Don’t be dense about city density!

An excellent piece!

From the Savannah Morning News posted June 24, 2017
By Daniel Carey

I recently took a trip to Seattle for a retreat with the leaders of peer preservation organizations from around the country. Seattle is a great city. Not as historic as Savannah, but progressive and full of energy. It’s quite large and growing at a rapid rate. Regardless of its size and scale, Seattle helped put Savannah in perspective for me. Its urban core is very dense, and in that density lies a problem that Savannah may be saddled with… too much of a good thing in one finite, fragile and historic space.

Density is today’s buzzword in planning and development. And it’s good… mostly. Around the country, the development pendulum is swinging back from wasteful suburban sprawl and towards older, close-in neighborhoods. Through decades of preservation work, Savannah has been a national leader in proving that downtowns can be popular live-work-play areas. Demand creates a need for greater density. However, density should not be a password to more at all costs because it is, after all, just that—more.

Downtowns are, by nature, dense. Savannah’s downtown is the densest part of Savannah. Before it has to endure more — in the name of soothing a rash of hotel development — why not explore increased density in other parts of the city that crave it and can better absorb it? Instead of dumping every mediocre development idea on the same square mile because it’s a no-miss investment, why not explore the edges and surrounding neighborhoods (MLK, Jr. Blvd., Montgomery Street, Eastside and Cuyler-Brownville)? Those areas have vacant lots and “grayfields” that crave investment and can handle it. Additional housing in those areas — which are adjacent to downtown and served by public transportation — can fill a need and return a profit. The city should facilitate such development, and tax credits can incentivize the rehabilitation of existing blighted housing.

Creating more affordable housing, respecting historic preservation, and maintaining human scale are not mutually exclusive goals. The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “Atlas of Re-Urbanism” is a comprehensive, block-by-block study of the American urban landscape. It reveals that areas of older, smaller buildings and mixed-age blocks boast 33 percent more new business jobs, 46 percent more small business jobs, and 60 percent more women- and minority-owned businesses. They are also denser than newer areas.

Moreover, as Boston’s North End and Miami’s Little Havana demonstrate, relatively small human-scale neighborhoods with older fabric are the keys to the successful cities that visionary Jane Jacobs touted. We already have that in Savannah and it’s the real thing, not a 21st century knock off. In agricultural terms, instead of overplanting and exhausting our best soil, we should focus on sustaining it.

So let’s be careful to scrutinize every aspect of proposals and text amendments that call for the wholesale removal of density requirements. Why be skeptical?

Because downtown is not just any place, it’s a National Historic Landmark District… la crème de la crème. For the most part, it retains a human scale. But it’s just a few amendments and variances away from becoming something entirely different. Or should I say the same?

Daniel G. Carey is the president &CEO of the Historic Savannah Foundation.

 

Is The National Register of Historic Places District of Laurel Park in Jeopardy?

 

“I hope any of you who have expressed an interest in “what’s happening!!! ” to my neighborhood Laurel Park will read this. It’s a thumbnail tale but it’s a beginning to the story of the end of something precious. 10 years ago I pursued a legal remedy to what is now occurring in our neighborhood ,,, I was damned as a destroyer because I believed the code then and now in place in Laurel Park in no way reflects the historic character of our neighborhood. The issue is not housing types ( modern vs craftsman vs dutch colonial vs med rev ) but about no diversity in lot size*, no possibility of multi-family like the Spanish Oaks, or bed & breakfasts, or artist studios, > adaptive reuse of historic structures. Next to Dylan Jon Wade Cox fine example of “shotgun vernacular” stand two 500 ft square ” workers ” cottages ( circa 1924 ) Mine is one of them. Built on 3000 square feet it includes a shared garage … a feature of several Owen Burns built homes ( circa 1924 ) on Madison and Columbia Court. A feature that would not be allowed today. Nor could one build on 3000 square feet. The large new built on the corner and the one across from mine are required by code to be built on a suburban lot size of just under 5000 square feet. They are 1,000,000 dollar ( + ) single family homes. The folks now who are running and /or supporting STOP are the very same people who have praised these developments, sat on their hands and allowed this to occur in Laurel Park. STOP’s president and registered agent lives in the neighborhood and has served numerous times on our Board. This is the same Board that led the charge against another important historic structure, the original Sarasota Herald Tribune home to the Women’s Exchange and most egregiously refused to give support to saving the now demolished 7 Gables and in fact actively contributed to it’s demise. At what point will Laurel Park’s National Historic Designation be rescinded?”

