Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Some more details here:

Sarasota City Manager to pitch new affordable housing idea

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...dfd62289&ei=34

Sarasota City Manager Marlon Brown has been with Sarasota since 2009, first as deputy city manager before taking over the department in 2021. Frustrated by what he saw as a lack of tangible progress, Brown will propose to the City Commission a new housing measure he says is novel in its concept and aims.

It is called the Downtown Sarasota Affordable Workforce Housing Initiative. Brown sees it as a middle solution for middle-income renters – in which Sarasota would buy two parcels of land across the street from City Hall to build two, twelve-story residential buildings that the city would own and fix the rents below the costly market rates in a downtown that has become a sightseeing tour for luxury, European cars.

At the next City Commission meeting, Brown will ask officials to kickstart the project by approving the purchases on First Street, which will cost about $7.4 million.

In a letter dated April 15 addressed to city commissioners, Brown said it was time for the city to take direct action.

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

The city manager told the Herald-Tribune the project was an “experiment in frustration.”

“We’ve talked and talked and talked and talked about affordable housing. We have talked about creating policies and programs, but nothing has been done,” Brown said.

The design by Hoyt Architects envisions about 200 total units for about 400 individuals – with commercial spaces on the ground floor and three floors of about 280 parking spaces.

Sarasota city leaders consider workforce housing options


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3afUsDOviJE

[wondermint2]

Top 8 concerts this week in Sarasota, Venice, Bradenton, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news...b4d2218a&ei=36

While we're nearing the time of year where things to start settle down events-wise in the Sarasota area, there'll still be plenty of noteworthy live music this week, including arguably the biggest concert here in the next three months.

Circus Arts Conservatory's electronic dance music fundraiser Wonderball, which debuted last year with Steve Aoki headlining, will return this weekend with another renowned DJ appearing. Other genres represented in this concert picks installment include ska, folk, and — as with most weeks in our area — blues, including the return of a multiple Blues Music Awards-winning artist. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change.

[wondermint2]

North Port annexing historic site in Warm Mineral Springs as it weighs tearing down others

For full article & photo:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/no...b4d2218a&ei=37

North Port city commissioners gave initial approval Tuesday to annexing the Warm Mineral Springs Motel.

Once a second approval of the annexation is completed April 23, the motel built for the Florida Quadricentennial will become join the list of structures in the city included on the National Register of Historic Places.

The three other structures, including a sales building, spa and cyclorama at Warm Mineral Springs Park, were built for the Florida Quadricentennial as well.

But the future of those three city owned structures are questionable after the demise of a public-private partnership to develop 61.4 acres of parkland and restore the three buildings on the 21.6-acre historic Warm Mineral Spring site.

[wondermint2]

First phase of major downtown Sarasota apartment, commercial development given go-ahead

For full article & renderings:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...b4d2218a&ei=39

The first phase of a major downtown Sarasota apartment and mixed-use project has the green light two years after applying for development approval.

Park District, a 331-unit apartment complex and commercial space at 220 Fletcher Ave., received approval from city administrators Wednesday. The development in the downtown core is the first phase of a project that could include more than 1,700 units.

Developer Park District Manager LLC acquired 32 parcels spanning about six blocks in the southeast corner of Fruitville Road and U.S. 301 for more than $37 million in August 2022, and proposed the project at a Development Review Committee meeting the following November. The developer submitted plans to the committee twice more before receiving partial approval last August.

This first phase of the Park District project will include 331 multifamily units — both market-rate and affordable — and 7,772 square feet of commercial space across 1.88 acres. Park District Manager LLC has not yet submitted plans for the next phases of the development or a timeline for completion, per city records.

Altogether, the Park District will encompass 8.65 acres. With the quadruple downtown density bonus in a district that allows 50 units per acre, Park District is eligible for 1,728 units of residential and commercials space if 15% of its units are priced more affordably than market rates for at least 30 years.

[wondermint2]

Letters to the Editor - Troubled students require mental health guidance by licensed counselors, not chaplains

For full column:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/oth...b4d2218a&ei=47

Schools need more counselors, not chaplains

Apparently, the supporters of Florida SB 1044/HB 931, which purports to address students’ mental health needs by establishing volunteer programs for school chaplains, are confused about the difference between mental and spiritual guidance.

Certainly, in some instances, there’s an overlap between the two domains, but in my 35 years as a clinical social worker, those instances have been few and far between.

Mental health is about far more than spirituality. You can’t pray away abuse or trauma, although prayer provides comfort for some.

For the down-to-earth, critical issues faced by students in today’s schools − violence, family and social media pressures, bullying, gender questions, addiction, depression, anxiety and loneliness − what’s needed are more paid, licensed mental health counselors in schools.

Therapists and counselors are trained to be value neutral and unbiased on spiritual matters. Will we be able to say the same for school chaplains?

