Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

‘Hamilton’ broke Van Wezel records during two-week Sarasota run

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainm...045244ec&ei=29

Over a two-week run in Sarasota, the hit musical “Hamilton” became the most successful show in the history of Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall based on sold-out performances, hall officials said.

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical about Founding Father Alexander Hamilton sold out all 16 performances during its March 25-April 7 run, narrowly topping the 99.61 percent seating capacity reached for the three-week run of Disney’s “The Lion King” in 2019.

[wondermint2]

New downtown Sarasota bar, restaurant and piano lounge will be a 'place like none other'

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tri...045244ec&ei=33

Sugar Champagne Bar is expected to open later this year in downtown Sarasota at 127 S. Pineapple Ave. The high-end bar and piano lounge will serve a "curated selection of fine champagne, wines, spirits, and chef-inspired small plates," according to the press release.

The champagne bar occupies a pink building that has been renovated "while preserving its historic charm, offering a nod to Sarasota's rich cultural heritage." The press release notes that owner Ronnie Shugar, perhaps best known as the co-founder of the lifestyle brand Raw Sugar Living, has invested $4 million into the project.

The upscale vintage setting is being billed as "regal and resplendent," boasting a theatrical atmosphere highlighted by a custom chandelier and a signature pink piano. Additionally, there will be velvet booths, settees, and counter-height banquet tables.

The drink menu will showcase an "exquisite array of champagne and wine labels from prestigious vineyards, curated top-shelf spirits, and masterfully made cocktails, offering a symphony of effervescent delight," according to the press release. The food menu will feature elevated small plates, including what the press release described as "the world’s finest caviar and artisanal desserts."

[wondermint2]

Breadsmith bakery brings loaves and sweets to Bradenton. The owners have expansion plans

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddri...045244ec&ei=38

Breadsmith, specializing in handcrafted, European-style artisan breads, is pulling in customers with not only fresh loaves but cookies, scones, cakes and more.

More than a few were attracted by the stand-up sidewalk sign that advertised fresh cinnamon buns.

Partners George Prentice, Corey Grubb and Jeremy Collins opened the bakery in January at 6425 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, in the Fountain Court shopping center, and say that business has been strong.

Prentice is already in discussions with local restaurants about handling their baking needs and is actively looking for satellite locations in Ellenton or Parrish and in Sarasota. He is also projecting that in the future Breadsmith could serve clients in Tampa and St. Petersburg.

[wondermint2]

How popular is Manatee's water taxi? Busy enough to add another boat, officials say

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/new...045244ec&ei=40

On sunny days when the seas are calm, Manatee County's new water taxi service between the Bradenton Riverwalk and Anna Maria Island operates with full loads of passengers.

On other days, not so much. In fact, the water taxis might not leave the dock.

"On a full day, we're moving about 360 to 380 passengers," Elliott Falcione, the county's tourism director, told members of the Manatee County Tourist Development Council on Monday.

That works out to about 180 to 190 cars taken off the roads daily on Anna Maria Island and the causeways linking it to the mainland.

But there have been 22 days this year when the weather was bad and the water taxis had to stay tied up at their moorings.
"That's 7,000 passengers who couldn't get on the ferry, Falcione said.

Water taxi sees successful start

What's needed is a larger boat with an enclosed passenger compartment to supplement the service provided by two 50-foot open-air catamarans, the Miss Anna Maria and Downtown Duchess.

The enclosed boat could operate in more kinds of weather and keep passengers dry.

Monday, the tourist advisory board agreed that the water taxi has gotten off to a good start and that to ensure future success, it recommends the Manatee County Commission authorize placing an order for a larger boat with an enclosed passenger cabin.

Tourist bed tax money was used to buy the Miss Anna Maria and Downtown Duchess.

"We wouldn't have a water taxi without the tourist tax," Falcione said.

The bigger boat envisioned by the TDC and the water taxi operator, Gulf Coast Water Ferry, would have a capacity of between 100 and 150 passengers and cost about $2.8 million.

The two 48-passenger catamarans that Manatee County launched its water taxi service with each cost about $450,000.

Assuming the county commission signs off on the tourism advisory committee recommendation, it would be about a year before the boat could be delivered.

Water taxi expansion plans

The water taxi now has stops at the Bradenton Riverwalk, the Anna Maria City Pier and the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach.

Falcione said he anticipates adding stops at the south Coquina Beach boat ramp and Longboat Key, near the Mar Vista and Shore restaurants, this fall.

