Living in Sarasota, Florida

True Floridians Know...

2008-06-23T07:26:00.002-04:00

1. Socks are only for bowling.

2. You never use an umbrella because you know the rain will be over in five minutes.

3. A good parking place has nothing to do with distance from the store, but everything to do with shade.

4. Your winter coat is made of denim.

5. You can tell the difference between fire ant bites and mosquito bites.

6. You're younger than thirty but some of your friends are over 65.6..Anything under 70 is chilly.

7. You've driven through Yeehaw Junction.

8. You could swim before you could read.

9. You have to drive north to get to The South.

10. You know that no other grocery store can compare to Publix.

11. Every other house in your neighborhood had blue roofs in 2004-2005.

12. You've gotten out of school early on Halloween to trick or treat before it got dark

13. You know that anything under a Category 3 just isn't worth waking up for.

14. You dread love bug season.

15. You are on a first name basis with the Hurricane list.They aren't Hurricane Charley, Hurricane Frances...but Charley , Frances , Ivan and Jeanne.

16. You know what a snowbird is and when they'll leave.

17. You think a six-foot alligator is actually pretty average.

18. You were 12 before you ever saw snow, or you still haven't.

19. 'Down South' means Key West

20. You think New York drivers licenses should only be valid in New York.

21. Flip-flops are everyday wear.

22.Shoes are for business meetings and church.

23. but you HAVE worn flip flops to church before.

24. Sweet tea can be served at any meal.

25. An alligator once walked through your neighborhood.

26. You smirk when a game show's 'Grand Prize' is a trip or cruise to Florida

27. You measure distance in minutes.

28. You have a drawer full of bathing suits, and one sweatshirt.

29. You get annoyed at the tourists who feed seagulls.

30. A mountain is any hill 100 feet above sea level.

32. You think everyone from a bigger city has a northern accent.

33. You know the four seasons really are: hurricane season, love bug season, tourist season and summer

34. It's not soda, cola, or pop.it's coke, regardless of brand or flavor: 'What kinda coke you want?'

35. Anything under 95 is just warm.

36. You've hosted a hurricane party.

37. You go to a theme park for an afternoon, and know when to get on the best rides.( Space Mountain during the Electric Light Parade!)

38. You understand the futility of exterminating cockroaches.

39. You can pronounce Okeechobee, Kissimmee , Ichnatucknee and Withlacoochee

40. You understand why it's better to have a friend with a boat than to own a boat yourself.

41. Bumper stickers on the pickup in front of you include: various fish, NRA, NASCAR, Go Gators, and a confederate flag.

42. You were five before you realized they made houses without pools.

43. You were 25 when you first met someone who couldn't swim.

44. You've worn shorts and used the A/C on Christmas.

45. You recognize Miami-Dade as ' Northern Cuba '.

Tyler's 2nd Birthday

2008-06-01T19:48:00.004-04:00

My second boy, Tyler, turned 2 today so we had a wonderful birthday party for him. My wife, Kay, did 99% of the work so she gets the credit. We had family and friends over to enjoy the party. My father bought Dylan and Tyler these cool Hulk punching gloves. ;-)

Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant

2008-04-28T21:07:00.003-04:00

I took my wife to eat at the new Ceviche's on 1st in Sarasota a few weeks. I cannot remember what I ate but I do remember that it was good. I will go again and give you some recommended dishes to try. The old building has been rehabbed nicely with a lot of character. I would give it a try. The outside bar on the 3rd floor is a great setting.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2008-04-28T21:04:00.001-04:00

I have not put much time to writing in this blog. I have said it before but I will make a better effort of writing about life in Sarasota. Perhaps, I am having too much fun to bother writing about it. In actuality, it has been a busy season.

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T07:40:00.002-04:00

Happy Easter to everyone. I hope you have a great one.

Going to Disney World

2008-02-23T07:35:00.002-05:00

I am taking the family to Disney World today for a weekend getaway. If you love the theme parks of Orlando one of the benefits of living in Sarasota is that you are only about 2 hours away. We are staying at The Contemporary hotel so the kids can easily ride the monorail. Through the eyes of a 3 and 1.5 year old that will be one of the coolest things they see this weekend.

Warm, sunny and miserable

2008-02-08T05:34:00.000-05:00

This morning I read an amusing article from David Grimes of the Sarasota Herald Tribune. I thought you might enjoy it as well.

Yes, it's 75 and sunny, and yes, it's early February, but we're not as happy as you would think.

There is always the threat of a cold front. Occasionally, the temperature will plummet to a frigid 62. This is cause for universal alarm and panic. Extra blankets are hauled out of the closets. Air conditioners are turned down to low. Furniture is burned in a futile attempt to stay warm.

Oh, yes, you Northerners scoff at our travails, but you have no idea. It has been dry lately and our lawns are looking a little brown. Your lawns are covered in snow. Looking out upon a semi-green lawn in February is so depressing, we sometimes forget to use sunblock and get over-tanned.

Driving is another reason we're miserable. Since it has been warm and sunny recently, we have been obligated to drive with the tops down on our convertibles. This has resulted in mussed hair and additional over-tanning. It is also hard to hear our Beach Boys CDs when the wind is ruffling our Hawaiian shirts.

I have lived up North in February, and it is a beautiful thing. You start the day by hacking the ice off of your car. Then you slide down the road into a 12-car pileup. Then you return home with the flu. This pattern repeats itself until early April.

Because of our nice weather, we remain disgustingly healthy here in Florida, which gives us little to talk about.

While you folks up North get to commiserate at parties about your colds, flu and general ague, we are left to discuss the stock market, real estate prices and Hillary Clinton's emotional stability. Trust me, these conversations seldom turn out well.

People think coming to Florida for a winter vacation is a good idea, but they are wrong.
Everyone here is sunburned and cranky. The real estate market is in the tank. Our roads are lined with orange construction cones. Jimmy Buffett isn't as young as he used to be.

When I go out and fetch the paper in the morning, I shiver.

Not because it's cold (it isn't), but because I know I'm going to have to squeeze a dozen oranges from the backyard tree for our Sunday-morning screwdrivers.