Diana Hamilton

 

With regard to the impact of new construction on a National Register District:

The number and scale must not overwhelm a district’s sense of time and place and historical development.

When the State of Florida nominated Laurel Park for National Register District designation the number of contributing structures was just barely enough. The boundaries of the district had to be creatively drawn to exclude some large land parcels and new buildings to make it work.  In addition, to boost the number of contributing buildings, the Womens Exchange and two commercial buildings across from the Exchange were added by the State of Florida’ s preservationist.

In recent years there have been enough demolitions of contributing structures along with the addition of new homes built on vacant sites without regard for their scale to jeopardize this honorific designation.

Here’s hoping the Laurel Park neighborhood’s organized homeowner association board will wake up!

 

Laurel Park Landmark celebrates 91 Years…………

The Sarasota Herald Tribune is celebrating 91 years of publication.  The newspaper’s first home was in the building best known today as the Woman’s Exchange at the corner of Oak Street and Orange Avenue.  Read the article in today’s paper….

An earlier post on the building…………

Woman’s Exchange

 

A landmark in Sarasota and an anchor building in Laurel Park’s national historic district – The Woman’s Exchange.  The not-for-profit organization benefiting the arts has occupied the building since 1969.

539 S. Orange Avenue – Building in the rear is todays spanish Oak Apartments

 

The structure was constructed in 1925 for the Sarasota Herald Newspaper – today’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune, our city’s longest running newspaper.  This building, along with several industrial and commercial buildings, and the Sarasota County Courthouse, which was briefly housed on Oak Street, created a pocket of commerce in a growing residential area during Florida’s Land boom.

Sarasota Herald Building

 

In the 1980’s the city surveyed and inventoried its historic properties and selected 24 buildings that it felt exemplified Sarasota’s history to be preserved for future generations.  Those 24 properties became the first in Sarasota to be honored by inclusion on our nation’s most prestigious list of valuable historic buildings and sites – The National Register of Historic Places.  The Woman’s Exchange building is one of those honored properties.

 

 

Owen Burns Legacy in Laurel Park……..

In Sunday’s Sarasota Herald Tribune historian Jeff LaHurd offered readers an excellent article titled  –The Legacy of Owen Burns.  

In the Laurel Park National Register of Historic Places District the legacy of Owen Burns lives on………..

Oak Street between Osprey Avenue and Washington Boulevard bisects the Washington Park Subdivision.  It is just one of many subdivisions that make up today’s Laurel Park National Register of Historic Places District.

The plat of the Washington Park Subdivision was recorded in February 1925.  It was owned and developed by Owen Burns. A number of homes built by Owen Burns dot the subdivision along with some of the preserved  brick paving, sidewalks and curbing.

One of Laurel Park’s most distinguished residences was designed by architect, Dwight James Baum.  Today it is one of only two buildings in the national historic district that is individually designated historic by the National Register of Historic Places.

 Dr. Kennedy House at Oak and Columbia.

This remains one of my favorite photos.  Mr. Owen Burns and Mr. Dwight James Baum (right) are captured in front of the realty office next to the El Vernona.

A wonderful panorama of the  Burns Reality Office and the El Vernona Hotel shortly after completion.

A great perspective of the early Sarasota landmarks.

If you are interested in viewing more vintage photographs of Sarasota visit the William Hartman Gallery on Palm Avenue.  Mr. Hartman has an incredible collection  on display.  If you want to read more about Sarasota’s history, pick up one or more of Jeff LaHurd’s books at one of our local bookstores.

 

The future of the past is in the stewardship of the present…..

The very best presentation out there for preserving versus replacing…………….

 

 

News from the Neighborhood………

Laurel Park Neighborhood Asso. occasionally publishes a newsletter. These are some of the articles from the pages of the most recent publishing.

page 5

Sarasota’s Iconic Sea Horses….

 

These sea horses never appeared in Laurel Park however residents of the neighborhood frequented Lido Beach and the Casino complex during the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and knew them well.