Another stop could be added near the Palmetto Estuary Nature Preserve early next year, he said.

About 40% of riders on the water taxi have been from outside Florida.

One of the benefits of adding a third boat to the water taxi fleet would be the ability to offer free passage to hospitality workers who now commute from the mainland to island businesses. That would also help remove more automobile traffic from local roads, TDC members said.

One-way tickets are $8 per person. For more information, visit: https://www.GulfCoastWaterTaxi.com

[wondermint2]

Help To Home holds groundbreaking ceremony for new development serving low-income families

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...045244ec&ei=45

Help To Home held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday afternoon for their new Hope Village of Manatee. The village will be located at 1825 30th Avenue West in Bradenton, and serve low-income families threatened by homelessness.

“Poverty is two phases. One could be situational poverty and the other is generational poverty. Our goal is to change the lives of children but in order to do that, we have to change the lives of the parent. In order to change the life of the parent, we have to get to the foundational problem of why they are in the situation they are in,” said April Childers, the Vice President of Help To Home.

The project will be completed in two phases with construction for the first way set to begin in three weeks, according to Childers. Phase one will include the first 16 homes in the new village and is expected to be completed at the end of the year. Childers explained phase two will be completed sometime in 2025 or 2026 including the rest of the units.

There will be a total of 53 by the end of completion.

“They are able to become more fiscal and they are able to save more and more frequently. Instead of just saving their tax return that many people do every year. This is a way for them to be able to find the time that they need in order to get into other affordable housing and also to apply for programs like Habitat for Humanity,” said Childers.

Help To Home has spent the last eight years maintaining duplexes and renting at below-market rates to families. According to Childers the goal is to help children who were homeless or at risk of homelessness.

[wondermint2]

Manatee County renovates schools to keep up with growth (Video)

For video:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/mone...-BB1lhVxC?t=16

Outside the classrooms of Blackburn Elementary School in Palmetto, crews are working to put up a new building and renovating existing ones.

[wondermint2]

The Fresh Market announces grand opening date for newest Manatee County grocery store

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddri...045244ec&ei=54

After word got out last October that The Fresh Market would fill the Bradenton-area grocery space formerly occupied by Earth Fare and Winn-Dixie, the opening date came quickly.

The Fresh Market announced Monday that it will be opening its 162nd store and third in Manatee County at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, April 24, at 11525 S.R. 70 E., Lakewood Ranch.

Planned is music by concert cellist Steve Kramer, giveaways, demonstrations and food sampling throughout the store. The first 500 customers will receive customized The Fresh Market Lakewood Ranch reusable shopping bags.

Other grand opening activities include a "bread breaking" ceremony, cracking of a 95-pound Reggiano Parmesan cheese wheel and sampling at 9 a.m. and a check presentation to Feeding Tampa Bay, a nonprofit food relief organization.

The Lakewood Ranch location will be the ninth The Fresh Market store providing weekly food donations to the food bank to help feed people facing hunger.

Features of the new store include:

[wondermint2]

Developer plans pair of boutique condo projects in downtown Sarasota

For full article & artist rendering:

https://www.businessobserverfl.com/n...town-sarasota/

A pair projects getting underway soon will offer “boutique” condos in two choice downtown Sarasota locations.

One project, dubbed 625 Sarasota at The Point, is a nine-story condo building on Golden Gate Point, while the other, The Palm 625 Sarasota, is a smaller four-story building on South Palm Avenue.

The developer, V.J. Chukkapalli, also recently purchased a 10-unit vacation condo on Siesta Key he plans to refurbish.

[wondermint2]

The 26th Sarasota Film Festival Closes with Award Winners Announced

For the full article:

https://www.srqmagazine.com/srq-dail...ners-Announced

The Sarasota Film Festival announced the award winners for the 26th annual event, which concluded this weekend and ran April 5-14.

[wondermint2]

Tamiami Trail southbound lane closed due to sewer line collapse

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...line-collapse/

A sewer line collapsed Monday near Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) and 22nd Street in Sarasota, according to an FDOT traffic advisory.

Sarasota Public Works is providing traffic control. Officials have reopened one of the two southbound lanes that were closed.

Motorists should anticipate possible delays and slow-moving traffic.

A detour off Tamiami Trail and 23rd Street onto Ixora Avenue and back onto Tamiami Trail and 22nd Street is suggested.

FDOT encourages motorists to use caution when traveling in the area. At this time there is no estimated time as to when the sewer line and the roadway will be repaired, according to FDOT.

Further traffic updates will be available via FL511.com.