Who can put up with that kind of pressure?

Call it! Friend-o

2008-02-07T07:28:00.000-05:00

I saw No Country For Old Men when my sister was visiting me last month from out of town. It was directed by the Coen brothers who made Fargo. If you have seen Fargo it has that same type of feel. The movie has some violence so if that turns you off I don't recommend you seeing it. I enjoyed the movie, especially the villain Anton Chigurh played by Javier Bardem. It looks like he may win an oscar for his performance. This is one of those movies you need to see twice.

I also saw There Will be Blood with Daniel Day Lewis. I did not care for it. However, Daniel Day Lewis did a great job of acting.

I saw this at Burns Court Cinema. It has been probably 10 years since I have been to this theatre. I am not the foreign or artsy movie type. The theaters are charming and homey. If you are into foreign movies go to Burns and enjoy one.

Lunch today

2008-02-06T19:06:00.000-05:00

I just noticed that my last post in this blog was in late November. Sorry for the laziness. December was one big blur with the holidays. I also several Canadian clients in town and was busy with them. Their dollar is very strong right now so I am getting inundated with real estate calls.

I will get back in the groove of writing more posts. Amazingly enough I was showing a unit in The Renaissance in downtown Sarasota when the potential buyer told me he read this blog and appreciated some of the posts about Sarasota that were not real estate related.

I had lunch with another SKY Sothebys associate, Tom Kelley. We ate at Carigiulos on Palm Avenue in downtown. I had a tasty chicken sandwich. Tom had the steak salad. He ate it like it was his last meal. If you have not eaten there give it a try.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T11:12:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I hope all of you have a wonderful day. My wife is doing most of the cooking at our house. I did help by making a wild mushroom, chestnut and sausage stuffing last night. It is pretty tasty. Here is the recipe.

November Chill

2007-11-03T09:01:00.000-04:00

I woke up this morning to a pleasant change in the weather. Right now it is 60 degrees and breezy outside. The high today will only be in the high 70's with moderate humidity and the low will be 56. I am sure a lot of people in Florida are welcoming the cooler weather. My family, dog and I are jumping in the car now to go play in the park.

Driving down Longboat Key this week I noticed several trucks carrying down the vehicles for the snowbirds or as another Realtor in my firm put it "northern aristocrats".

St. Armands Circle is looking good

2007-11-01T19:22:00.000-04:00

I had a nice lunch at the Columbia today with an associate and noticed how nice St. Armands Circle was looking. They have made some great improvements by beautifying the common areas by adding new vegetation, seating areas and brick pavered cross walks. If you have not been out there lately go do some shopping or dining and see how nice it looks. Go to St. Armands Circle real estate to see all of the homes for sale.

Sarasota Farmers Market

2007-10-10T05:57:00.000-04:00

I had not been to the Saturday morning Farmers Market in many years. At the advice of a friend, I took the family there last Saturday. It was great to see all of the happy people, dogs and especially the band of young people playing music. I bought some tasty treats for the football games on Sunday.

If you are not familiar with the Farmers Market it is held every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 12 noon in downtown Sarasota. Their products range from fruit, vegetables, cheese, plants, seafood, flowers, arts, morning breakfast and coffee. Even if you don't need to buy anything it is fun to visit. The Saturday market is located on Lemon Avenue at the intersection of Main Street.

Lakewood Ranch Cinemas

2007-08-20T20:54:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of seeing The Bourne Ultimatum at the Lakewood Ranch Cinema yesterday. It was the first time I saw a movie in these theaters. These are nice facilities and worth seeing a movie there. I thought it was interesting that they serve beer and wine. It reminds me of the old cinema draft houses back in the 1980's where you could eat and drink while watching a movie.

If you liked the first two Bourne movies you will like The Bourne Ultimatum. It was nonstop action with a good story.

Why does everyone think Florida is so hot?

2007-08-09T11:38:00.000-04:00

As a Realtor I frequently work with buyers from outside of Florida. Potential buyers make comments about how hot Florida gets in the summer. Sure, it gets hot here but at least we are prepared for it. When was the last time you were in a house, car or store in Florida that did not have air conditioning? Quite a few of the homes up north don't even have air conditioning.

If you have been comparing Florida temperatures with the heat up north you may have noticed that it actually has been hotter up north.

High temperatures for August 9th according to weather.com:
Sarasota, FL - 92 degrees
Richmond, VA - 99 degrees
Nashville, TN - 104 degrees
Washington D.C. - 94 degrees
New York - 82 degrees (remember, few air conditioners)
Charlotte, NC - 104 degrees
Atlanta, GA - 101 degrees
Miami, FL - 91 degrees

Interesting video

2007-08-07T20:25:00.000-04:00

This video does not have anything to do with Sarasota but it is interesting to watch. I saw this on the nightly news tonight. It is an amazing video of lions, buffalos and a crocodile in Africa. It is great to see the adult buffaloes ganging up on the lions to save the baby buffalo.

Video

Tasty rasberry tea

2007-07-31T21:00:00.000-04:00

Two other Realtors from my office and I walked from our offices on Gulfstream Avenue to El Greco on Main Street. Even though it is almost August the heat was not too bad. It's nice working downtown and walking to lunch. It is a pleasant change from what I am used to.

Other than the good food one reason we decided on El Greco was the rasberry tea. It is very tasty.

Beach Bistro on Anna Maria Island

2007-07-28T15:49:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday night I had the pleasure of eating at the Beach Bistro on Anna Maria Island. The restaurant sits right on the beach with windows overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. We had a lobster appetizer which was very tasty. I had the grouper entree and my wife had a fish dish. I can't remember which one but she liked it. The food and atmosphere was great. I highly recommend it. Bring your wallet.

July 4th Boat Races

2007-07-12T07:30:00.000-04:00

The Suncoast Offshore boat race was held on Sunday July 1st off the coast of Sarasota. The Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix Festival is one of Sarasota's largest events annually attracting hundreds of thousands of people to Sarasota.

The family and I dodged rain and lightning bolts the Friday night before the boat races to see the parade in downtown Sarasota. My boys loved seeing all of the big boats.

