When Pine View School student Terry Shen visits Washington, D.C., in March, he will meet officials including senators and the president.
Yet he credits being one of two students in Florida selected as a delegate to the United States Senate Youth Program, which includes a $10,000 undergraduate scholarship, with being down to earth.
“There’s a lot of things someone can do to try to swindle or trick, but at the end of the day, for these elected positions, specifically, I think people can see through all those shenanigans and really just see who you are as a person,” he said.
Last summer, he was elected statewide governor of American Legion Boys State.
St. Paul Lutheran Church’s history is tied to renowned architect Victor Lundy, who designed three of its buildings and died last year at 101.
It’s a tie the church has embraced, in part by renovating its 1962 education building at a cost of $756,000, marking the first instance in which Lundy’s signature wooden beams were replicated.
The church will also be hosting a celebration of life for Lundy, which is open to the public, at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1. The event follows the rededication of the
building on Jan. 26.
Ian Swaby
Ian Swaby
Ian Sway
Pastor Ashley Nicolls rededicates the education building.
WEEK OF JAN. 30, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
$16 MILLION
The cost of dining and retail upgrades in Concourse B and the terminal at SRQ Airport.
$700 MILLION
The potential cost of expanding the Sarasota County Jail.
9 8 Area nonprofit recipients that received grants from Impact100.
■ Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Monday, Feb. 3, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.
■ Public Art Committee regular meeting — 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 5, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.
“The impact of a $700 million project is gasping. It’s one of those things that just takes the wind out of your soul.”
Sarasota County Commissioner Teresa Mast. Read more on page 9
Celery Fields re-wilding project begins
Acelebration of the first steps in re-wilding Quad Parcels at Celery Fields came in the form of a groundbreaking on Jan. 23. Participating were representatives of Sarasota Audubon Society, Big Waters Land Trust (formerly Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast) and Sarasota County government. The land is managed by the Sarasota Audubon Society, with Big Waters Land Trust stewarding the conservation easement. Together, they teamed with land planning firm Kimley-Horn and Willis A. Smith Construction to
create a design, comprehensive plan, and phased approach to re-wild the properties.
Fundraising for the project is underway for the project, which includes new wildlife habitat and passive recreation spaces.
To date, approximately $1.5 million has been raised toward the $5 million overall project budget.
Phase 1 begins with the 11-acre southeastern parcel, which will have the highest number of trees planted. When complete, it will provide more wooded areas for wildlife to forage and nest and a
pollinator meadow. Phase 2 will move to the southwest parcel, which is envisioned as the arrival point for visitors complete with parking, restrooms, ADA paths, children’s natural play area and green space.
By rainy season, the southeastern parcel will be prepped and ready to plant. As new funding milestones are reached, phased work will begin on the remaining two parcels.
The re-wildling of the southeastern parcel will take a year to complete.
Input needed for Resilient SRQ II
Sarasota County residents are invited to participate in the sequel to the Resilient SRQ unmet needs survey to provide input for the county’s recovery action plan, helping to guide use of federal funds for recovery efforts following the 2024 hurricane season.
The first round of Resilient SRQ funding is being applied to previous storm damage.
The survey is open through Feb. 15 and can be found online at ResilientSRQ.net/Survey. Paper copies are also at county libraries, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension and Sustainability Sarasota office and several community centers and parks.
The input process also include four public meetings:
■ Wednesday, Feb. 5: 5:30 p.m.7:30 p.m., Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Public Library, 4143 Woodmere Park Blvd., Venice
Input from the survey and public meetings combined with federal, state and local data, will develop an action plan to address unmet needs in housing, infrastructure restoration, economic revitalization and disaster mitigation.
The county is expecting to receive $210 million in disaster recovery funding for 2024 storms. As part of the program, the county must submit an action plan outlining the use of the funds.
All plans require approval by the Sarasota County Commission and the Department of Housing and Urban Development before funds are received and programs are officially launched.
For more information, visit ResilientSRQ.net, call 941-861-5309 or send an e-mail to ResilientSRQ@ SCGov.net.
Purchase of the Colson Hotel ensures an iconic piece of Black history in Sarasota is preserved.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Today it doesn’t look like much, but for decades, the Colson Hotel building at 1425 Eighth St. meant everything to the African American community as the only lodging in Sarasota where Black people were welcomed.
In an effort to restore its place in the city’s history, a coalition of organizations led by DreamLarge, a Sarasota-based registered benefit corporation, has acquired the building from a developer, saving it from likely demolition.
Piloted by DreamLarge founder Anand Pallegar, the coalition composed of Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation — through a newly formed community development corporation — raised the $700,000 needed to purchase the Colson Hotel from developer JDMax, which retained land next to the hotel to be developed into residences.
It was the culmination of a yearplus-long negotiation process requiring assistance of the Sarasota City Commission and city staff to grant adjustments needed to accommodate the residential development, which has yet to be submitted.
For Pallegar, the Colson Hotel represented another opportunity to preserve history in the Rosemary District. Moving here two decades ago from Detroit, he settled into the district, opening his business in 2006. It was the diversity of the neighborhood that drew him there.
“I was always attracted to the Rosemary District,” he said. “Our first office was here in the Rosemary District, and it was because of the grit that existed in this neighborhood. It had this broad socio-economic spread from homelessness and Section 8 housing to multimillion-dollar condos that came a bit later, and it felt like real urban city.”
DreamLarge now is located in the historic Churchwalls building at 513 Central Ave., just a few blocks
Buying history
SARASOTA’S FIRST CDC
To ensure the Colson Hotel’s preservation aligns with community goals, a new community development corporation was formed to provide oversight to the restoration and to involve the community in guiding its future.
The goal of the CDC is to ensure that it preserves and presents its important role in the history of Sarasota’s Black community.
In addition to Anand Pallegar, its members include Dave Baber, Tony Souza, Erin DiFazio, Tom McArdle, Lorrie Muldowney and Barry Preston — all members of the leadership team of the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation. The CDC intends to secure a historic preservation easement on the property to ensure that it remains a historic structure in perpetuity. COLSON HOTEL HISTORY
south of the Colson Hotel site, which stands across Cohen Way from Sarasota Housing Authority’s Lofts on Lemon.
Evidence of its former occupation by vagrants remains inside the building, which had been boarded up for more than a year by the developer. The structure, though, is sound and remarkably precise in its construction and exterior features, Pallegar said. In addition to its historical significance, that made the building worth saving.
“There are buildings like this that only exist in this part of town, that are still standing, that have a patina to them and their history,” Pallegar said. “As we started to discover more and more about the history, it just became more appealing. It resonated with me, coming from Detroit, understanding Black history, understanding the craftsmanship going into some of these old structures, so we began trying to acquire them and collect them over time.”
PAUSE FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Originally known as the Colson Hotel for Negroes, prominent Sarasota developer Owen Burns constructed the building in 1925-26. It was one of the few hotels in Southwest Florida where African Americans could lodge during the Jim Crow era.
The hotel was named in honor of the Rev. Lewis Colson, a former slave who was instrumental in platting the city in its founding days. From 1899 to 1915, he served as the first minister of Bethlehem Baptist Church while fostering the growth of the Black community in Overtown, now the Rosemary District. His wife, Irene, was a midwife who provided critical support for black families who were denied standard medical care.
“They were instrumental in that their fingerprints are in the founding principles of Sarasota,” Pallegar said of the Colsons. “The fact that they are the only Black people buried in the Rosemary Cemetery — the fact that this hotel sits literally a block from their grave — it’s really an incredible story, and it’s a story that not many people really understand. That’s how Sarasota was built.”
JDMax owner Maximilian Vollmer, who is developing multiple infill residential projects in the Rosemary District, had applied for and was denied a demolition permit from the Sarasota Historic Preservation Board.
During his appeal hearing before the Sarasota City Commission, Pallegar sat beside Vollmer before the dais, the two of them offering an option to demolition. To get there, though, would require the commissioners to instruct staff to work with all parties to permit a driveway for garbage collection off a primary street, among other zoning modifications.
Otherwise, Pallegar said, the hotel was likely doomed.
“Two paths were happening. The Sarasota Alliance was pursuing the preservation of the building. They’d written a series of documents. They
worked with the Sarasota African American Coalition to raise awareness, and they were a very loud and powerful voice,” Pallegar said. Meanwhile, the DreamLarge-led group was working to negotiate purchase of the Colson. At that Sept. 3 City Commission meeting, Pallegar presented a conceptual site plan that incorporated a restored Colson alongside the new homes, along with a plea to bend the code enough to allow the sale to occur. Otherwise, the commission would have either upheld the Historic Preservation Board’s demolition denial — which likely would have led to litigation — or overturn that decision.
Instead, the commission tabled the vote, the pause providing time to secure the site adjustments with staff and for the two sides to reach a purchase agreement for the building.
“When you look at what the developer did, they had checked every single box to allow demolition,” Pallegar said. “If we didn’t find a mutually viable deal, it was never going to be safe from the wrecking ball. What was remarkable was that the leadership of the city at the time and the staff all saw what had been put forth. Our team had put together a set of designs and visuals to try and imagine what it could be, and I think that their commitment to enabling a viable outcome is the only way this was saved.”
PREPARING FOR RESALE
Work to empty the building of debris and to clean up the site surrounding the structure will soon begin in preparation for resale, the coalition not intending to earn a profit. Pallegar has his thoughts on what the repurposing of the Colson Hotel should be, but he leaves that to the decision of prospective investors.
He does, though, have thoughts of what it should not be.
“I think whatever the end use is, it has to be something that is open, accessible and welcoming to all,” Pallegar said. “I think that is a foundational principle for whatever this building turns into. I think whatever it is that goes there has to be financially viable and operationally feasible for it to work. It cannot be something that constantly requires a handout.
“This community doesn’t need another nonprofit. What it needs is a viable, operational business that can succeed in that building and bring foot traffic and ultimately activate a part of the Rosemary District that has languished for a long time.”
■ The Florida Master Site File lists the 1926 structure’s style as Mediterranean Revival
■ Constructed of hollow clay tile blocks topped by a flat built-up roof
■ Eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and local historic designation
■ First hotel built in Sarasota for African Americans during the period of Jim Crow segregation
■ Built by Owen Burns and named for the Rev. Lewis Colson, a former slave who helped plat the city of Sarasota
■ Selected In 2024 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of its “Eleven to Save”
Anand Pallegar is leading the effort to preserve the Colson Hotel building.