The school chaplains bill, already approved by the Legislature, will become law July 1 if not vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Karen R. Koenig, licensed clinical social worker, Sarasota

[wondermint2]

Sarasota School District unveils $28 million renovation to Booker High VPA Building

For full article & photo:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sa...b4d2218a&ei=53

Booker High School faculty, Sarasota School Board members and district leadership unveiled a finished multi-million dollar renovation to the school's Visual and Performing Arts building at a ceremony Thursday morning.

The building renovation — which overhauled the front entrance, updated the interior and added an additional black-box theatre — cost $28 million, according to district construction leaders. In the district's 2022-23 budget, the building was estimated to cost $24 million. The primary theatre, which seats 406 people, saw upgrades to the space's audio and visual integration and balcony seating. A new black box theatre space, which seats 125 people, was also added to provide an alternative, more intimate space for performances.

[wondermint2]

What is causing these Parrish dust storms? Angry neighbors want a developer to fix it

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...b4d2218a&ei=56

Dust storms have swept through a Parrish neighborhood over the last few months, blanketing homes and roads and sickening some residents.

On windy days, the dust blows from Rye Ranch, a 1,369-acre housing development under construction on Rye Road, residents say. The new large-scale community built by Lennar Homes sits across the street from existing homes in the Foxbrook neighborhood.

"When the wind picks up, there's a cloud of dust that comes through this whole community," said Rob Nilsson, 51, who moved to Foxbrook two years ago. "It's so thick that you can't even see through it. It looks like a dust storm in a movie. A big black cloud of dust."

In a Feb. 23 letter to at least one resident, Scott Edwards, vice president of land development for Lennar Homes, acknowledged that the dust conditions could be caused by construction activities and said the company has "rules and regulations" in place to manage the impact to neighbors.

"Lennar takes great pride in our communities and always strives to do our best to be good neighbors to the surrounding areas," Edwards wrote.

Residents say they have asked for Lennar to cover the cost of cleanup and damage to their homes. Speaking with the Bradenton Herald, residents said they have been forced to remove dirt from their pools and power wash their homes.

According to Edwards, the company uses water trucks to keep dust levels down. He said seed and mulch will also be installed as construction is completed.

The company official, however, stopped short of meeting residents' demands to pay for any damage caused to their property.

"Lennar will continue to take the necessary steps in order to maintain our site and follow the regulations that are in place, but will take no further action on any of the requests for compensation or maintenance on your home," Edwards said in his letter to a resident.

[wondermint2]

Craftails Speakeasy brings mixology with Prohibition era flair to downtown Bradenton

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tri...b4d2218a&ei=66

Many of the buildings on Old Main Street, also known as 12th Street West, were around to see prohibition come and go between 1920 and 1933.

Buildings like the Iron Block building, 530 12th St. W., which was built in 1896, and Jennings Arcade, 417 Old Main Street, which was built in 1926, are just two that were around during those days.

Craftails Speakeasy, which opened in November at 436 12th St. W., is a tribute to the time when Americans could not legally buy, sell or drink alcoholic beverages, but somehow managed to quench their thirst anyway.

They could get their hooch at a speakeasy —an illegal, underground drinking establishment — or by buying white lightning from their favorite bootlegger or perhaps making their own bathtub gin.

"We're a speakeasy serving prohibition-era cocktails and atmosphere," said manager Richard Amato. "We wanted to bring something classy to downtown Bradenton.

[wondermint2]

Leaders from Goodwill Manasota, Easterseals come together on World Autism Awareness Day

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/le...b4d2218a&ei=73

A new collaboration between Goodwill Manasota and Easterseals Southwest Florida is providing the opportunity for exceptional artists to sell their artwork at Goodwill’s Albee Farm Bookstore in Venice. Adults enrolled in Easterseals’ Art Initiative Program not only get the pleasure of creating the art, they are also benefiting financially.

Starting in late 2023, the nonprofits have collaborated to take artwork created through Easterseals’ Art Initiative Program to Goodwill’s Albee Farm Bookstore to display and sell; 100% of sales of the artwork go directly to Easterseals and the artists. If the pilot program goes well, Goodwill will explore possible additional bookstore locations in which to sell the art.

[wondermint2]

Publix opens Sarasota store, its 12th new location this year

For full article & photo:

https://www.businessobserverfl.com/n...arasota-store/

Publix Super Markets has opened a Sarasota store in a newly developed center that eventually will house the county government’s new administrative offices.

The Lakeland-based grocer’s new 48,387-square-foot store — one of three it is opened this month — is in Fruitville Farms, a mixed-use center being built by Manatee County-based Benderson Development.

Benderson, in a statement announcing the opening, says Publix is the first tenant in the development at the intersection of Fruitville Road and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.