We spent the 4th of July up in St. Petersburg beach at a friends house on the water. Our friends have a great weekend home up there sitting right on the open bay. We took our jet ski up with us and had a blast.

2007-06-10T15:40:00.000-04:00

I was playing on the computer a few minutes ago and my wife and kids told me about the Sandhill Cranes in the back yard. I went out and snapped a few pictures of them and fed them some bread. They were screaching at another Crane on the other side of the lake. This is one of the joy's of living in Florida.

Tyler's First Birthday

2007-06-10T15:37:00.001-04:00

Here is a photo of Tyler and Dylan. Tyler (left) turned 1 on the 1st of June and we had a birthday party for him. He had the joy of smashing a cake with his hands. Dylan had the joy of eating it.

Tarpon in Sarasota

2007-06-08T16:38:00.000-04:00

I took a half day off and went tarpon fishing this morning. Two friends and I met this morning at Marine Max on Lido Key at 6:00 a.m. We spotted between 10-15 groups of tarpon "greyhounding". I learned today that greyhounding is when they are migrating in one directions and not stopping to eat. They are definitely off shore right now but evidently weren't hungry this morning. Regardless, we had a great time on the water.

Dr. Beach names Siesta Key one of the best beaches

2007-06-08T16:03:00.000-04:00

Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, also known as a"Dr. Beach", came out with his top 10 beaches for 2007. Siesta Key made the #10 spot on the list. If you go here you can see his pick for the top 10 beaches in the country.

Dr. Leatherman is a professor of environmental studies at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami and serves as the director of FIU's Laboratory for Coastal Research. In 1998, he released his twelfth book, America's Best Beaches, describing and depicting many of the nation's finest beaches regionally and by category (e.g., best swimming and best walking beaches). He also has written more than 200 journal articles and scholarly reports.

A good meal at the Dry Dock Restaurant

2007-06-07T06:28:00.000-04:00

On monday two buddies and I ate at the Dry Dock Restaurant on Longboat Key. I have been eating there on and off for over 15 years now. I can always count on a good meal. The restaurant is located on the south end of Longboat Key with wide expansive views of the Sarasota bay. Not only are the views great but the food is very tasty as well. One of my favorites is their Fish Camp Chowder. If you have not eaten before there give them a try.

New stores added to Ellenton Prime Outlet mall

2007-06-07T06:21:00.000-04:00

Those of you who love to shop at the Ellenton Prime Outlet mall should be happy to hear about 7 new stores opening up there. Addidas, Perry Ellis, Starbucks, J. Crew Factory Store, Kenneth Cole, Luggage Factory, Dooney & Bourke are scheduled to open in various stages. Coffee lovers can enjoy a Starbucks as early as this coming weekend as the new store will be opening.

Prime Outlets at Ellenton opened in 1993 with 123,000 square feet and 40 stores. The outlet mall has grown to about 477,000 square feet with 130 stores. Plans call for a Main Street-type addition and more upscale names at the center, which already has a Saks Off Fifth.

Bull Shark Caught

2007-06-05T13:49:00.000-04:00

A nine foot bull shark was caught last Saturday in St. Petersburg. The fisherman who caught it estimated the weight at 650 to 700 pounds. He caught it off the dock in the back of house located near Vinoy Park in St. Peterburg.

Bull sharks are in bays and inland waters this time of year to give birth to their "pups." After the effort they are hungry.

Though populations of some sharks are dwindling, the bull is common in area waters.

It is a shame the shark could not be released. The man who caught the fish was on the radio and he did not intetionally kill the shark. It died from exhaustion when it finally reached the dock.

Bonefish Grill for dinner

2007-06-03T07:03:00.001-04:00

I took the family to the Bonefish Grill last night for dinner. All I can say is YUMMY! What a great restaurant. I always have a good meal there and highly recommend it if you have not eaten there. I had the pork tenderloin which was very tasty.

Rain!

2007-06-03T06:47:00.000-04:00

Tropical depression Barry rolled through the Tampa Bay area on Saturday bringing much needed rain. Rain was welcomed in drought stricken Florida and Georgia where there were recent wildfires.

I am happy to see the rain. My yard needed a drenching and the lake behind my house was a little low. The current drought should end if we see as many hurricanes as predicted by the National Hurricane Center. They are predicting 17 named storms for the 2007 hurricane season. However, keep in mind there were many storms predicted last year but we had very few.

It's funny how I hear people complain about the drought conditions and then sometime in July they will start complaining about how much it rains. ;-)

Lakewood Ranch Country Club

2007-05-25T06:10:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of playing at the Lakewood Ranch Country Club yesterday in a scramble for the Out of Door Academy. The course was in great condition and with a strong breeze it really wasn't that hot.

The Country Club consists of 36 holes of golf designed by the Palmer Course Design Co., a practice range, chipping area and putting greens. The clubhouse has about 45,000 square feet featuring a formal dining room, grille and lounge, banquet facilities, private dining rooms, men's and ladies' lounges and card rooms, golf pro shop, locker rooms and cart storage.

Saturday and Sunday dinners

2007-05-20T20:13:00.000-04:00

Saturday night I went to Caragiulos in downtown Sarasota with my family and the inlaws. This is a great non chain Italian resturant. I had the lasagna dish and it was very tasty. The atmosphere is very unique and interesting with all of the movie posters and memorabilia. As far as the food goes I have to say I like Carrabbas and Johnny Carino's just a little better.

Tonight my wife and I had a baby sitter and went to Sam Sneads in the southside village. I had the chicken marsala which was great and my wife ate the tenderloin which she enjoyed. If you eat there ask to sit in Sweet Joey Mills section.

Lovely weather today

2007-05-20T12:01:00.000-04:00

I took the family for a bike ride this morning. The weather is great today. There is a strong breeze and it is not too hot or humid. I just looked at weather.com and the humidity is only 37% and the temperature is currently 84 degrees.