Photos by Andrew Warfield
A view of the courtyard area of the Colson Hotel from the adjacent property where developer JDMax plans to build an infill residential development.
Courtesy image
An aerial view of the Colson Hotel site.
Big changes on tap for SRQ Concourse B
The new Concourse A at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport offers enhanced options for passenger comfort, but big upgrades are also underway for the original gate areas.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
ith Patrick’s, Anna Maria Oyster Bar and Peet’s Coffee located in the new Concourse A, SarasotaBradenton International Airport provides passengers an upgraded culinary experience as they await their departures.
That’s great, but what about Concourse B where, for decades, the food and beverage offerings could be described as pedestrian at best?
By the end of the year, all that will change. SRQ is in the midst of wholesale upgrades aimed at bringing a variety of local favorites and new flavors. New vendors in Concourse B will be Mattison’s restaurant, a Motorworks Brewing bar, a renovated Starbucks, a Wahlburgers restaurant and Salty Key Bar.
The Jimmy John’s sandwich shop, which SRQ President and CEO Rick Piccolo confirms is the highestgrossing location in the country, will remain.
All the work is scheduled to be completed, in phases, by the next high season. It can’t happen all at once, Piccolo said, as prudence dictates a graduated approach to maintain a level of service that the flying public demands.
“There will be some inconvenience for passengers for a while as areas get closed off, get redone and then reopen,” Piccolo said. “The goal, though, is at the end, you’ll have a lot more choices, a lot more variety and we’ll be able to serve our
customers much better because we realized, as we grew so fast, we just didn’t have enough concessions and people are waiting in line and taking a long time.”
Taking a tour of Concourse B from the security checkpoint, already completed is Seaside Market, a graband-go space that replaces the CNBC Shop, where buildout is underway for Mattison’s. That is expected to be completed in about 18 weeks. Across from Seaside Market is a temporary bar in the center of the concourse, which will be replaced by Motorworks between gates B4 and B6.
Continuing down the concourse, the Starbucks location is boarded up while it is renovated, and for now has moved to a kiosk in the center walkway nearby. Next to Starbucks, the new Wahlburgers will replace what is now the Tap and Pour restaurant and bar. Across the walkway, Huey Magoo’s Chicken will replace the Kona Bar. Finally, at the end of the concourse where gates B9-B14 are located, will be the Salty Key bar,
The Kona Bar in Concourse B at SarasotaBradenton International Airport will be replaced by Huey Magoo’s Chicken.
replacing the Dunkin’ kiosk and a grab-and-go kiosk.
Some of the new establishments will encroach on space currently used for gate seating, but Piccolo said with a million annual passengers now using Concourse A, which is fully leased by Allegiant Air, it will ease crowding in the gate areas. And with the new bars and restaurants, there will be some better places to sit and wait for boarding.
“All of this will be done over the next six or seven months,” Piccolo said. “By the time we get to the heavy season of next winter, this should all be in place, functioning very well, and people will have a lot more choices, a lot more convenience, and that should make things much better for our passengers.”
By 2026, Piccolo said, SRQ anticipates surpassing 5 million passengers, having served just more than 4 million in 2024. Gate seats lost to the new additions will be eventually be regained by “bump-outs,” which will expand the gate areas.
Changes are also coming to the main terminal area. The Dewar’s Clubhouse restaurant and bar has been downsized, and work on a new Suncoast Bar in a portion of that space has begun. The remainder of that area wrapping around the fountain will be reconfigured into smaller shops.
Because the current airport facilities were built prior to the installation of TSA checkpoints, the prior location of the larger restaurant space, most recently the Dewar’s Clubhouse, was placed at the terminal at the time when passengers were permitted to move freely between the gate and terminal areas.
“It’s oversized pre-security and undersized post-security because when the terminal was built, that security stuff didn’t exist,” Piccolo said. “That’s part of what we need to correct, to make it smaller pre-secu-
rity, because there’s not that level of demand there, and more robust post-security because that’s where the demand is.”
MASTER CONCESSIONAIRES PAY THE TAB
The total investment in the changes in Concourse B and the main terminal will be $15 million to $16 million, but not at the expense of the airport. Those costs are borne by the master concessionaires, who bid for the right to do business at the airport. They take all the financial risks, con-
tract with the restaurants, bars and retailers, and pay the airport a negotiated portion of the revenues.
Host Marriott was the previous master concessionaire serving the airport; that contract is expiring. The Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority selected two new concessionaires, SSP America and Paradies Lagardére, to operate there for the next dozen years.
“It just so happened that as we are going through this massive expansion, the contracts with our master concessionaires were expiring, so we put out a request for proposals for new agreements,” Piccolo said.
“The reason we go to master concessionaires is then we have one entity to deal with, and in this case, we have two. If there’s an issue, we only deal with the master concessionaire, not with every little entity, so it’s much more efficient for us from that standpoint.”
The caveat, Piccolo added, was that the new concessionaires focus on bringing in local purveyors of food and drink rather than offering the generic operations typical of the past.
“We wanted to be sure to bring some local businesses with recognizable names for our customers to enjoy, and then maybe they will go visit them while they are staying here,” he added.
We offer affordable Empty Leg Flights for flexible travelers, with a range of aircraft
helicopters.
The new Seaside Market is open in Concourse B at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
Tap & Pour in Concourse B at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport will be replaced by a Wahlburgers restaurant.
This temporary bar in Concourse B at SarasotaBradenton International Airport will be removed while a new Motorworks Brewing bar is built.
Photos by Andrew Warfield
Breach may be main culprit of Debby flooding
A breach discovered east of I-75 combined with more than a foot of rain brought catastrophic flooding to miles along Phillippi Creek during Tropical Storm Debby.
ANDREW
WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
After a more than three-hour workshop to address the flooding brought by Tropical Storm Debby, Sarasota County commissioners arrived at the conclusion that they need at least one more workshop.
On Jan. 21, commissioners heard from Public Works director Spencer Anderson, independent stormwater engineer Steve Suau and dozens of members of the public, all weighing in on what led to the historic flooding brought by Tropical Storm Debby, and what may be done to prevent similar future catastrophes.
Most heavily impacted were the Laurel Meadows area east of I-75, the Colonial Oaks and Colonial Gables neighbors west of the interstate, and continuing west into the Pinecraft community. What they have in common is Phillippi Creek, a basin that drains 57 square miles of some of the most densely populated areas in Sarasota County from the Cow Pen Slough into the bay.
During their presentations, Anderson and Suau told commissioners the flooding was likely caused by a combination of factors, including a discovered breach in the earthen berm that holds excess water in Celery Fields, dumping water into Laurel Meadows. From there, it rushed downstream along Phillippi Creek, breaching its narrow banks until it widens and deepens into a navigable waterway west of Tuttle Avenue.
Anderson and Suau drew the conclusion that there was too much water moving through the system, even for such a record rainfall.
But why?
“Steve said there’s got to be something wrong. There’s too much water here,” Anderson said. “So we went out and identified an area along the berm that is supposed to divide Cow
WATCH THE WORKSHOP
The Sarasota County Commission workshop on flood mitigation may be viewed on the county government website at SCGov.net.
Pen Slough from Phillippi Creek. The only way we could see it is there was grass that was laid flat on the landfill side of the berm.”
With the visual cue that something was amiss with the berm, Anderson’s crew investigated further. “We removed the vegetation and found that there was a low spot in the berm that had appeared to have breached, and there was sediment and other vegetation on the landfill side that supported that,” he said.
In addition to finding the apparent cause of excess water in Phillippi Creek — that and the fact the entire system isn’t designed to handle well in excess of a foot of rain from a single storm event — many residents who spoke pressed for the creek to be dredged, which was started but left uncompleted in 2000.
THE RECENCY FACTOR
Not content to wait another three decades to determine if history will repeat itself, another workshop is scheduled for March 12 to further discuss additional mitigation practices.
ALL IT TAKES IS MONEY
SARASOTA COUNTY STORMWATER ENVIRONMENTAL UTILITY HISTORY
1989: Stormwater Environmental Utility established by the County Commission
1990: Entered an interlocal agreement with the city of Sarasota for stormwater management
1992: Began regulating to the 1% annual chance storm (10 inches in 24 hours) and joined FEMA’s Community Rating System program
1994: Implemented non ad valorem assessments
2022: Updated SEU assessment rate and methodology to accommodate water quality and resiliency, expanding regulations and increased maintenance needs
2023:
Many residents moved here recently and have not experienced past flooding along Phillippi Creek. For others, it’s been a long “dry spell,” as Anderson described it.
“We came across some of our more seasoned residents that have been around for many years, and they recall this occurring many times in the past, but not in the recent past,” he said. “We’ve had a dry spell, but in the ’80s and ’60s and the ’70s, the folks that we were talking to said this frequently happened back then, but it’s been very dry since. We may have gotten a little comfortable without
big rainfall events and thinking that all we’re doing is all we’re going to need to do.”
Hurricane Debby was a reminder, he added, that was not the case. Both Anderson and Suau said such flooding events appear to occur in roughly 30-year intervals.
The fiscal year 2024 operating budget for the county’s Stormwater Environmental Utility was just shy of $27.3 million, which includes administration, stormwater field services, watershed planning and watershed engineering.
There are eight current capital improvement programs partially funded at $52.5 million. The stormwater infrastructure maintenance program is partially funded at $17.5 million. Surtax 5 funding for fiscal years 2024-2039 is $57.56 million.
In addition, the utility has identified 114 nonfunded water quality and flood mitigation projects with 2022 cost estimates of $285.5 million. Grants are the primary funding source with a county match usually required. In fiscal year 2024, the primary source of revenue for the division came from annual Stormwater Environmental Utility non ad valorem assessments comprised of a fixed base fee and impervious area fee totaling $26.8 million, $3.8 million from the city of Sarasota and the remainder from the county.
The 50-year decision
The Karins report on the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall brings to the fore many dilemmas. The Van Wezel needs $17 million to keep going . It’s worth $80 million. Should the city be in the theater business?
Let the conversations begin. And to be sure, there will be and should be many of them.
The Sarasota-based firm of Karins Engineering recently released the long-awaited engineering report on the condition of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The report is now in the hands of the city’s Purple Ribbon Committee, which will digest all 400 pages and its recommendations, and later make its own recommendations to the City Commission on the fate of the city’s iconic performing arts hall.
