Street Street Garage - Retail Space Sold    The City of Sarasota no longer owns the retail space on the ground floor of the State Street Garage.  The property was sold last week to The Shoppes at State Street LLC for $1.7 million, well above the appraised value

The ground floor retail space is now owned by The Shoppes at State Street LLC.

of $1.1 million.  Sales proceeds are budgeted to pay down the cost of the Garage construction.  Now that the proceeds have been received, the new Garage is debt free.  Congrats to everyone involved!

Already, the new owner has started to build out the retail space.  As you may have heard, the west side will be a luxury car showroom.  It's unknown what will be in the remainder of the ground floor on the east side, but one tenant is expected.  The building was constructed to easily accommodate a restaurant, so that certainly is a possibility.

The Garage itself is a significant addition to the heart of downtown, and it's being well received by the public with approximately 60-80 vehicles parked there every day.  Crews will remain on site for a while finalizing the construction punch list.

Sansara - Vertical Building Permit Issued     Interest continues to be high with investors and those who want to live in an urban setting close to our cultural arts venues and beautiful beaches.

An artist's rendering.

A vertical construction permit was recently issued for Sansara, a mixed-use residential development at 300 S. Pineapple Ave.  The $11 million project will have 17 residential condo units as well as 2,800 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor of a ten story building.  This property, located at Pineapple and Ringling Blvd., has been vacant for many years and we look forward to this infill project enhancing the vitality along Pineapple and helping to connect the downtown core to Burns Square.              

         

Utilities - Building Demolition    If you've driven by the Utilities campus on 12th Street recently, you may have noticed a demolition crew knocking down an old building.  The old compost plant, which is obsolete and hasn't been used for several years, is being razed.

At one time, the facility created compost by combining wastewater bio-solid residuals with sawdust.  Several years ago, it was determined that production process was not cost effective.  So, now, the City pays a private company in Charlotte County to haul the sludge away, saving the City approximately $500,000 each year.  The sludge continues to be processed and re-used as a soil supplement and fertilizer.

With the compost plant unused for years and outdated, it was time to move on. The demolition process will continue for awhile, so expect to see steam shovels on site.  Once it's cleared, that portion of the campus, parallel to 12th Street on the south, will remain open space for now.   

Bobby Jones Golf Club:  Sales Tax Holiday Aug. 7 - 16   If you plan on taking advantage of the State of Florida Sales Tax Holiday, which is currently underway, consider including our historic municipal golf course in your shopping plans.  Eligible items, including shirts, shorts, hats, and cleated/spiked shoes, will be tax free at Bobby Jones Golf Shop.

To qualify for the 7 percent tax exemption, each eligible item must be $100 or less.  The Sales Tax Holiday continues through August 16, so there's plenty of time to visit the golf shop, located at 1000 Circus Boulevard.

YouTube: Bobby Jones Golf Shop & the Sales Tax Holiday.

For a list of clothing items included in the Sales Tax Holiday click here.  To see a list of frequently asked questions prepared by the State of Florida Department of Revenue click here. 

SPD Citizens Academy - Applications Accepted    Openings are available for the next Sarasota Police Academy which begins Wed., August 26 and runs for 12 weeks.  The class will meet every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and participants will learn all about the Sarasota Police Department.  From the philosophy of partnership policing to the marine patrol and K-9 Unit, residents will learn what it takes to protect our community in a safe and professional manner. 

Interested participants need to be at least 18 years old with no felony convictions or outstanding warrants, and either live or own property within the Sarasota city limits.

There is no cost to participate.   If you or someone you know may be interested, visit www.SarasotaPD.org to submit an application online.
          

Neighborhood News:  Gillespie National Night Out    Residents in the Gillespie Park neighborhood celebrated National Night Out

Savannah Montes, 6, (daughter of Sustainability Manager Stevie Freeman-Montes) enjoyed meeting McGruff.

earlier this week with representatives from the Sarasota Police Department.   It was a fun evening at the park with police officers socializing with residents and providing crime prevention tips.   There also was face painting for the kids, a homemade cake was served and even McGruff the Crime Dog made an appearance.  Interactions like this between SPD officers and residents in a casual setting is an important part of our partnership policing philosophy to build mutual respect and trust. 

The citywide National Night Out event is tentatively scheduled for Tues., October 6 at the Robert L. Taylor Community Center, so mark your calendars. There will be food, games and activities for those of all ages, as we continue to strengthen our partnership policing program.