I frequently hear people complain about the heat in Florida. I was in Scottsdale 2 weeks ago for the Sotheby's International Realty convention. The heat in Florida is nothing compared to Arizona. Dry heat or not it was hot! I actually prefer a little humidity. The high temperature in Phoenix today is 98 degrees. I did enjoy my visit to Scottsdale. Just like the winters up north I don't think it is the high humidity and temperatures but the duration that bother people. By the time September rolls around the heat has definitely worn out its welcome.

Demolishing the Quay

2007-05-19T06:05:00.000-04:00

The wrecking ball started working on The Quay yesterday to make way for the new billion dollar development of retail and residential space. I am happy to see that they will finally be taking down the derelict building.

The first of three planned residential towers, slated to contain roughly 700 units, could be done in late 2010 or 2011. I am surprised to see so many residential units in the plans. In all of 2006 roughly 150 condos sold in the downtown area and that number includes all of the sales in 100 Central which were made in 2004.

We have plenty of downtown condos for sale now. There is demand for property in this area but they have to be priced well. I think the developer, Irish American Management Services Ltd., will need to a good number of units in the "middle of the road" price range in order to sell 700 of them.

I think it will eventually be a great destination place with all of the planned shopping, restuarants and entertainment.

I wonder why they have not planned any convention space in the project. More meeting space would support more hotel rooms, jobs, travel, etc.

The painted clowns were auctioned off

2007-05-17T21:40:00.000-04:00

Do you remember seeing the clowns around downtown Sarasota? Evidently, 29 of the 26 clowns were auctioned off last Saturday night. Each clown averaged a $4,000 sales price with the minimum price $3,500. TideWell Hospice and Palliative Care has made nearly $120,000 off a public art display. There is still an opportunity to buy one. 20 clowns are available in an online auction until Friday.

"Homer the Reds Clown," designed by Skip Dyrda with help from local celebrity artist Jerry Springer, is headed to Dayton, Ohio. The clown "Dazzle and Hip-Hop" is bound for New York City. They sold for $3,500 each.

Eating lunch at El Greco's

2007-05-17T19:58:00.000-04:00

For lunch I ate at El Greco today in downtown Sarasota. I eat there frequently and highly recommend it to anyone who likes Greek food. Today's lunch was the gyro salad and it was very tasty as usual. I think the salad cost me around $8.00. El Greco is located on the south east corner of main street and orange avenue.

Nordstrom coming to Sarasota?

2007-05-17T11:23:00.000-04:00

Nordstrom shoppers should be happy to hear about the retailers letter of intent to open a store at the University Town Center.

The high end retailers plans on opening at the 276 acre shopping center at University Parkway and I-75. The two-level Nordstrom will be 138,000 square feet and will open by late 2010.

When completed the University Town Center will be the largest retail space in Sarasota. The developers are also planning on office buildings, hotels, a movie theater, its own trolley system, parks, a grocer, outdoor dining until 3 a.m. and sculling on an adjacent lake.

In the first phase, a SuperTarget is now open and Benderson expects to sign Best Buy, ULTA cosmetics, Cost Plus World Market and Dick's Sporting Goods. Traffic is already very heavy in the Lakewood Ranch/I-75 area.

With such a large project planned the county will have to add and/or widen roads to alleviate congestion.

Changing this blog

2007-05-17T09:36:00.000-04:00

I am going to change this blog to a general information source about life in Sarasota, Florida. I plan to have information about any and every topic, useful or useless, about living in Sarasota. Feel free to write comments.

Condo resales turning into buyer's market

2007-03-08T07:49:00.000-05:00

SARASOTA -- Roughly one-third of investors who committed to downtown condo towers during Florida's post-2000 real estate boom appear to be having buyers' remorse.

Driven by a desire to distance themselves from rampant speculation or avoid owning overpriced space, buyers are bailing from a handful of high-profile Sarasota towers.

Their movement is likely mirrored across the region and the state.

"It certainly isn't surprising in this market," said Lisa Rooks Morris, a Rooks Morris Real Estate partner who, until last autumn, sold condominiums at 1350 Main, one of downtown's most talked-about addresses.

"The market couldn't be more different now than two years ago. It went from one extreme to the other."

The list of local high-rises where buyers are walking away from deposits or offering their units for resale includes Alinari at Rosemary Place, a 17-story building on Tamiami Trail; Broadway Promenade, which will feature 187 units when completed on U.S. 41 at 10th Street; Rivo at Ringling, a 15-story, 106-unit tower at Ringling Boulevard and Osprey Avenue; and Kanaya, a 35-unit tower on Orange Avenue.

At 1350 Main, buyers are expected to begin closing today and Friday on units they snapped up during a 90-minute buying frenzy in May 2004.

But in a show of just how different the spring 2007 real estate market is, not all 1350 Main St. buyers are likely to finalize their deal and move in.

The rest of story.

Condo developer buys church's air

2007-02-13T06:44:00.000-05:00

One Palm developer Triton Cos. leased the air rights above the Church of the Redeemer, at 222 S. Palm Avenue. This will provide gorgeous water view for the residents of One Palm through 2106.

The announcement regarding the 99-year lease for the air rights -- which will essentially give Triton and partner RBS Cos. Inc. ownership of everything above the church's roofline -- comes just days before the development team plans to kick off sales of its seven-figure units.

One Palm's 99 residences, slated for completion at 240 S. Pineapple Ave. in 2009, will be priced from $1 million to $2 million.

The Grande Sarasotan is Shelved

2007-01-18T07:27:00.000-05:00

The proposed luxury condo tower known as The Grande Sarasotan, located at the corner of U.S. 41 and Gulfstream Avenue, has been shelved.

Kolter, the developer, officials said they intend to redesign their $210 million tower and its 144 units while the project is on "hiatus."

"If we are going to add additional units to a market ripe with condominium opportunities, they are going to represent a broader spectrum of choices and amenities for luxury-minded customers," said Bob Vail, the Kolter Tower Division president, in a statement.

Redesigning the building and condo units to lower prices sounds like a wise idea. The starting price for The Grande Sarasota was $920,000. That meant you got the bottom floor looking north with no water view and sitting very close to a busy street corner.