The Karins report recommends it will take $17 million in repairs and the upgrading of all facets of the 55-year-old facility to preserve and protect it for its current and continued use.
The bigger questions for the Purple Ribbon Committee and City Commission will be whether to make those fixes, how to finance them and whether to commit to the never-ending and sizable costs to keep operating the performing arts hall in the shadow of what many hope will be a new iconic performing arts hall. Or … what?
Tear it down? Repurpose it? Sell it?
You can be sure this will become one of the most debated and contentious issues in the city’s history. Much like the fixed-span Ringling Bridge.
Many may recall that began in 1993 and lasted until April 2001. That’s when the First District Court of Appeal ruled the Florida Department of Transportation could begin construction. That battle — multiple lawsuits —pitted factions of Sarasota and barrier island citizens against each other and tore the fabric of the community.
You already can envision a repeat when someone dares to suggest abandoning, tearing down or selling the Van Wezel. But those visions come to mind when you read Karins Engineering’s 409-page report.
On the plus side, among the Karins report’s conclusions were “the team did not identify significant architectural or structural Florida Building Code Violations … The roof was observed to be in generally good condition and well maintained.” And the appraiser, Patricia Staebler, stated in her report “the building was found to be in good condition.”
Staebler’s appraisal concluded the depreciated market value of the Van Wezel to be $80,019,000. She said the replacement value is $97,584,000. Nonetheless, the Karins report is rife with deficiencies in the hall. There are so many they bring to mind the debate you have with old cars: Is it throwing good money after bad to dump a couple thousand dollars into your old jalopy, not knowing what else will go haywire, or do you take on new debt
THE ORIGIN OF THE
ROOF
Hall. His design for the purple seashell-shaped roof had family connections.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s wife had a love of the sea. She selected the purple color because it reflected a purple
she found in Japan.
and buy a new one?
What’s more, reading the Karins report leaves you with the impression from the theater and audiovisual consultants that the Van Wezel is clearly a Class-B venue for today’s musical and theatrical productions — and wouldn’t be much more than that even with the $17 million in fixes.
Read the report (YourObserver. com/Opinion-Karins-Report).
Several conclusions, observations and opinions are likely to emerge in your mind.
Here’s one: When you think about what is required to keep that building operating — the people, their expertise; all of the mechanical requirements for HVAC; the maintenance of the thousands of parts; the upkeep inside and out; and on an on — you realize it is a gigantic task.
You then appreciate the job that Mary Bensel, executive director of the Van Wezel, and her team perform. You get the sense it’s like constantly plugging leaks in a dam, while keeping the water flowing as it should.
It’s a big, constant job. And the fact they have managed to keep the Van Wezel going for 55 years is something we all take for granted, but shouldn’t. Give them credit.
But then … there are the issues.
With the stage, offices, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and fire protection. Bringing all that up to where they should be consumes most of the $17 million.
And while the engineers say the roof can last another five to 10 years, the roof consultants cited 12 concerns to be addressed. The theater consultants were diplomatic in their assessment of the functionality of the acoustics and audiovisual features: “While the building is beloved, and many things from a technical acoustics and AV design perspective are functional, there are challenges that limit the use of the main performance space … Overall Assessment: Audio and video systems, including cable infrastructure, require replacement.”
They were critical of the continental seating (no aisles) and noted the difficulty of staging big touring shows. Both “Hamilton” and “The Lion King” played the Van Wezel, but they were difficult negotiations, with short runs and the need to balance the show’s minimum guaranteed revenue with ticket prices.
Once you digest all that is required to repair, preserve and
Source: Karins Engineering
ANOTHER 100 YEARS FOR VAN WEZEL?
In Patricia Staebler’s appraisal of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, she included a section comparing the lives of other halls around the world:
“The typical life expectancy (also called useful life) for auditoriums and similar property types can be found at about 55 years, as indicated in the national cost data publication Marshall and Swift.
LONG LIVES FOR HALLS
Performing Arts Hall Historic age
Boston Symphony Hall 124
Carnegie Hall, NYC 133 Academy of Music, Philadelphia 167
Fox Theatre, Atlanta 95
La Scala, Milan, Italy 246
Theatro dell’Opera, Roma, Italy 145
Royal Opera House London 292
Opéra Garnier, Paris, France 149
Vienna State Opera 155
Sydney Opera House 51
Theatro Municipal, Rio de Janeiro 115
Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires 116
Cape Town City Hall, South Africa 119
Noh Theatre, Nara, Japan 129
“Keep in mind, the term ‘useful life’ was introduced in the valuation world to quantify the time at which the structure might not be longer used for its intended purpose. A structure such as the subject property, however, can have a perpetual life if maintained on a regular basis and renovated from time to time to keep up with market standards.
Average 145
Source: Staebler Appraisal and Consulting
computes the expected life of a property based on three groups of questions, such as environmental context, occupational profile and structural integrity …
“There is an additional tool an appraiser can use to examine the useful life of a property. Professor Craig Langston of the Bond University in Australia invented the physical life calculator, which
protect the structure to continue operating in the short term and even after a new, modern performing arts center opens, say, seven to 10 years from now, you can easily find your mind leaning to this conclusion: The city government of Sarasota should not be in the performing arts hall business.
Is that really a function of government — managing and maintaining an $80 million building, and booking and managing year-round traveling entertainment productions to suit the varied interests of the region’s citizenry?
Yes, the city has done that for 55 years. And over the past decade, Bensel has managed to reduce its annual subsidy on the city’s operating budget. The Van Wezel finished the four years from 2016 through 2019 with operating surpluses that ranged from $239,000 to $1.1 million. Its best operating years were 2021 ($1.3 million operating surplus) and 2022 ($3.4 million operating surplus), but it is expected to have losses totaling $3 million for 2023 through 2025.
Many will argue a performing arts hall is a public good and an amenity that enhances the quality of life — much like parks, Legacy Trails and football and baseball stadiums. But virtually all of them require subsidies — that is, taking the earnings of taxpayers and depriving them of that money to support “amenities” many may never use. Will that be the future and fate of the Van Wezel if there comes a day when there is a new performing arts hall next door? Indeed, the Karins report now triggers many questions the Purple
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“Taking the three methods and the actual historical age of the subject property into consideration, it is my professional opinion the life expectancy of the subject property should be found above the industry normed range at 100–120 years.”
Ribbon Committee and city commissioners soon will face.
■ Should taxpayers fund the $17 million to repair, preserve and protect the Van Wezel for the next the five to 10 years (the likely time it would take for a new performing arts hall to be built)?
■ What are the consequences if the city doesn’t “invest” the $17 million?
■ How will that $17 million be funded?
■ In the larger sense, should the Van Wezel be operated with the objective of making it a break-even/ surplus-producing enterprise? Is that a strength of the city?
■ Or, should it be structured, say, much like the Bay Park Conservancy, a not-for-profit corporation expected to stand on its own?
■ With a market value of $80 million, should it be sold to a private company or not-for-profit organization (after a new performing arts center is built), relieving taxpayers of any future obligations? Based on the Karins report, it’s clear that even with the $17 million upgrades and repairs, the Van Wezel will still be what it is — a B-market venue with its B-level customer experience and an inability to attract top-flight productions. We have our sympathies for the members of the Purple Ribbon Committee and city commissioners. The Karins report has brought to light the unwinnable dilemmas they will face. Hopefully, they will keep in mind: This is a 50-year decision. It’s not just a matter of preserving a 55-year-old, inadequate architectural icon.
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MATT WALSH
William Wesley Peters, the sonin-law of Frank Lloyd Wright, was the architect of the Van Wezel Performing Arts
seashell
Jail expansion could cost upward of $700 million
Already well in excess of operational capacity, county commissioners learn an expansion of the county jail will likely cost a least a half-billion dollars.
ANDREW
WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Sarasota County Jail has reached its capacity, and relief won’t come until 2032. And getting there could cost county taxpayers upwards of $500 million to $700 million.
On Tuesday, the Sarasota County Commission received that news in the form of a report from staff, seeking guidance on which of three options should be pursued to replace the jail’s current west wing, add office space, more parking and build a new criminal reintegration center. The most expensive of the three options — estimated at between $650 million and $700 million — came as sticker shock to commissioners, who unanimously rejected Option 1. That cost was driven in part by placing the criminal reintegration center at the northeast corner of Main Street and Washington Boulevard, prime downtown land that is currently used as a surface parking lot.
Capital Projects Manager Brad Gaubatz presented the options to commissioners as part of a continuing discussion aimed at developing a plan to expand the criminal justice campus in the eastern downtown area in time to place a referendum on the ballot for the 2026 general election.
County Administrator Jonathan Lewis implored commissioners to select only an option or options they are willing to seriously entertain.
“What you’re doing today is allowing us to go forward with drilling down on the best options,” said Lewis, explaining that assigning
JAIL EXPANSION TIMELINE
Detailed analysis of selected option/cost estimates:
October 2025
Financing analysis/begin formal referendum steps: November 2025
Adopt final ballot language: April 2026
Referendum date: November 2026
Solicitations for architect and construction management services: December 2026
Award contracts, begin design phase: October 2027
Phase 1 (criminal justice center) construction begins: March 2029
Occupy criminal justice center: March 2031
Phase 2 (correctional facility)
construction begins: April 2031
Occupy correctional facility: April 2033
staff to go forward with two options is acceptable. “It doesn’t mean that’s your final decision. It’s just we can’t spend the time and effort required to go to the next level of detail for our staff and others that are involved without that.”
Gaubatz did not provide cost estimates for Options 2 and 3, but didn’t rule out the cost range pushing $700 million, but it could be as little as $500 million.
“You should have left that cost slide off of the presentation because that shocks us,” said Commissioner Ron Cutsinger. Added Commissioner Teresa Mast, “The impact of a $700 million project is gasping. It’s one of those things that just takes the wind out of your soul.”
In terms of property tax impact, according to Deputy County Administrator and CFO Steve Botelho, at
$700 million, taxpayers would be pay $94 per $300,000 in assessed property value per year. At $500 million, it would be $67 per year.
But the county already is exceeding the jail’s operational capacity, said Maj. Brian Meinberg of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, adding that Sarasota is second only to Pasco County in inmate crowding. The county north of Tampa is addressing that situation, building more jail space set to open in 2026.
“We’re less than 100 away right now from sending inmates to another facility, and that, I can tell you, is a very high cost,” Meinberg said. “Then, of course, we need to transfer these people back and forth. It could be tens of millions dollars a year just to send 100 inmates out to another facility right now, and we’re just about there.”
