nationwide in addition to working as a professional actor in theater, film and television.

After taking up his role at Temple Sinai, he began writing music for the synagogue.

It began at the suggestion of Rabbi Huntting, when he wrote a duet to an inscription at the synagogue that read, “Sing a new song to God, sing a new song to the earth.”

“I’ve written a lot of music for the synagogue, and to hear it sung back — there’s nothing like it. There’s nothing like it,” he said.

He has had the chance to work with members of the congregation, including students preparing for bar and bat mitzvah, serving in pastoral care, and singing to small children in nursery school. The synagogue is where he also met his wife, Jamie Abramson.

Ian Swaby

Chazzan Cliff Abramson

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Cheers to 5 years

“Everybody that comes here knows it’s like a ‘Cheers’ bar,” Elliott said as the taproom celebrated its fifth anniversary on April 13. “Everybody knows everybody’s name, and it’s a fun place to be.”

Hosted outside the bar on Second Street, the Fifth Anniversary Block Party featured drinks, live music and food trucks, as well as the release of two new beers, a Hazy IPA brewed with 3 Sons Brewing and an Imperial Stout brewed with Magnanimous Brewing.

The turnout was substantial and many attendees were already familiar with the establishment.

“We’ve been coming here since day one,” said Jim Lally, noting he and his wife Joanne Lally were drawn there by the selection of beers and by the personalities of Tuchman and the staff. “It’s just a family friendly neighborhood atmosphere.”

— IAN SWABY

Jess Johnson, her boyfriend Sawyer Dixon, and his brother, Cody Dixon

John Medico, Alberto Donadi and Jack Berry perform with Donadi’s group.

Photos by Ian Swaby

Lindsay Krause, Marc Chartier, Danille Cotting, Melissa Ehrmann and her husband, James Ehrmann

Acondominium in Block 6 tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Patrick and Mary Mulva, trustees, of Dallas, sold the Unit 1403 condominium at 401 Quay Commons to John and Margaret Russell, of E. Lansing, Michigan, for $9.3 million. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, five baths and 4,818 square feet of living area. It sold for $4.48 million in 2021.

SARASOTA BUNGALOW HILL

James Boyle and Marta Riordan, of Sarasota, sold their home at 1140

Ave. to Richard and Louana Kitchell, of Sarasota, for $4.6 million. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a

and 3,554

It sold for $858,000 in 2015.

WISCONSIN LANE Wesley and Rachel Campbell, of Washington Court House, Ohio, sold two properties at 1705 Wisconsin Lane to Stephen Vickar, of Sarasota, for $3.65 million. The first property was built in 2016 and has four bedrooms, four-and-two-half baths, a pool and 3,966 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 2016 and has one bath and 780 square feet of living area. They sold for $1,876,000 in 2017.

POINSETTIA PARK

Jeffrey Jones and Susan Jones sold their home at 1905 Goldenrod St. to Maria Krahn, trustee, of Sarasota, for $2.5 million. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,176 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.8 million in 2020. Steel Town Properties SS1 LLC sold the home at 1865 Orchid St. to Ryan and Jennifer Vaughn, of Inverness, Illinois, for $1.45 million. Built in 1953, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,252 square feet of living area. It sold for $970,000 in 2022.

BURNS REALTY

Anthony Flakus Jr., of Sarasota, sold his home at 1644 Dolphin St. to Emmanuel Charron and Laura Marsland Charron, of Sarasota, for $2.05 million. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,242 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,025,000 in 2017.

SANSARA

Gary Cappeline and Hui Hu, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 302 condominium at 300 S. Pineapple Ave. to Paul Joseph Mayer and Susan Burke Southard, of The Plains, Virginia, for $1.8 million. Built in 2016, it has two bedrooms, three baths and 2,291 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,322,100 in 2017.

Victoria Phillips and Sean Murphy, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 502 condominium at 300 S. Pineapple Ave. to Marty Betagole, trustee, of Bellevue, Kentucky, for $1.8 million. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,291 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.6 million in 2017.

THE ROYAL ST. ANDREW

Judith Sauertieg, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Units 901 and 901A condominiums at 555 S. Gulfstream Ave. to Douglas White, of Sarasota, for $1.7 million. Built in 1969, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,963 square feet of living area. It sold for $775,000 in 2016.

THE OSPREY AVENUE

William and Coreen Adamany, of Sarasota, sold their home at 612 Ohio Place to Steven Sackler and Margaret Kafka, of Hillsdale, New York, for $1.6 million. Built in 1923, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,776 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,012,500 in 2021.

Ake Winlund and Karen Joyner Winlund, of Sarasota, sold their home at 659 Ohio Place to Jason Robert Preisler and Emily Preisler, of Stoughton, Wisconsin, for $720,000. Built in 1925, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,149 square feet of living area. It sold for $430,000 in 2016.

BAYSO

Ian Broom, of Sarasota, sold his Unit 1405 condominium at 301 Quay Commons to Peyton Stearns, of Longboat Key, for $1.5 million. Built in 2023, it has two bedrooms, three baths and 1,752 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,219,700 in 2023.

BAY POINT PARK

Barbara Beard, of Sarasota, sold the home at 1565 Bay Point Drive to James Kauffman, of Sarasota, for $1.3 million. Built in 1948, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 3,070 square feet of living area. It sold for $149,500 in 1979.