I visited the sales gallery some time ago and looked at the floor plans and views. The floor plans were nice and the views south looking over Marina Jack and the Sarasota bay were great. The Sarasota real estate market is going through a cleansing process right now. I believe something great will be at that location. Whatever ends up there will just have to match the conditions of the current real estate market. In today's market it is apparent that not enough people thought the condos were worth the money.

2007 will be an exciting year for downtown Sarasota

2007-01-07T06:15:00.000-05:00

This will be an exciting year for downtown Sarasota. The Quay project planning a $1 billion revamp, the coming 12 months will be used to finalize designs for 700 residences, a hotel, upscale shops, offices and parking on the 15 acres of waterfront land. The pink Quay building itself will come down in 2007. This area will eventually be known as Sarasota Bayside instead of The Quay.

The Pineapple Square project is a $200 million mix of condos, parking and high-end stores is scheduled to start in 2007.

In mid December, the city gave the approval for the project. Two retail tenants, Brooks Brothers and Sur La Table, have committed to opening stores.

Benderson Development Co. will likely start on the overhaul of the 13-story Bank of America Building on Main Steet. They are planning to add a 332-room luxury hotel, residences and hundreds of parking spaces.

The Atrium on Ringling, a 17-story collection of condos and office space represented by SKY Sotheby's International Realty will start in 2007.

RMC Property Group Inc. and Ram Development will finish up Broadway Promenade, the new Publix supermarket and Broadway Bar & Grille.

Rivolta Group's long-awaited Rivo on Ringling, a 13-story condo tower with retail and office space ringing it.

Other downtown condos finishing up in 2007 will Kanaya, 1350 Main and Alinari.

If you want action you can find it in downtown Sarasota.

Sarasota Approves Pineapple Square Development

2006-12-14T19:31:00.000-05:00

Sarasota city commissioners approved the 13-story mixed use development in downtown Sarasota. Construction on Pineapple Square, the $200 million collection of condos, shops and parking is slated to begin in March. The development has 157 condos, 350 public parking spaces and 86,000 square feet of retail space. The development will be built in an area bounded by Pineapple Avenue and First Street on both sides of Lemon Avenue. Condos will range from priced from $480,000 to $1.15 million and will be completed in the fall of 2009. If you are interested in a condo in downtown Sarasota give me a call at 941-812-6272.

More Hotel Rooms for Downtown Sarasota

2006-12-14T18:59:00.000-05:00

A local landowner is proposing to replace Patrick's Restaurant, a Main Street landmark for more than two decades, with an 18-story InterContinental Hotel with 121 rooms. Benderson Development Co. is planning a 332-room upscale hotel at the corner of Main Street and Orange Avenue and Ruben Holland Development is considering lodging for its project behind Main Plaza, at U.S. 301 and Main Street. With these 3 proposed hotels, The Quay's plans to add a hotel, The Hyatt's decision to not close and build condos and the grand opening of Hotel Indigo there won't be a shortage of places to stay in downtown Sarasota.

It will be interesting to see if the city will approve an 18 story hotel on the 11,000 square foot site that Patrick's restaurant currently resides.

With plenty of available hotel rooms Sarasota will be able to attract more conventions.

Sarasota Quay holdout sells El Vernona condo for $1.5M

2006-11-16T07:13:00.000-05:00

Sonia Hamouda, the hold out in the El Vernona condo complex, finally sold her unit to the Dublin-based redevelopers of the Sarasota Quay for its $1 billion project. They paid her $1.5 million for the 782 square foot condo. She paid less than $75,000 for the 44 year old condo in 1998.

The developers for the new Quay now have 15 acres to develop condos, retail shops, offices parking and hotel rooms. They plan on demolishing the Quay in the first quarter of 2007.

You can read the entire Sarasota Herald article here.

Too bad I didn't buy a unit in El Vernona years ago. ;-)

Downtown Sarasota Lot Sold in Absolute Auction

2006-11-10T06:44:00.000-05:00

A downtown Sarasota property once slated to become a luxury condominium sold Thursday for $555,000 at a no-reserve, open-air auction.

That price was nearly $200,000 less than the developer paid two years ago for the same piece of dirt and probably half what the land might have commanded during the peak of the real estate boom.

Read the rest of the article.

Hyatt deal in downtown Sarasota is dead

2006-10-13T12:55:00.000-04:00

The deal between WCI and Hyatt is dead. Read the article here. WCI was going to buy the Hyatt for $65 million and tear it down to make way for some high end condos and a new hotel. The slowdown in the real estate market is what killed the deal.

Virginia Haley, who heads the Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau was happy to hear that they were not losing any more hotel rooms. In the past three years, the region has lost hundreds of hotel rooms to condo development.

My personal opinion is that we have plenty of condos in downtown Sarasota to accomodate the current demand. I would imagine something new will go there but it won't be for a few years. It might look more appealing to a developer in a few years after the current downtown Sarasota condos are absorbed by end users.

Quay project in downtown Sarasota

2006-09-27T15:57:00.000-04:00

Here is a rendering of the new Quay development.

The model of the proposed $1 billion redevelopment depicts four buildings, three of which will rise 18 stories, along with New High Street, which will dissect the 14-acre, waterfront property. Along with 700 residences, Bayside is slated to contain 175 hotel rooms and 228,022 square feet of commercial and office space.

Quay Rendering.

Proposed development in downtown Sarasota

2006-09-19T06:43:00.000-04:00

Do you remember the planned development Plaza Verdi behind Sarasota News and Books on Palm Avenue? It never got off the ground because of complications with The Golden Apple Dinner Theatre. The city of Sarasota recently sought development ideas for the downtown tract.

Read the article.

5 developers came in with plans.

All five proposals would either provide "attainable" housing units or contributions to Sarasota County's Community Housing Trust.

Roskamp & Patterson's Royal Palm Court - Build 224 units for people 55 and older.

Benderson Development's Palm Plaza - 836 parking spaces; 315 hotel rooms, condos and senior living units; and office space.

Florida Main Street LLC, - 302 residential units, 852 parking spaces and ground-floor retail.