Both options 2 and 3 include
rebuilding the west wing of the jail, which, built in 1975, has an operational capacity of 77 inmates. It would be replaced with a five-story building housing 240 per floor on levels 2-4, the top floor being a shell for future housing of another 240. That would take the total operational capacity of the jail complex from 773 to 1,308. Built in 1986, the east wing has an operational capacity of 451 with the north wing, which opened in 2002, at 245.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the projected 2025 population of the jail is 1,081, 308 more than the operational capacity. By 2032, it is expected to swell to 1,177, 404 more than operational capacity, and by the time the expansion would open in 2033, the projected population of 1,191 would leave a surplus of 117. The increased capacity should carry the
county through 2041 before another expansion would need to be considered.
While there was no dispute among commissioners that the expansion expenditure is necessary — pending referendum approval — how it gets paid for is a matter of concern. Some currently scheduled capital improvement projects, they suggested, may be put on hold.
“This is one of those challenging things, but there’s no question in my mind we need to move forward with all due speed on figuring out the solutions here,” Cutsinger said. “We’ve got a lot of decisions to make about how we fund it.”
Added Commissioner Mark Smith, “This is the highest priority I believe we have. There’s real urgency. The sad thing about it is we’re looking at eight years down the road before we’re able to get out of this mess.”
Courtesy image
The Sarasota County criminal justice campus area map shows city- and county-owned parcels.
City honors life of Clifford Smith
Clifford Smith, who joined the city as historic preservation planner in 2007, died late last year.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
In the early moments of the Jan. 21 Sarasota City Commission meeting, Mayor Liz Alpert read an official proclamation in remembrance of Clifford Smith, the city’s longtime historic preservation planner, who died Dec. 10, 2024, at age 69.
The Nantucket, Massachusetts, native joined the city in January 2007 and since had worked with residents and organizations to preserve historic properties throughout the city.
The proclamation read:
“Whereas, on the 10th day of December 2024, the life of Dr. Clifford E. Smith Jr. came to a close, and it is fitting that the City Commission, duly assembled, pauses to observe the passing of a dedicated public servant of our community; and
“Whereas, Dr. Smith joined the city of Sarasota as its historic preservation planner and served honorably, demonstrating a true passion for historic preservation and the historic resources of the city, since Jan. 8, 2007; and
“Whereas, Dr. Smith served the city with brilliance, was a highly regarded and dedicated professional, as well as a loving husband and father of six children; and
“Whereas, Dr. Smith’s desire to help people was unsurpassed, leading him to assist thousands of citizens with their historic homes and properties, always taking into consideration what was best for both them and the city.
“Now therefore, the City Commission of the city of Sarasota, on behalf of the citizens of our community, shares in the Smith family’s sorrow as we come together to honor and pay our respects to the memory of Dr. Clifford E. Smith Jr.”
The moment did not pass without
comment from his supervisor, Planning Director Steven Cover, as well as Vickie Oldham of the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition and former Mayor and Commissioner Willie Shaw.
“He wound up in Sarasota, and that was a real gift to the city,” said Cover. “Dr. Cliff was a brilliant man, a brilliant father, a brilliant member of our staff and a brilliant friend, and I just was just happy that I had an opportunity to spend eight years with him.”
“Dr. Clifford Smith laid the foundation and directed the project that has transformed our Newtown community. It had to be somebody like him who cared about everybody’s history to lead us,” Oldham said of his efforts to have Newtown listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “His commitment is causing residents and visitors to take another look at our community through the lens of its powerful history … He understood how to get a project past the red tape here at City Hall.”
Added Shaw, “We cannot thank him enough. We thank God for blessing us with him and we thank you, the family, for letting us share him with you. We truly appreciate it.”
Courtesy image
Clifford Smith (right), with Sarasota Planning Director Steven Cover, receiving the Stewards of Heritage Award from the Florida Archaeological Council.
Step inside to bayfront residences unequaled in Sarasota, perhaps because they open to a panorama of the city’s entire skyline. Here is a stage for expansive living — a breathtaking esplanade, pool terrace, and even, a berth for your boat. This is that once-and-forever moment. Add your name to our early interest list.
Wellness lounge seeks return
Conscious Cause looks ahead amid the closure of its wellness lounge.
s they carried materials, including the mattress of a therapy bed, out the door, Shannon Hunt and Kristen Kruger said they are looking ahead with hope as they seek a new space for their Community Wellness Lounge and Cacao Cafe.
The lounge, which opened at 734 Central Ave. last month, had been established through a partnership between their organization, Conscious Cause, and another nonprofit, Streets of Paradise.
Streets of Paradise had lent the use of the space, with Conscious Cause serving as its wellness outreach, on a property owned by Planned Parenthood.
However, Hunt and Kruger say that they are being required to vacate the space due to external conflicts.
Hunt called the closure of the lounge and its “community-run and community-led” healing and wellness initiatives “devastating” for the community. The couple noted they lost an earlier space to the hurricanes in 2024, just before opening.
He said that after serving hundreds within the last 30 days, they have come to “a screeching halt due to political agendas and separation and division.”
“It’s a very sad situation, and we know there’s a greater plan,” he said.
Kruger said, “To be innocent bystanders caught in the crossfires amidst these types of battles, I feel that there’s a higher divine purpose for the alignment of us with something like this, and so we are staying curious, our trust and faith is unwavering and we are following our hearts to see where we’re being guided next on this journey.”
Hunt said they hope to find a new space in 30 to 90 days.
According to a Jan. 16 story in
the Christian Post, a complaint by a Texas pro-life group, 40 Days for Life, alleges that Planned Parenthood violated its tax-exempt status by providing space for a phone bank last fall supporting the Kamala Harris presidential campaign. Streets of Paradise and Planned Parenthood declined comment to the Observer.
Cathy Bryant of Streets of Paradise confirmed that Streets of Paradise was departing the space and said Planned Parenthood has always been supportive.
Conscious Cause, a donationbased lounge, had featured alternative therapies and healing modalities not limited to custom-built beds generating electric pulses and sound vibrations, light-based therapies, an infrared sauna and a cold plunge.
They say that as they pick up the pieces, they are turning toward a supportive community for help.
“We landed exactly where we were supposed to land, and we’re very grateful for the experience, and we were able to leave a huge impact on the community in just the 30 days,” Hunt said.
“Imagine what we can do when we land solid in the right space for a longer amount of time, so that’s what we’re looking for next.”
THE SUPREME GOLF SWING
Ian Swaby
Kristen Kruger packs a set of towels.
TRIBUTES
Louise Patton Schultz
1945-2025
Louise Patton Schultz, 79, of Siesta Key, FL, passed away on January 14, 2025.
Mrs. Schultz was born on July 29, 1945 in Washington, D.C., to Edward Patton and Jane Patton. She graduated from the University of Florida with a B.A. in Philosophy, lived the adventurous life of an Air Force officer’s spouse for six years (including a stop in Hawaii while her husband served in Vietnam), and later worked as the office manager of the dental practice she and her husband established when they settled in Marietta, GA.
A spectacular endurance athlete and dedicated outdoorswoman, Mrs. Schultz spent countless hours exploring and appreciating — be it at a jog, on a bicycle, or in a kayak (each usually at a grueling pace) — Earth’s natural beauty. Mrs. Schultz was also a brilliant creator of beauty, applying her artistic talents to gorgeous handmade jewelry, ornate 3D birthday cakes, colorful cuisine, imaginative wood and fabric pieces, and much more — all for those she loved. Above all else, she treasured her role as wife, mother, and grandmother, cherishing every moment as she poured her overflowing love and joy into her family.
She is survived by her loving husband of 58 years, Dr. Richard Schultz; daughters: Karen Seagroves and husband Fentress, Medley Wewerka and husband Michael; and five grandchildren (to whom she was “Tutu”): Graham, Barret, and Cole Seagroves, Miel and Mix Wewerka. She is also survived by her two sisters, Margaret Johnson (her identical twin) and Anna Marie Davis.
DONATIONS: In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to Mote Marine in Sarasota, earmarked in the donor notes for Sea Turtle Conservation and Research, or Siesta Key Chapel.
COPS CORNER
THURSDAY, JAN. 16
BATHROOM ASSAULT
2:01 a.m., 1400 block of Main Street
Criminal mischief: Video evidence gathered at the scene made a positive identification of a man causing property damage at a downtown restaurant. Officers were informed by the manager that a man had taken out his rage on two fire alarms and a soap dispenser in the men’s restroom.
An officer spoke with a bartender who had interacted with the subject after hearing loud commotion emanating from the bathroom. After knocking on the door, the subject said he was locked in the room and could not get out. After the subject was advised the door locks from the inside and he was able to let himself exit, the bartender noticed the damage.
The man admitted to causing the damage, he said, because he believed he was locked inside and was trying to find a way out. The bartender astutely observed that the man may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time. The man had left the scene by the time officers arrived and was not located in the area.
Damage is estimated at $1,000 and the manager advised he wished to press charges. Because the man was not loaded at the time and officers were unable to determine whether there was malicious intent, the case was forwarded to the State Attorney’s office for review.
SATURDAY, JAN. 18
STARTING A REVOLUTION
10:55 a.m., 1500 block of Main Street
Disturbance: Disrupting a women’s march in downtown, a shirtless man was observed throwing items, yelling and, naturally, carrying an open can of Four Loko, a fortified alcoholic beverage. Officers spotted the subject walking along the street and yelling at leaders of a demonstration on the sidewalk. Officers recognized his hostile intent toward the group, as evidenced by him reported as throwing tables.
After being transported to Sarasota County Jail, the man, without being prompted, began asking why there was a large crowd and if law enforcement was going to do anything about the march. He added his actions were intended to “start a revolution,” according to the incident report.
Having been observed as being intoxicated, carrying an open container, slurred speech, flush red skin, endangering public safety, etc., probable cause existed to charge the revolutionary with disorderly intoxication.
OVERSTAYING HIS WELCOME
5:29 p.m., 3000 block of Goodrich Avenue
Family disturbance: A married couple wanted a third person, who happened to be the homeowner’s brother, removed from the residence. The complainant said he allowed his brother to stay in the house “for a few days,” according to the incident report, but he has stayed an entire week and refused to leave.
An officer spoke with the would-be squatter, who explained he has lived in the house his entire life, returning there after being released from prison a week before. The subject receives mail at the residence and the address is listed on his Florida driver’s license.