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

FISHERMAN’S BAY

Sean Patrick Reilly and Karin Janette Ohlig, of Sarasota, sold their home at 8823 Fishermans Bay Drive to Kristen Terjesen, of Denver, for $1.23 million. Built in 1989, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,791 square feet of living area. It sold for $909,000 in 2018.

ONLINE

See more transactions at YourObserver.com

Other top sales by area

SIESTA KEY: $8,325,600

89 Beach Condominium J.B. Development of Sarasota LLC sold the Units 202 and 203 condominiums at 89 Beach Road to Allan Apple, Thomas Tryforos and John Neary, trustees, of Sarasota, for $8,325,600. Built in 2023, they have four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and 6,206 square feet of living area.

PALMER RANCH: $1,025,000

Cobblestone on Palmer Ranch

Stephen and Linda Christopher, of Southington, Connecticut, sold their home at 8733 Amaretto Ave. to Janeen and Steven Hansen, of Sarasota, for $1,025,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,262 square feet of living area. It sold for $611,600 in 2016.

OSPREY: $1.9 MILLION

Oaks Mark and Stefanie Nelson, trustees, of Monte Sereno, California, sold the home at 284 Sugar Mill Drive to Sherwood Windows USA Inc. for $1.9 million. Built in 1994, it has four bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 4,135 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,662,500 in 2021.

NOKOMIS: $1.19 MILLION

Mission Estates Collin and Catherine Laster, of Stafford, Virginia, sold their home at 588 Capistrano Drive to Levi Benjamin Kelling and Toni Michelle Kelling, of Nokomis, for $1.19 million. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,312 square feet of living area. It sold for $775,000 in 2021.

YOUR CALENDAR

now in its 42nd year, features vessels in the water and on land such as power boats, motor yachts, center consoles and sportfishers, as well as marine products and retail items. Kids fishing clinics also available. Visit SuncoastBoatShow.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 19

FUN TO BE FIT KIDS

11-11:30 a.m. at Jack J. Geldbart Auditorium, Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free. Intended for children and their caregivers to attend together, this music and movement program involves singing, dancing, exercise and having fun. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.

WINE WALK TO CA’ D’ZAN 6 p.m. (General admission) and 5:30 p.m. (VIP) at the John and Mable Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Road. General Admission: $150; VIP admission: $250. Support the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art by exploring wines from around the globe as you walk the drive to John and Mable Ringling’s historic mansion, the Ca’ d’Zan, ending at its terrace with live music and entertainment. Visit Ringling.org.

MONDAY, APRIL 22

TAKING THE WATERS: A HISTORY OF FLORIDA’S MOST FAMOUS SPRINGS

2-3 p.m. at Meeting Room, Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. Awardwinning Sarasota editor and publisher Liz Coursen offers a history of Florida’s original tourist attractions — its freshwater springs. Registration required. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23

TOO COOL TUESDAYS: GREEN FROM EAR TO EAR 11-11:45 a.m. at Youth Program Room, Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free. Celebrate Earth Day with a themed craft and a small gift. Recommended for ages 3-5. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

BEST BET

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

BEST BET: EARTH DAY AT THE BAY 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Common Ground, The Bay Park, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. A series of family friendly activities showcases nature, art and science. Activities include exploration of fruits and vegetables and metamorphosis by the Sarasota Butterfly Club, Earth Day science experiments and the city of Sarasota Earth Day Celebration Tabling Event. Visit TheBaySarasota. org.

REMAKE LEARNING DAYS: LOUD AT THE LIBRARY / BULLA EN LA BIBLIOTECA 3:30-6 p.m. at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library. Free. This event for both English and Spanish speakers features a free food truck for the first 100 participants, raffle baskets, giveaway books, activities with community partners and more. Recommended for middle schoolers and their families. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24

HOMESCHOOL AFTERNOON:

CHILDREN’S YOGA 2-3 p.m. at Meeting Room B, Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Learn with other homeschool families in the area as you join certified instructor Sheila Blake. Bring your own mat. Registration required. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

THURSDAY, APRIL 25

CINEMA AT THE BAY 7-9:04 p.m. at The Oval, The Bay Park, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy a free, outdoor screening of “Jaws” (PG) at The Bay in partnership with Suncoast Waterkeeper, Minorities in Shark Sciences and OCEARCH. Visit TheBaySarasota. org.

Ian Swaby

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$ 6 ,500,000

3 bedrooms

3 full, 1 partial

3,798 SqFt.

Experience upscale waterfront living at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota. This premier condominium community offers legendary services and a range of amenities. Step into a world of elegance with fine touches, designer accents, and upgraded features, including custom cabinetry. This 3-bedroom residence with over 3,700 square feet seamlessly blends open-concept living spaces with ensuite accommodations. Enjoy over 1,000 square feet of patios with stunning views of Sarasota Bay, the city lights, and the Gulf of Mexico. The kitchen features top-tier appliances, a spacious island, and a wet bar for entertaining. The master bedroom offers a tranquil retreat with a designer-tiled bathroom and access to the lanai. Resort-style amenities include a pool area, fitness center, club room, game room, and 24/7 valet service, providing a luxury lifestyle beyond expectations.

Perry Corneau

Your Ritz-Carlton Connection

(941)650-4626

perry.corneau@compass.com

sarasotacondominiums.com