Buck/Leiter partnership - 150 residences, a 140-room hotel, 700 parking spaces and retail space.

Rocco Santomenno - 1,630 parking spaces and 90 rental apartments that would be owned by the housing trust.

Do we need affordable housing in one of Sarasota's most expensive areas?

School Avenue condo plan on track

2006-09-15T07:45:00.000-04:00

City OKs a land-use change over Alta Vista neighbors' objections

By MIKE SAEWITZ
mike.saewitz@heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA -- City commissioners late Thursday gave an important boost to a developer's plan to build 400 condominium units -- about 130 of which could be reserved for Sarasota's hospital workers, teachers and law enforcement officers.

The 3-2 approval of a major land-use change for the School Avenue property came after residents in the Alta Vista neighborhood begged commissioners to slow the project, pleading that the new condos and traffic would jam local roads and ruin the quaint enclave near Payne Park.

Supporters of the project included representatives of Sarasota Memorial Hospital and Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, who argued that the development could provide needed housing for its employees. Attorneys for the developer touted a freshly signed agreement with Habitat for Humanity, which could run the developer's unique affordable housing program.

The rest of the article

Sitting adjacent to Payne Park I think this is a great location for a condominium development. It is not the most convenient location to the heart of downtown. Hopefully the prices of the proposed condos will reflect that. I don't think this location can justify the same prices of condos in buildings like 1350 Main, Plaza at Five Points, or 100 Central.

What downtown Sarasota condos have sold so far in 2006?

2006-09-13T10:02:00.000-04:00

If you are interested in seeing what condos have been sold in downtown Sarasota take a look at my new page: 2006 Downtown Sarasota Condo Sales. It shows sales information for most of the major condos in downtown Sarasota and Golden Gate Point. If you want more information on any of them or any other part of Sarasota give me a call or send me an email. 308-6766

Housing strategy suffers setback

2006-09-08T10:09:00.000-04:00

City commissioners abandon an idea for affordable housing.

By MIKE SAEWITZ
mike.saewitz@heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA -- City leaders have been desperate for a strategy to create more affordable homes in and around the developing downtown.

But city commissioners on Thursday struck down a measure in which they placed their affordable housing hopes, after learning that a proposed density bonus plan would create only 265 affordable units downtown -- at the most.

Read the rest of the article here:

Parts of downtown have some of the most expensive real estate in the area. I wonder why they want to put affordable housing there. I agree we need a plan but is it fair to stick in one of the hottest parts of town?

Parties: Hyatt deal still going ahead

2006-09-05T19:33:00.000-04:00

But observers believe slowdown will kill plan

By KATHLEEN MCLAUGHLIN

SARASOTA -- Despite hopeful speculation among hoteliers that WCI Communities will not close on its purchase of the Hyatt Sarasota, parties on both sides of the deal say it will go through.

If that is the case, the bayfront Sarasota project would be one of just a few that WCI pursues in Florida this year.

Here is the rest of the article.

Number of downtown Sarasota condos for sale

2006-08-26T08:11:00.000-04:00

To make it easier to track I will start reporting inventory levels of downtown Sarasota condos in a chart.

Downtown Sarasota Real Estate Stats for August 16th

2006-08-17T08:49:00.000-04:00

Here are some statistics pulled from the Sarasota MLS about Downtown Sarasota Real Estate.

Downtown Sarasota Condos
190 condos for sale
29 condos currently under contract

Downtown Sarasota Homes
35 homes for sale
5 homes currently under contract

July 7th numbers:

Downtown Sarasota Condos
202 condos for sale
33 condos currently under contract

Downtown Sarasota Homes
31 homes for sale
7 homes currently under contract

It is good to see the number of downtown condos for sale dip a bit. Many are speculating that there are too many condos in downtown Sarasota and the oversupply will cause prices to drop. It will be interesting to see if those who bought in Kanaya, 1350 Main, Alinari, Savoy on Palm, Broadway Promenade and Rivo on Ringling plan to sell their condo. An interesting note when looking at the Sarasota MLS data is that there have been more condos sold in downtown Sarasota so far this year than on all of Siesta Key.

Benderson revamps downtown Sarasota plans

2006-07-27T21:00:00.000-04:00

By KEVIN MCQUAID
kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA — Benderson Development Co., in response to city concerns about pedestrian safety on Main Street, has completely revamped plans for a 16-story hotel tower connected to its Bank of America building.

Under the new plans, filed with Sarasota planners Wednesday afternoon, Benderson has shifted the proposed 180-foot tall hotel and condominium tower behind the 13-story Bank of America building, at 1605 Main St.

Read the rest of the article here:
http://heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060727/BUSINESS/60727023

More condos planned for downtown Sarasota

2006-07-27T06:55:00.000-04:00

The new owner of the M&I Bank Building filed plans Wednesday with the city to develop a 10-story condominium tower on the downtown property.

Michigan-based Triton Cos. plans to build its 111-unit project atop an existing garage and on vacant land at the 240 S. Pineapple Ave. site.

"One Palm," as Triton's mixed-use condo tower will be called, also could become the first major structure built under downtown zoning rules that went into effect Jan. 1.

Go here to read the rest of the article:
http://heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060727/BUSINESS/607270788

This a great location. It will be interesting to see if this project comes to fruition. I will keep you posted on any new news.

Ritz Carlton Tower Residences

2006-07-14T10:25:00.000-04:00

The penthouse in The Ritz Carlton Tower Residences sold on the 12th of July for $4,750,000. The listing agent describes this as a gracious Penthouse that offers uninterrupted South & West vistas of the Bay & the Gulf of Mexico. Features include an open & generous floor plan with over 5,000 sq. ft., exceptional appointments throughout including 2 fireplaces, library, gourmet kitchen, & 3 terraces, PLUS A PRIVATE 2 CAR GARAGE. A wealth of world-class amenities: fitness center, swimming pool, private movie theater, in-residence dining, gourmet restaurant, 24 hour concierge service, & maid service. You can be assured the pampering & incomparable service made famous by The Ritz-Carlton!