The officer informed the couple that the paroled brother is a legal resident of the home and he must be formally evicted to force him to leave. No further action was taken.
MONDAY, JAN. 20
CAFE SUFFERS PLANT VANDALISM
9:11 a.m., 1600 block of Main Street
Criminal mischief: Returning to the business district of Main Street, an officer responded to a call from a restaurant where an unknown subject had damaged several plants that belonged to the proprietor during the wee hours or the morning.
The complainant said the subject was captured on video about 2:17 a.m. kicking, tossing and throwing plants. The man then attempted to remove the outdoor seating umbrellas.
Briefly walking away, the man was seen returning to the scene of the crime on video, where he continued his vandalism spree. Although he could not be identified — the man was wearing a black hoodie, black pants and black shoes — the officer determined he did not appear to be homeless. No further action could be taken, although the evidence was distributed within SPD in hopes the perpetrator could be identified.
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SPORTS
Fast Break
Charlotte High on Jan. 21.
The Booker High girls varsity basketball team boosted its record to 13-6 when it defeated Punta Gorda Charlotte 73-45 on Jan. 21. Senior Brianna Behn posted a double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds and junior Yvette Brown added on 12 points and six rebounds in the win.
... On the boys’ side, the Tornadoes improved to 11-11 when it traveled to Venice and beat the Indians 63-52 on Jan. 24. Senior shooting guard Chris Perets led the Tornadoes with 24 points and junior forward J.P. Lattimore added 18 points of his own. Quote of the week: ... “It’s been a pleasant surprise,” said Cardinal Mooney boys varsity basketball head coach Curt Kassab, of his team’s success in his first year after losing nine seniors. “Anytime you have a change in coaching and change in philosophy, it’s not always a smooth transition. Our success speaks volumes about the type of kids at Cardinal Mooney; they’re coachable and willing to learn.”
... The Cardinal Mooney boys varsity soccer team (11-6-2) was crowned the 3A-District 9 champions when it defeated St. Petersburg Gibbs in the 8-0 championship game Jan. 24. Junior Samuel Shamsey led the Cougars with three goals, junior Lucas Marmelo scored two, junior Lance Lopez notched one goal and seniors Mark Yencik and Luca Miccio both scored once. On the girls’ side, the Cougars were also crowned district champions when they defeated Gulfport Boca Ciega 9-0 Jan. 24. ... The Sarasota boys basketball team (22-2) continued its hot streak when it defeated Cardinal Mooney 59-50 on Jan. 25. The Sailors have won 12 straight since losing 54-51 to Palmetto High on Dec. 19.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL DISTRICT PREVIEW
How will Sarasota’s teams fare in the boys and girls district tournaments next week?
DYLAN CAMPBELL SPORTS REPORTER
The FHSAA boys and girls basketball district tournaments are on the horizon. The tournaments are litmus tests for the regional tournament, which begins on Feb. 13. Each classification in the state, 1A through 7A, is broken up into 16 districts across four regions. The four district champions and the next four highest-ranked teams per regional bracket, based off the final FHSAA MaxPrep rankings, advance to the regional tournament. Here is a look at where each of Sarasota’s high school programs stand.
BOYS
SARASOTA HIGH: 22-2, 5-0 (1ST) 7A DISTRICT 12
STARTING DATES
While some of the locations are TBA, here are the start dates for the various boys and girls district tournaments.
BOYS Feb. 3-7
Quarterfinals Feb. 3, semifinals Feb. 5 final Feb. 7
GIRLS Feb. 4-8
Quarterfinals Feb. 4, semifinals Feb. 6, final Feb. 8
For BJ Ivey, the skipper of Sarasota High, it’s all about keeping an even keel. The Sailors have been dominant this season after capturing the district title in 2024, but Ivey knows that his squad can’t afford to take its foot off the gas.
“If you get complacent, then you’re no longer improving,” said Ivey. “You’re either getting better or getting worse — things don’t stay the same. We want to stay humble and have the same energy and enthusiasm about achieving our goals as we did back when we created them in the beginning of the year.”
CARDINAL MOONEY HIGH: 20-2, 0-0 (6TH) 3A DISTRICT 8
Expectations for Cardinal Mooney, the 3A-11 champions in 2024, were collectively managed at the start of the season after not only losing nine seniors, but hiring new head coach Curt Kassab and reclassifying to the more competitive District 8. The Cougars, however, have exceeded expectations thanks to the contributions of young talent. Sophomore guard Jamaal George and junior point guard Malakai Cuffy lead Cardinal Mooney in scoring, averaging 14.8 and 13.3 points per game, respectively. Junior 6-foot8 forward Sam Reindel has blossomed into a formidable post presence under Kassab, bringing down a team-leading seven rebounds per game, while averaging 11.3 points.
RIVERVIEW HIGH: 13-10, 3-2 (3RD)
7A DISTRICT 12
The question surrounding Riverview, with two losses to Sarasota this season is if the team has enough around star junior guard Josh Harris to remain competitive against more complete teams? Harris is having an excellent season, averaging 20.1 points per game, shooting 56% from the floor and 42% from beyond the arc.
Riverview’s next highest scorer, however, is Cole Coggin, who averages just over 10 points per game.
“For us to be successful, we don’t need to make any big adjustments. We just need to focus on the details ...”
For the Rams to be a force in the district tournament and beyond, look for players like 6-foot-5 senior forward Rhys Gamble — who Jeff Harris referred to as a “Swiss Army knife” — to take a scoring load off of Josh Harris.
BOOKER HIGH: 11-11, 2-0 (1ST)
4A DISTRICT 11
The graduation of star point guard Jovan Palavra in 2024 has left a 6-foot-5 hole in Booker’s back court this season after winning a district title last season.
“When you lose the best player in the area, it’s easier said than done to replace him,” said head coach Carl Williams. “None of our three leading scorers, J.P. Lattimore, Chris Perets and Darius Behn, play point guard. We’ve been moving things around to see who can best facilitate the offense.”
Most recently, senior Michael Young, a transfer from Chicago, is starting at point guard. While Young, who stands around 5-foot-10 and averages just 3.6 points per game, is not a star like Palavra, he could be the key to unlocking a potent Booker offense in a district that’s home to the defending 4A state champions, St. Petersburg Gibbs.
GIRLS
CARDINAL MOONEY HIGH: 14-9, 1-0 (4TH) 3A DISTRICT 8
Marlon Williams’ Cougars remain the team to beat in Class 3A. In the past four years, the Cougars have won three district titles and have been the runner-up in the state tournament.
2025 appears to be yet another banner year for Cardinal Mooney. Senior Kali Barrett is averaging 16.9 points per game along with 9.4 rebounds. Sophomore forward Madi Mignery, has flourished in her second year, averaging 16 points per game and 8.4 rebounds.
Barrett and Mignery, however, are not the only reasons why Cardinal Mooney is set for yet another big postseason push in 2025.
“Sy’monique Simon can do everything defensively,” said Williams. “She’s always guarding the best player and she’s versatile on the offensive end as well.”
BOOKER HIGH: 13-6, 0-0 (4TH) 4A
DISTRICT 11
The Tornadoes have stormed through their competition thanks in large part to the offensive output from their two lead guards, junior Yvette Brown and senior Brianna Behn.
Behn, a transfer from Cardinal Mooney, has been unlocked, said coach Ty Bryant. Formerly in Marlon William’s pass-first offense, Behn has had to learn to be more selfish, averaging 14.2 points per game, while still maintaining the vision that makes her unique.
For Booker to win the district title for the fourth year in a row, Bryant noted that in addition to the team being more consistent at the foul line, the offense needs to come from players other than Brown and Behn.
RIVERVIEW HIGH: 18-3, 2-1 (2ND) 7A DISTRICT 12
Opposing offenses have been held to under 40 points in 10 of Riverview’s 18 victories this season. It’s a stat line that is indicative of how coach Gerald Perry wants his team to play, a methodology that Riverview must stick with if it wants to avenge its loss to Venice High in last year’s district championship come tournament time.
“We’re going to force teams into doing things that they don’t want to do,” said Perry. “We’re going to force them to play at our pace and use that pressure to convert points off defense and create a consistent half-court offense for ourselves.”
SARASOTA HIGH: 9-13, 0-3 (4TH)
7A DISTRICT 12
Although the dark horse candidate in a highly competitive district, the Sailors shouldn’t be counted out, if only because of the brilliance of junior point guard Paisley Binswanger. Binswanger averaged 18.8 points per game and 10.1 rebounds during the regular season. If Sarasota wants to be competitive in the district tournament, Binswanger will have to remain elite.
— J.P. Lattimore, Booker High boys basketball. SEE PAGE 20
Dylan Campbell
Brianna Behn scored 25 points in Booker High’s win over
BOOKER GIRLS
RIVERVIEW BOYS
RIVERVIEW GIRLS
MOONEY BOYS
SARASOTA BOYS
Photos by Dylan Campbell
A life on the ball field
Longtime Riverview High baseball coach and athletic director Larry Altier leaves behind a legacy that will live on long beyond his passing.
All Steve Altier ever wanted to do was play catch with his dad. His three brothers, Larry Jr., Jeff and David, were only interested in playing catch during baseball season, but not Steve.
Steve wanted to play catch every day. He was a second baseman, like his father, and would go on to play first for Riverview High and later at Division II Rollins College in Winter Park.
“He’d hit me ground balls left and right, day and night,” Altier said. “I learned that I had a good glove from all of those years of fielding ground balls. He taught me how to read the ball off the bat, understanding the pitch that was thrown and the angle of the bat to get an extra step on the ball.”
Larry Altier hit thousands of ground balls to Steve throughout his childhood. He hit thousands more to children that were not his own, the young baseball players of Sarasota.
There’s a good chance that if you’ve stepped on a baseball field in Sarasota in the last 46 years, you’ve walked in Larry Altier’s footsteps. The former Riverview baseball coach and athletic director died on Dec. 30, at 93 years old, leaving behind a legacy that will live forever in the infield dirt of the city’s ball fields.
Altier, a father of five, came to Sarasota in 1966 after serving in the U.S. Navy and quickly ingrained himself in the community. He started at Riverview as a teacher and assistant coach for the football and baseball teams, eventually becoming the baseball team’s head coach in 1979 — Steve’s senior year.