The Sarasota MLS shows 5 units selling in The Ritz Carlton Residences (hotel building) and The Ritz Carlton Tower Residences so far this year. The least expensive sold was $1,800,000 while this penthouse transaction at $4,750,000 is the most expensive.

This segment of the Sarasota real estate market does not appear to be slow.

Downtown Sarasota Home Recently Sold

2006-07-07T14:19:00.000-04:00

This 2 bedroom/3 bath home at 1905 Morrill Street has 1,837 square foot. The home is a single family residence (approx 800 sq ft) and 2 one br apts (500 sq ft each). The home was on the market for 94 days and sold for $775,000 or $421 a square foot.

July 7 Downtown Sarasota Real Estate Stats

2006-07-07T14:10:00.000-04:00

Here are some statistics pulled from the Sarasota MLS about the Downtown Sarasota Real Estate market.

Downtown Sarasota Condos
202 condos for sale
33 condos currently under contract

Downtown Sarasota Homes
31 homes for sale
7 homes currently under contract

Here were the statistics for May 27th:

Downtown Sarasota Condos
212 condos for sale
42 condos under contract

Downtown Sarasota Homes
37 homes for sale
6 homes under contract

3 condos sell in 100 Central

2006-07-06T06:58:00.000-04:00

Three more condos have recently sold in the 100 Central downtown Sarasota condominium community. An 8th floor unit sold June 15th for $740,000. It had 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths with 1,611 square feet. This buyer paid about $459 a square foot.

Unit 710 sold June 26th for $695,000. It was also a 2 bed, 2.5 bath unit with the same square footage. This buyer paid about $431 a square foot. Unit 510 with about the same square footage sold June 26th for $650,000. This buyer paid about $402 a square feet. The difference in price between these 3 units is primarily due to what floor they were on, view and any upgrades within the unit. Please call me at 308-6766 if you are looking to buy or sell a unit in 100 Central or any other downtown Sarasota real estate.

2 more condos sell at the Ritz Carlton in Sarasota

2006-07-06T06:30:00.000-04:00

Two more condos have sold recently in the Ritz Carlton Tower Residences.

The two units were in the Tower Residences (building with no hotel rooms) section of the property. The 9th floor unit has 3 bedrooms, a den, 4 bathrooms and 3,659 square feet of living space. It sold June 9th for $2,335,000. Unit 1201 in the building also sold June 15th for $2,600,000. This is a 3 bedroom, 3 bath unit with 3,751 square feet without a southwest view of the water. Please call me at 308-6766 if you are looking to buy or sell a Ritz Calrton condominium or any other downtown Sarasota condo.

Downtown Sarasota Condos Sold from May 27th to June 9th

2006-06-09T14:30:00.000-04:00

According to the Sarasota MLS five downtown condos sold from May 27th to June 9th.

Unit 1404 in The Ritz Carlton Residences sold for $1,800,000. This 14th floor unit has bay views, 2 bedrooms, a den and 2.5 baths with 2,754 square feet.

Unit 701 in the Marina Tower sold recently for $1,075,000. This lovely Gulfstream Drive complex was constructed in 2001. The unit that sold was a 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath condo with 1,940 square feet and had wonderful views of the bay and Marina Jacks.

Another unit in Condo on the Bay sold. Unit 309 in the 988 building sold for $932,500. It is a large 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath unit with 2,315 square feet overlooking the gorgeous waters of the Sarasota bay.

Unit 1006 and unit 903 in Gulf Stream Towers sold last week. Condo 1003 was a 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit with 1,005 square feet and it closed for $525,000. Condo 903 was a 1 bedroom/1 bath unit with 820 square feet and it closed for $350,000.

Please call me if you are looking to buy or sell a downtown Sarasota condo. 941-308-6766.

Downtown condos recently sold

2006-05-27T06:54:00.000-04:00

Unit 1704 in the Embassy House sold on the 22nd for $835,000. The 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit had 1,408 square foot and gorgeous bay, city, marina and ocean views. It was listed January 5th for $869,000. The buyer paid $593 a square foot.

325 Golden Gate Point #12 sold on May 22nd for $305,000. It was a 716 square foot 2 bedroom, 1 bath condo on Golden Gate Point. It was listed March 21st for $335,000. The buyer paid $425 per square foot.

Unit 312 in The Renaissance sold on May 24th for $442,500. It was a 2 bedroom, 2 bath with 1,160 square feet on the 3rd floor facing east. It was listed February 23rd for $459,000 and went under contract 4 days later on the 27th. The condo sold for $381 a square foot.

A condo in 100 Central sold last week for $910,000. The 2,273 square foot townhouse unit had 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and was on the 5th floor. The buyer paid $400 a square foot.

This 5th floor 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 3100 square foot unit closed on May 18th for $1,375,000. It was listed for $1,595,000. The condo was on the western side of Beau Ciel and had views of the bay, marina and city. The buyer paid $443 per square foot.

Downtown Sarasota real estate stats - May 27th

2006-05-27T06:41:00.000-04:00

These downtown sarasota statistics are pulled from the Sarasota MLS from May 18th to May 27th

Downtown Sarasota Condos

212 condos for sale
42 condos under contract
6 condos sold
5 condos were either taken off the market or expired without selling

Downtown Sarasota Homes

37 homes for sale
6 homes under contract
0 homes sold
0 homes were either taken off the market or expired without selling

* Information gathered from the Sarasota MLS which is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

New Quay in line for ritzy brands

2006-05-24T19:05:00.000-04:00

Sarasota developer outlines possibilities at giant national retail convention

Marquee retailers like Tiffany, Gucci and McCormick & Schmick's have their eye on the Sarasota market and a redeveloped Quay.

"There's a definite interest to be in Sarasota on behalf of most of the luxury retailers that we've spoken to," said Brett Hutchens, president of Casto Lifestyle Properties, one of the developers working on the billion-dollar Quay project.

Read the rest of the article here:
http://heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060524/BUSINESS/605240342

Downtown Sarasota Real Estate

2006-05-24T10:40:00.000-04:00

I built this Downtown Sarasota real estate page for those of you looking for a home, condo, or multifamily property in the downtown Sarasota area. The properties are downloaded daily from the Sarasota MLS so you get up to date information. If you need assistance please call me at 308-6766 or email me.

Downtown Sarasota Condo Sold

2006-05-23T19:47:00.000-04:00

A client of mine just purchased unit 1406 in Condo on the Bay, also known as 888. I can disclose the price now since it is public record. He purchased the unit for $735,000. It was listed for $799,999. That is a discount of about 8%. ;-)

It was a gorgeous 2 bedroom/2 bath unit with 1,555 square foot and had been totally remodeled. If you are looking to buy or sell a downtown Sarasota condo and need assistance please give me a call at 941-308-6766.

Downtown Sarasota may get upscale chain restaurants

2006-05-19T16:24:00.000-04:00

Here is an article from the Sarasota Herald Tribune about upscale chain restaurants coming into downtown Sarasota. Morton's Steakhouse and P.F. Chang's China Bistro is talking about being a part of the Pineapple Square condo and retail project. There seems to be mixed opinions about the chain restaurants coming into downtown. Some people feel that downtown will become too generic and lose character if the large chain restaurants come in. I personally don't feel that will happen. I love eating in both types of establishments. I don't think anyone can deny that fact that restaurants like Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Chang's do a great job.

http://heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060519/BUSINESS/605190660

New homes bring host of retail projects to region

2006-05-18T06:34:00.000-04:00

Here is an article from the Sarasota Herald Tribune about various retail projects around Sarasota and especially in downtown district. With a large number of condos going up in downtown retail developers want to add more shopping to this area. Follow this link for the article: http://www.sarasotaherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060518/BUSINESS/605180688

Downtown Sarasota real estate stats - May 17th

2006-05-17T05:44:00.000-04:00

These Sarasota MLS statistics are from May 6th to May 16th

Downtown Sarasota Condos

206 condos for sale
46 condos under contract
3 condos sold
9 condos were either taken off the market or expired without selling

Downtown Sarasota Homes

34 homes for sale
5 homes under contract
0 homes sold
2 homes were either taken off the market or expired without selling

* Information gathered from the Sarasota MLS which is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Downtown Condo Guide

2006-05-16T06:22:00.000-04:00

I built a page to help those looking for a condo in downtown Sarasota. My downtown Sarasota condo guide will tell show you a photo of the building, when it was built, how many units, the highest and lowest sales price in 2005 and the average price per square foot of the sold condos in 2005. This is a great tool to learn the downtown condo market. Give me a call at 941-308-6766 if I can help you.

Gorgeous New Home For Sale in Downtown Sarasota

2006-05-16T05:58:00.000-04:00

Here is a newly constructed mediterranean home in Laurel Park for sale. The main house offers 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths with a 1 bedroom/1 bath apartment above the 2 car garage. Some of the features include travertine flooring, a cook's kitchen with granite countertops, stainless appliances, prep-island, & gas stove, hard wood flooring and Italian wall sconces. This downtown Sarasota home is listed for $1,495,000. Give me a call at 308-6766 if you are interested in seeing it or any other home in downtown Sarasota.

Downtown Sarasota condos sold

2006-05-12T20:04:00.000-04:00

There were 4 condos that sold in the downtown area this week.

A unit sold in the Grande Riviera building on Golden Gate Point. The selling price was $2,195,000. This unit on the 2nd floor with 3,473 square feet boast panoramic water view, deep water docking and full concierge services. This sold for $632 a square foot.

A condo unit in Plaza at Five Points also sold this week. Take a look at these condos if you are looking for a newer, centrally located building in downtown Sarasota. You can walk right out your front door to be in the middle of the action. This 14th floor 2 bedroom/2 bath unit has 1,660 square feet and water views.

Two condos sold in Condo on the Bay, also known as 888 and 988. This building has been active lately. Another unit will close next week. ;-)

Unit 514 in the 988 building sold for $687,500. I showed this lovely end unit with expansive views of the gorgeous Sarasota bay, Longboat Key and Lido Key. This downtown condo was listed December 29th for $799,500.

Unit 308 in the 988 building sold for $620,000. This Cezanne unit has 1,642 square feet, is located on the 3rd floor and overlooks the bay waters.

Posting comments

2006-05-09T08:57:00.000-04:00

Feel free to post your comments, concerns, questions, etc. pertaining to downtown Sarasota and/or downtown Sarasota real estate.

Downtown condos sold between April 27th to May 6th

2006-05-06T09:18:00.000-04:00

Downtown condos sold

This condo in 100 Central sold last week for $730,000. It was a 2 bedroom/2 bath unit with 1,568 square feet on the 10th floor. It was originally listed for $825,000 on January 4, 2006. The price was lowered to $765,000 on March 2nd. It went under contract March 13th. It sold for $465 per square foot.

A unit in The Ritz Carlton Tower Residences sold last week for $2,900,000. This lovely unit went on the market September 2003 for $3,300,000, went under contract January 19, 2006 and sold May 2nd. This 3 bedroom/3 bath condo offers a large floor plan of 3,751 square feet and gorgeous panoramic views of the bay from the 15th floor. It sold for $773 per square foot.

Downtown homes sold between April 27th and May 6th

2006-05-06T09:15:00.000-04:00

Sold Homes

Here is the one downtown Sarasota home sold between April 27th and May 6th. It sold for $850,000. It was listed January 11th, 2006 for $875,000, under contract February 4th and closed April 28th.

This Spanish style home is in Burns Court. It has 2 bedroom, 2 baths, 868 square feet main house, a 190 square foot guest house and was built in 1926. That comes to about $803 a square foot.

Downtown Sarasota real estate stats for May 6th

2006-05-06T08:34:00.000-04:00

Downtown Sarasota Condos

211 condos for sale
46 condos under contract
2 condos sold from April 27th to May 6th
8 condos have expired or were withdrawn from the market from April 27th to May 6th

Downtown Sarasota Homes

35 homes for sale
5 homes under contract
1 home sold from April 27th to May 6th
2 homes expired or were withdrawn from the market from April 27th to May 6th

* Information gathered from the Sarasota MLS which is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.