Altier’s 13-year tenure led Riverview into what Steve refers to as the “golden age” of high school baseball
in Sarasota in the 1980s and ’90s — a time the sport grew exponentially because of the talent of the team’s two top high schools, Riverview and Sarasota.
From 1979-92, Altier’s teams posted a 278-142 record, winning the Class 4A state championship — the only two baseball state championships in Riverview’s history — in 1983 and 1992.
Eight-time state champion Sarasota, helmed by the legendary Clyde Metcalf, won the 4A state championship in ’87 and ’89, going on to win in ’93 and ’94.
Altier, Steve said, was a true student of the game. While Altier played baseball in the Navy — he grew from 5-foot-6 to 6-foot-1 during his deployment — he did not come from an athletic-oriented background. He learned the game by reading books and studying various coaching methods.
It allowed Altier, Steve said, to have a flexibility in his coaching style, one that catered to players instead of a “my way or the high way” type of approach.
“He didn’t coach one particular way,” said Altier. “He coached to what your strengths were and what your skills were and helped you develop in that regard. He wouldn’t completely change your swing, for example, he’d just help you with a few things to get your bat through the zone quicker.”
Altier’s expertise turned him into the go-to guy for coaching even before he took over at Riverview, in the 1970s, when he was coaching community programs, like his son Jeff’s Babe Ruth team that went 20-0 one season.
The Altiers had a homemade batting cage in the backyard of their Sarasota home, cobbled together with tennis nets, fishing nets and
chain-link fence. In the middle of it sat an old, discarded pitching machine, which would launch balls with a rusted crank arm.
For baseball players around Sarasota, it was hallowed ground, the place to go if you wanted to rub shoulders with the best of the best and get worthy instruction.
For Steve and his siblings, it was home.
“At one point, every baseball player in town had come over to take batting practice,” said Steve. “I always marveled at the respect that they had for my father. I wanted to be a ballplayer. These are the older kids in town, basically like grown men to me, and they’re coming by to get instruction from my dad. That always made me feel proud.”
Even when Steve went to college, Altier’s instruction never stopped. They were, after all, more than coach and player — they were father and son.
In 1983, Steve was buried deep in a batting slump while playing second base at Rollins College.
“I couldn’t hit a ball if you put it on a tee,” said Steve. He knew just what to do. With a game looming the next day, he drove home, waking early the next morning to work on his swing with his dad.
“I took about five swings and he told me to widen my stance just a bit, lift up my hands and hit everything to right field,” said Steve. “I hit about 20 balls to right field and he said, ‘You’re good. You’re just getting anxious. If you try to hit the ball to right field and spread out your stance, you’ll wait on it longer and keep your weight distributed perfectly.’”
His father was right. Steve flew back to Rollins on a flat tire, made it to the game and immediately broke out of his slump.
Dr. Gaby Ghobrial brings to Intercoastal Medical Group at the Cattleridge office a wealth of
and experience in Vascular Surgery.
“At one point, every baseball player in town had come over to take batting practice. I always marveled at the respect that they had for my father.”
— Steve Altier
Perhaps his favorite memory of his father came later that season when Rollins College was playing Florida Southern in the 1983 Division II South Region Championship in Lakeland.
Earlier that night, Altier had steered Riverview to its first state championship win over Sandalwood High in Orlando.
Steve was jogging off the field in the top of the ninth inning, Rollins down by two runs, when he saw his dad in the stands.
“There he was, with his Riverview uniform on and both arms in the air,” said Altier. “It was obvious that he’d just won and it
hit me, that this guy had just had the biggest achievement of his career and he showed up at my game. He didn’t get to see me play a lot in college because he was busy coaching. To see him standing there was one of the great moments of my life.”
Former Riverview High baseball coach and athletic director Larry Altier had a massive impact on the baseball community of Sarasota. His
Cemetery.
Dylan Campbell is the sports reporter for the Sarasota/ Siesta Key Observer Contact him at DCampbell@ Your Observer.com.
Courtesy Image
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J.P. Lattimore is a 6-foot-4 junior forward on the Booker High boys varsity basketball team (11-11). This season, Lattimore is leading the Tornadoes in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per game. In Booker’s last game, a 63-52 win over Venice High Jan. 24, Lattimore scored 18 points.
When did you start playing basketball and why?
I started playing basketball in the third grade. My sister had started playing as well and I was always around it, tagging along to her workouts. I grew up around the sport and starting taking it more seriously as I continued to play.
What’s the appeal?
I like the competitive nature of it. I feel like basketball is different from other sports because you can just back-and-forth with someone, battling it out on the court with each possession.
What’s your best skill on the court?
I can read the floor well. I know when I have open lanes to drive to the basket or when my teammates are open for good looks.
What are you working on to improve?
I’m working on my ball handling skills. Being a three-four (small forward/power forward) means that I don’t handle the ball as much as other players on my team, and I want my game to translate to the next level after high school. I’m trying to become more comfortable at small forward as opposed to power forward.
What has gone right for your team this season?
We’ve come together as a team. We
If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Dylan Campbell at DCampbell@ YourObserver.com.
understand that we can’t change the past. We can’t change our record, but we understand now that it’s time to lock in before the playoffs. We have to focus on winning these last couple of games before the playoffs to give us a boost of confidence heading into them. For us to be successful, we don’t need to make any big adjustments. We just need to focus on the details — not turning the ball over and not having empty possessions offensively. I know that personally, I have a different mindset heading into them this season. I’ve been on varsity since my freshman year, and every single year it’s become more important to me.
What’s your favorite basketball memory? It’d have to be winning the district championship over Bayshore High last season. We’d beaten them twice before in the regular season, but we didn’t want to go into the game thinking that it would be easy. We went out there and competed and so did they, it was a close game. When we won, we were all so excited to be there and to have done it together. It was the best feeling, and it was just districts, not even a regional championship.
What’s your favorite school subHistory. I like to learn about the
What’s your favorite food?
I love crab cakes and baked mac and cheese.
Finish this sentence. J.P. Lattimore is ... A leader.
Pondering Puppy Parenthood? Perfect Tips for Every Dog Parent
By Caine Cullens,
DOGPerfect
Welcoming a new puppy is a joyful milestone, but it comes with plenty to prepare for. As someone who’s worked with countless pet parents, I know that bringing a new puppy into your life can feel overwhelming. Prioritizing your puppy’s health and happiness from the start is key. Here are some tips to help you and your pup thrive.
Crates are Great
A crate isn’t just a space— it’s a haven for your puppy. It can ease their transition to a new home and support housetraining efforts. Pair it with a Snuggle Puppy, available here at DOGPerfect, for extra comfort—it’s a gamechanger for anxious pups.
Feeding Essentials
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Walk, Play, Repeat Puppies thrive on exercise and mental stimulation. We offer everything from adjustable collars, harnesses, and leashes to chew, plush, and puzzle toys that keep them happy and active.
Grooming Is Key
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About the Author: Caine Cullens has been working in various capacities with animals his entire life and has been in the pet industry since the mid-1990s. His focus has been on holistic and integrated nutrition and wellness for the last 12 years. Caine finds great joy and purpose in helping DOGPerfect’s pets and their people solve wellness problems and navigate a complex pet nutrition environment.
To keep the tradition of our Annual Jewish Food Festival alive, we are thrilled to partner with Wolfie’s as we recover from the hurricane.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
A timeless mission
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
The tribute concerts by Timeless Tributes aren’t simply about the desire to pay homage to artists like Billy Joel, Elton John and Elvis.
They’re also intended to carry on the role of a now-closed fixture of Sarasota’s community, the Sarasota Classic Car Museum.
In 2023, after 71 years of operation, the museum was closed to make way for an athletics facility at New College of Florida.
Yet, after noticing a demand in the community for the tribute concerts once held at the museum, three former employees had an idea for a new community gathering space.
“We decided, let’s just do it, and so we’re putting on a show,” said Debra Muenchow.
GEARING UP FOR CONCERTS
At the time it was in operation, the museum was recognized as the second-oldest continuously operating classic car museum in the country.
However, in May 2023, it was faced with the termination of the lease on the property and the need to relocate its 3,000 pieces of memorabilia and more than 150 vehicles.
The request from the property’s owner, New College of Florida, was intended to facilitate anticipated growth at the college, including its athletics program.
While extensions to that lease offered the museum additional time to move out, it ultimately closed later that year.
The site has now been flattened to make way for a field.
“It was really awful,” Nadine Kulikowski said, recounting the loss of the site.
Kulikowski is part of a group of former employees of the museum, which also includes Muenchow and Tetra DiNapoli, who decided to revive the concerts with the blessing of museum owner Martin Godbey.
They established Timeless Tributes, a series of Saturday night concerts that will be held at Columbus Banquet Hall through April, as well as one Soul Sensations concert during the fall.
The group says although it can be difficult to make the public aware of the concerts and their relationship to the museum, the events are nonetheless drawing many museum regulars.
Attendee Fran Seratz called the news of the concerts returning “phenomenal.”
“I used to go to the Classic Car Museum, and I was very saddened when they went away, because even though they’re tribute bands, these bands feel for the groups they portray, and they put on an awesome show for the audience,” she said.
TRIBUTES FOR ALL AGES Organizers say they’re hoping to bring a new element to the tributes to attract younger audiences as well.
The Petty Experience, a tribute to Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers that played on Jan. 25, may be able to exemplify that concept, according to its leader singer Davy Alder.
“The great thing about being a Tom Petty tribute band is you can play at a biker festival and people love it,” he said. “You can play at a community center in a retirement community and people love it. And it’s a real advantage, that he appealed to so many people of different ages and backgrounds and all that good stuff.”
Alder also brings a passion for the
group, as well as tributes in general, having played with tribute bands for the Beatles and Def Leppard.
“I saw Tom 37 times across three countries, and as you can tell, I’m a bit of a fanatical Tom fan, and I’ve been doing the tribute thing for a little while,” he said.
He said he aims to emulate the style of Petty.
“Getting the right tone, I think, is important, because he was famous for playing in a very jangly kind of style,” he said.
During that concert, there was indeed a mix of ages in the crowd.
“There are a number of older people that come, but they have a blast,” said Muenchow.
“It’s hard for us to afford the $100, $200 tickets anymore; we’re all retired,” said Seratz. “And they’re just wonderful. It brings us back, makes us youthful again. We enjoy the music, and it’s fun.”
UPCOMING CONCERTS
SATURDAY, FEB. 1
Jimmy Buffett Tribute Show (Caribbean Chillers) 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, FEB. 22
Journey tribute (Never Stop Believin’) 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased by calling 941-318-4158 or from the SRQ Timeless Tributes Facebook page. Columbus Banquet Hall, 4880 Fruitville Road.
Staff members carry on tribute concerts amid Sarasota Classic Car Museum closure.
Fran and Glenn Seratz attend a concert.
Photos by Ian Swaby Scott Collins plays bass at a Timeless Tributes concert.
The Petty Experience, including Jason Perry, Bobby Boos, Davy Alder, Matt Mayes and Scott Collins, performs at a Timeless Tributes concert.
Airport art exhibit takes off
Palm Avenue Fine Art’s exhibit ‘Echoes of Sarasota: A Historical Preservation’ features works that hung for years in Sarasota’s airport.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
If you haven’t seen Regan Dunnick’s pastel works from the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, it’s possible you’ve still encountered his illustrations.
Like Frank Hopper, whose works also hung in the airport, Dunnick is widely renowned, and in the past, he created artwork for menus, table tents and more for the Chili’s restaurant chain.
In fact, he attributes his pastelstyle work with Chili’s to being selected to create murals for the airport in the same style.
Now, there is additional opportunity to view his and Hopper’s works from the airport, with the exhibition “Echoes of Sarasota: A Historical Preservation,” at Palm Avenue Fine Art.
The Observer had the opportunity to speak with Dunnick during opening night on Jan. 24.
“When I first saw these, it just was clear that Sarasota needed to
see these because they were so special,” said Gallery Director Colin Thomsen. “Sarasota is an incredible place, and we need to realize where we came from, and there’s really no better way to revisit the history, in my opinion.”
A PIECE OF SARASOTA
Dunnick launched his illustration career in Houston, but eventually became homesick for Florida, where he grew up.
After moving back to Florida, he was contacted by Ringling College of Art and Design, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration.
He began teaching graphic design on a part-time basis and has served as the head of illustration at the school, with which he is now in his 39th year.
Around May 1990, he was commissioned to create murals for the airport in a contemporary style.
“It was great that I did the murals,” he said.
“I was very proud of it obviously,
IF YOU GO
Echoes of Sarasota: A
Historical Preservation
Jan. 24 to Feb. 2 at Palm Avenue Fine Art, 10 S. Palm Ave. Gallery Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, and Monday by appointment. Visit PalmAvenueFineArt.com.
and I’m sure Frank Hopper was too.”
The work on display consists of nine pastel paintings by Dunnick and four oil paintings by Hopper.
According to a previous Observer article, Hopper moved into a home on Whitehall Place in Siesta Key with his wife, Marjorie, in 1974, remodeling part of their home to make room for a studio.
That article also said Hopper, an internationally renowned artist, painted a portrait of Richard Nixon after being commissioned by a committee to reelect him, and that the painting hung in the White House.
Dunnick’s work has been featured in publications including Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Atlantic and Time, and he has worked for companies including Levi’s and Kohler Co.
According to Ringling College’s website, he has won numerous awards and his works are in the permanent Library of Congress.
Mark Stuckey, executive vice president and chief of staff at the airport, told the Observer last year that the airport’s board advised staff to sell or confine the existing artwork, while seeking a new home for the pieces.
Tom Murray, manager at Palm Avenue Fine Art, had pursued the artwork for almost two years before finally acquiring it in 2024.
A CREATIVE PROCESS
Dunnick said in creating the pastel works, he tried to bring a sense of style. “I tried to make it not mundane.
I wanted to put some flair into it, a lot of lines, colors, starbursts ... ” he said, also noting the handwritten text he included throughout the pictures.
Each was created on a piece of watercolor paper, which he pinned to the wall of his small studio located in the hospital of an air force base at the airport.
He started with the sketches outlining the concepts, which he projected onto the canvas.
“It was a process,” he said.
He said one of the major challeng-
es was creating accurate drawings of the American Indian tribes that used to live in the area.
“I remember looking at a lot of different books at the time ... trying to see good mentions where I could depict the tattoos the way they actually were,” he said.
Thomsen said he hopes the paintings will continue to be seen by the public.
“I’m hoping that they stay in Sarasota, visible, and the right people decide that they need to be visible,” Thomsen said.
A painting by Frank Hopper depicts the DeSoto Hotel.
A painting by Regan Dunnick depicts Sarasota’s circus history.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Gallery Director Colin Thomsen and Regan Dunnick
Ian Swaby
Jessica Polk, Jake Hartvigsen, Colleen Thayer and Beth Walters of Nami prepare to accept a check from Sara Winer.
The power of 100
The women’s giving circle offered grants of $109,500 each to eight local nonprofits.
The Impact100 SRQ Sixth Annual Celebration and Awards Ceremony is the largest event of the nonprofit’s cycle each year, and it welcomed a major figure in the world of philanthropy.
Wendy Steele, founder of the national Impact100 organization, which includes more than 70 chapters across the United States and beyond, was present, offering praises to the chapter.
“The Impact100 SRQ’s home is filled with superlatives: best place to retire, best beaches, best community, and your chapter is no exception,” Steele told attendees at the event, held Jan. 22 at Sarasota Municipal Auditorium.
The nonprofit, which is built on a model of at least 100 women giving a $1,000 tax-deductible donation, issue grants of $109,500 each to eight of 10 finalists. Steele praised the finalists, who spanned categories from arts and culture to health and wellness.
“Each one of you has a compelling cause,” she said. “You are making the world better every single day, and you communicated that today so effectively, so powerfully.”
Pam Kandziora, president of Impact100
SRQ, said this year, the organization has been focused on outreach, through word of mouth and other methods, drawing applicants from further north and south.
“For many nonprofits, I think a lot of donation money, legitimately so, is going to hurricane relief, and that’s certainly understandable,” she said. “So, it’s nice to have this pocket of capability to award something to our finalists that are looking at doing some big project and dreaming big, that they wouldn’t have had the funds to do otherwise.”
Angela Melvin, founder and CEO of Valerie’s House, a nonprofit that supports grieving children, said the organization was touched by the number of women giving back to the community and said she and her staff were “jumping up and down” at being chosen.
“When you hear your name called out, you realize all the hard work is worth it, and that people believe in us, and that they believe in the mission of helping children grieve, because that is something that you don’t always think about unless it’s happened to your family,” she said.
Scott Bush, CEO of SunCoast Blood Bank, said, “This is absolutely amazing. It’s just absolutely a pleasure to be here, an honor that we were recognized in this powerful group of women here. We’re just blown away.”
— IAN SWABY
Dr Joseph Narvaez brings to I Intercoastal Medical Group at the Palmer Ranch I office a wealth of
and experience in Internal Medicine.
WRONG BUILDING WRONG PLACE
Is our city really going to let a developer violate city codes and exploit loopholes to build this monstrosity for the benefit of a mere 14 wealthy, likely part-time condominium owners?
Towering 327 feet, more than 100 feet taller than any other building in the neighborhood on North Palm Avenue.
If built, this sky-high tower will cast an enormous shadow across a lively downtown Sarasota neighborhood, plunging it into darkness.
The proposed Obsidian skyscraper is simply the wrong building in the wrong place.
DESTROY THIS
Stepping up for a cause
oliday House SRQ is
children at underserved schools to select Christmas presents for their families and themselves.
However, it’s never too early in the year for a Christmas gift, especially when that gift is something highly needed.
The shoe drive at Alta Vista Elementary School, which the nonprofit helped restart last year and held this year on Jan. 28, covers every student in the school, said co-founder Sepi Ackerman.
At the other three schools the nonprofit currently serves — Wilkinson, Brentwood and Booker elementary schools — it has partnered with social workers to identify the need for shoes.
Principal Mindy Long said sneakers are expensive, and that many students have issues that affect their comfort and keep them out of activities like P.E.
“Sometimes the shoes are falling apart, sometimes they’ll come in with older siblings’ shoes so they’ll be multiple sizes too big or they can’t really wear them at all,” she said. She said while agencies and com-
munity partners have been able to fill in gaps, “to be able to give the entire school brand new shoes is pretty incredible.”
Fifth grader Aranza Benavides Sanchez said, “I really appreciate it because these shoes can help me out for maybe even the next school year, and we don’t have to buy any.” Ackerman calls the smiles on children’s faces “the best part” of the experience.
“It’s really all about promoting joy, which is tied back to our main objective of Holiday House SRQ, which is giving them empowerment and giving them joy,” she said. “It feels really good to be able to play a small part in that.”
Kindergartners Milan Brown and Calem Smith pose with their new shoes.
Holiday House cofounder Jenni Infanti, Superintendent of Schools Terry Connor, Principal Mindy Long, and Holiday House cofounder Sepi Ackerman and board member Hilary Yunis stand beside the shoes set for distribution.
Photos by Ian Swaby
What Would the Founding Fathers Think of America Today?
It would be nearly impossible to overestimate the reverence afforded America’s celebrated founding fathers. They were real men whose brilliance launched our country, and they vigorously discussed and debated the important political issues of their time.
By focusing on key writings and speeches of founders such as Washington, Jefferson, Adams and others we can certainly speculate what they’d think about the issues of today. That’s the fascinating and unique idea behind the Observer’s upcoming event in Sarasota on February 6th. It will be presented by renowned Brown University Professor Wendy Schiller, Chair of the Department of Political Science.
Here’s an example. The partisan hostility of our two major parties
has certainly frustrated nearly everyone. It turns out that the “Father of our Country” and our very first President was concerned about that very issue. In George Washington’s words from his famous farewell address in 1796, “There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and keep alive the spirit of liberty. But then he went on to assert “the constant danger of excess” and ended by referring to a political party as “ a fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance topresent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume”
Another subject area that was discussed thoroughly at the start of our country and continues to be a major focus today is the role of religion. While many believe
that the Founders felt that religion should be kept entirely outside political life, that’s really not what most of them felt. James Madison wrote that all men are “equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience”. In actuality the founders were less concerned about religious influences on government than they were with any effort to exclude some religions and favor others. That is what they had experienced as citizens of England and was what they were primarily concerned with. One more example would be concerns about economic and wealth inequality. Many think of this as an area of concern only in recent times, e– launched in large part by the now well known “occupy Wall Street” movement in 2011. In fact, it was a subject ad-
vanced by many founders, and some of their thinking was quite advanced. Thomas Paine wrote of the need to “make some provisions for people become poor and wretched not only at the time they become so. Would it not, even a matter of economy, be far better to devise means to prevent their becoming poor?”
And finally, apparently federal spending has been a hot button
Dive into the past with our exciting speaker series, featuring renowned scholars from top universities. Each lecture brings history to life with fresh insights and captivating stories you won’t hear anywhere else.
issue for as long as our country has been in existence. It was Thomas Jefferson who wrote “That same prudence which in private life would forbid paying our own money for unexplained projects, forbids it in the dispensation of the public monies” Sounds a lot like something you hear every day on TV!
A Siesta Key home
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
The following residential real estate transactions took place Jan. 13-17. A home on Siesta Key top this week’s real estate. Mark and Carol D’Amato, of Sarasota, sold their home at 3201 Higel Ave. to 3201 Higel LLC for $3.8 million. Built in 1955, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,282 square feet of living area. It sold for $353,600 in 1990.
SARASOTA GROVE LAWN
2116 Hyde Park LLC sold the home at 2116 Hyde Park St. to Jacques Bassam Basna, of Miami, for $2.5 million. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 4,941 square feet of living area.
HOLIDAY HARBOR
The Whys Guys LLC sold the home at 7742 Holiday Drive to Raeni Rinker-Dumford, trustee, of Franklin, Tennessee, for $2.4 million. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,071 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,445,000 in 2020.
BUNGALOW HILL
Scott and Cynthia Moskovitz, of Nashville, Tennessee, sold their home at 1103 Citrus Ave. to Susan Cooke Erhart, trustee, of Sarasota, for $2,009,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,215 square feet of living area. It sold for $425,000 in 2016.
PLAZA AT FIVE POINTS
RESIDENCES
Philip and Marta Grande, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 14G condominium at 50 Central Ave. to John Morgan, trustee, of Longboat Key, for $1,595,000. Built in 2005, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,831 square feet of living area. It sold for $999,000 in 2019.
SOUTHPOINTE SHORES
James Theodore Vandigriff and Anya Marie Vandigriff, of Gulfport, sold their home at 1847 Southpointe Drive to Steve Cavanaugh, of Sarasota, for $1.4 million. Built in 1973, it has three bedrooms, two-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 1,982 square feet of living area.
FLOYD AND CAMERON’S
Sam Spector and Jorge Danta Spector sold their home at 1839 Prospect St. to James and Lori Lance, of Sarasota, for $765,000. Built in 1929, it has three bedrooms, one-and-a-half baths and 1,156 square feet of living area. It sold for $330,000 in 2014.
VILLAGE GREEN CLUB ESTATES Dayong Hu and Danhui Lu, of Penn
Valley, Pennsylvania, sold their home at 3321 Sheffield Circle to Rose Mary Soto, of Sarasota, for $725,000. Built in 1970, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,672 square feet of living area. It sold for $423,000 in 2023.
BAYWOOD COLONY VILLAS
Jeffrey Golomb and Susan Hardin, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 11 condominium at 5942 Tidewood Ave. to Robert Dam, of Englewood, for $625,000. Built in 1973, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,601 square feet of living area. It sold for $200,000 in 2024.
SOUTH GATE MANOR
Lana Shelden, of Glenhaven, California, sold her home at 3255 Rose St. to Jonathan Foster and Emily Taegder-Vrooman, of Sarasota, for $575,000. Built in 1969, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,055 square feet of living area. It sold for $248,000 in 2004.
FOREST LAKES COUNTRY CLUB
ESTATES
Terrains Trust LLC sold the home at 1844 Riviera Circle to Keslie Danielle Shy, of Sarasota, for $550,000. Built in 1972, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,611 square feet of living area. It sold for $260,000 in 2024.
PAVER PARK ESTATES
Olivia Chapatte, of Switzerland, sold her home at 2481 W. Milmar Drive to Richard Fernando Guzman and Deborah Guzman, of The Villages, for $525,000. Built in 1954, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,603 square feet of living area. It sold for $200,000 in 2017.
ROBIN HOOD WOODS
Vladislav Kobylnik and Ruslan Terekhov, of Sarasota, sold their home at 989 S. Allendale Ave. to Janet Tarbox and John Daly, of West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, for $510,000. Built in 1953, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 1,818 square feet of living area. It sold for $305,000 in 2023.
SIESTA KEY
SIESTA KEY
Wilbur and Sarah Bontrager, of Middlebury, Indiana, sold their home at 9269 Blind Pass Road to Eric and Aneta Lundquist, of Sarasota, for $2.5 million. Built in 2013, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-
half baths and 3,920 square feet of living area. It sold for $3.6 million in 2021.
THE TERRACE
Donald Robert George and Catherine Frances George, Stephanie Jonina George, Rile Steward George and Sophie Jaclyn Heath George, of Manitoba, Canada, sold their Unit 103 condominium at 5400 Ocean Blvd. to Gregory Lake and Debra Lake, trustees, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, for $2.1 million. Built in 1970, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,437 square feet of living area. It sold for $175,000 in 1981.
Other top sales by area
SARASOTA: $2.6 MILLION
Lewis Combs
Linda Barrett, trustee, and Carl Gugino, trustees, sold the home at 1664 Waldemere St. to Leslee Belluchie and Michael Davis, of Sarasota, for $2.6 million. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,124 square feet of living area. It sold for $690,000 in 2010.
PALMER RANCH: $979,200
Deer Creek
Rosemary Frado Carmona and Rafael Carmona, of Austin, Texas, sold their home at 4492 White Egret Lane to Lynette Stack, trustee, of Elmhurst, Illinois, for $979,200. Built in 1991, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,912 square feet of living area. It sold for $72,000 in 1989.
OSPREY: $579,000
Willowbend
Dianna Lynn Weis, trustee, of Sultan, Washington, sold the home at 1327 Thornapple Drive to Carol Quatrone, of Osprey, for $579,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,165 square feet of living area.
NOKOMIS: $850,000
Appel
See more transactions at YourObserver.com
Megan and Brian Hess, of Punta Gorda, sold their home at 592 Shetland Circle to Sean Howell and Michele Rae Howell, of Nokomis, for $850,000. Built in 1981, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,648 square feet of living area.
Ian Swaby
The home at 1664 Waldemere St. was built in 1998 and has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,124 square feet of living area.
YOUR CALENDAR
BEST BET SATURDAY, FEB. 1
SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES & CELTIC FESTIVAL
8:30-6 p.m. at Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd. $15 to $30. Suncoast Scots, a 501c3 nonprofit entity, hosts this event celebrating Scottish culture and featuring piping and drumming, athletics and a Highlands dance competition. Visit SuncoastScots.com.
FRIDAY, JAN. 31
NESTING SHOREBIRDS AND SEABIRDS OF TAMPA BAY
1:30-2:30 p.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. Holley Short, shorebird program manager of Audubon Florida, offers this lecture on five Florida shorebird species that need our help to survive on beaches in the area. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT: ‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’
7-8:26 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy an outdoor movie under the stars at The Bay. This animated version of “The Addams Family” (PG) has the Addams family facing off against a TV show host, while preparing for their extended family to arrive for a celebration. Bring along blankets and chairs. The Nest Café will be serving food, fresh popcorn and drinks. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
SATURDAY, FEB. 1
FAMILY FRIENDLY VIOLIN PERFORMANCE!
12:30-1:30 p.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free. Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation’s Artist in Residence Adrian Anantawan will present a musical journey of his life and his experience growing up with a disability in this short, family friendly and interactive concert featuring works including classical, jazz, tango and a piece composed live by the audience. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.
UKULELE CELEBRATION
HONORING WORLD UKULELE DAY 1-2 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Celebrate World Ukulele Day at the Bay with the Suncoast Ukulele Partners as they lead a jam session for all levels. Come with family and friends to join in or listen. Lunch will be available for purchase at The Nest concession. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
MONDAY, FEB. 3
WILD SARASOTA WITH UF/IFAS EXTENSION SARASOTA COUNTY
2:45-3:30 p.m. at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd. Free. Learn about the 700 species of land animals that live in Florida and Sarasota County. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
TUESDAY, FEB. 4
PRESCHOOL MUSIC WITH DAVE MORAN
10:30-11 a.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. The story time includes simple stories, nursery rhymes and songs, for infants to 5 years, attending with caregiver. Free tickets are available at the youth desk beginning at 10 a.m. the day of the program. Space is limited. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
WEDNESDAY, FEB.5
DANCE AT THE BAY:
SALSA & SUNSETS
6:30-8 p.m. at The Nest, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Learn Latin dance moves and then practice them at a Latino-inspired sunset dance party. A range of Latin dance styles will be featured. This event is suitable for beginner and advanced dancers, singles and couples. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
Tradition
At The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort, every moment is an invitation to embrace life’s exquisite rituals in an atmosphere of timeless elegance and exclusivity.
Unlock the ultimate privilege of timeless luxury with The Members Club at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort. As a member, you gain more than exclusive access – you enter a private sanctuary where indulgence is effortless.
Engage in immersive water experiences at the pools or unwind beachside where every need is met at the touch of a button. Let us curate bespoke celebrations to honor life’s milestones, setting the stage for your cherished family memories. Cultivate lasting connections with fellow members during thoughtfully designed gatherings and signature events. Enjoy a range of incomparable chef-driven culinary experiences and soak in sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico.
Elevate your lifestyle and become part of a tradition steeped in cherished rituals and intuitive hospitality.
Your Invitation Awaits
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Eileen Carrigan from the city of Sarasota Pipe Band, with Bob Davidson, of Braden River Pipers
Exceptional Sound Quality
From
Reduced Listening Fatigue
Many
Spheric Speech Clarity
This
Enhanced Connectivity
Market-leading
I recently purchased Phonak Sphere 70 hearing aids and I can hear much better. I'm super happy with these. I think anybody would be very happy with them. It's how hearing aids should really work. I highly recommend them. Thank you.
-Morris G., Patient
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
MIND-BENDING by John Guzzetta, edited by Jared Goudsmit
Luis Campos
Apply in person or send us a message to learn more about our available positions. We look forward to welcoming you to our team! 5242 Ocean Blvd. Siesta Key FL 34242 manager@gidgetscoastal provisions.com
MAINTENANCE/GROUNDS
TECHNICIAN
Upkeep of the grounds & facilities for multiple campuses.
General maintenance & repair of buildings & grounds.
Minor troubleshooting, repairs and adjustments.
High School diploma required. More details at site below.