The majestic eight-foot tall sea horses first appeared in Sarasota at the Lido Beach Casino. They were the design of the building’s architect, Ralph Twitchell. The sea horses were cast of concrete in molds created from full-sized, hand drawn templates. They were then attached to the façade of the casino to create an eye-catching motif on the second story promenade of the building. For almost 30 years they stood as sentinels casting an eye out to sea and affording the perfect backdrop for a magical photo portrait in paradise.

The Lido Casino was demolished in 1969. Before it was completely razed a number of the sea horses were carefully removed. They are privately owned. The building is gone, the sea horses disappeared from sight but the memory of them remained for all who enjoyed the marvelous Lido Casino complex.

A cherished photograph is of Esther Williams hanging off one of the marvelous horses at the Casino.  She was in Sarasota taking a break from shooting a Tarzan movie in Florida.

In the 1980’s the developer of the Quay project on Sarasota’s bayfront brought the delightful iconic figure back to the community. The majestic sea horses were again cast in concrete, from the original design and attached to the Sarasota Quay. The Quay opened in 1987 with eleven sea horses adorning its entryway and main plaza.

Once again these magical statues became the backdrop for photographic portraits. Visitors and residents, young and old came to the Quay and posed for a picture with them.

History has a way of repeating itself. The sea horses again lost their home after 20 years. The Quay was demolished in 2007. This time the horses were rescued by citizens interested in seeing the icons returned to the community.

 

In 2009 two sea horses were installed at Mote Marine Laboratory Aquarium in celebration of the opening of a new and fascinating exhibit on sea horses and to recognize the value Mote contributes to defining Sarasota as a unique and exceptional community. The year 2009 marked the third time the sea horses made a welcome appearance.

Thanks to a generous donor another sea horse has reappeared and is permanently installed for all to enjoy at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s home on Fruitville Road.

Another sea horse is now on temporary display along Palm Avenue, in front of the William Hartman Gallery.   It is becoming a popular photo backdrop for shoppers and strollers on the street.

Sarasota’s majestic horses

75 years old!

Form-Based Code for Laurel Park

Here is an update to the  “Form-based code post I wrote last year………… It is a recent article by Robert Steuteville, Better Cities and Towns that is worth adding to the original post- Form-based codes offer predictability.

__________________________________________________________

The City of Sarasota is finally working to update and improve the existing zoning code.  To accomplish this, they are looking to use form-based code.  The Urban Design Studio, a newly formed department in the City of Sarasota has been charged with the task.  This modernization of Sarasota’s code can have positive effects on the future development of the Laurel Park National Register Historic District and the entire area known as Laurel Park, currently zoned RSM-9.

 

So what is Form-Based Code?

The Urban Design Studio defines it as:

A form-based code (FBC) and its districts are different than conventional zoning. Conventional zoning designates permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another, and while it separates uses it is difficult to determine what the built environment or community will look like upon build out.  A Form-based code fosters predict-able buildings and high-quality public spaces by using physical form (rather than separation of uses) as the organizing principle for the code. The zone districts or Transects are regulations, not mere guidelines, adopted into city or county law.  Form-based codes address the relationship between building facades and public spaces such as parks, the form and mass of buildings in relation to one another, and the scale and types of streets and blocks. The regulations and standards in form-based codes are presented in words and clearly drawn diagrams, metrics and other graphics.  

Interestingly, in 2007 Sarasota County Commissioners voted to add form-based code to the county’s zoning as an option for mixed-use and commercial development.  According to Sarasota County’s website:

The code is uniquely designed for Sarasota County and addresses the connection of:

• buildings and pedestrians to the public realm,
• the form and mass of buildings in relation to one another,
• the scale and network of streets and blocks.

Old Sanborn Map – portion of  today’s Laurel Park

 

In older neighborhoods such as Laurel Park where the history of development spans decades with no one code applied throughout, the flexibility of form-based code makes terrific sense.

Laurel Park is a neighborhood where:

• setbacks vary from property to property
• architectural styles are diverse
• portions of the neighborhood lie in a flood zone
• there are a variety of sidewalk, curb, apron, and street types
• rights-of-ways vary

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There is a wealth of information to quickly understand how form-based code works and can be applied.  The Form-Based Codes Institute  is an obvious and a tremendous resource for information:

• Form-Based Codes Defined
• Bill Spikowski’s Video – “Creating Urban Form”
• Form-Based Codes: A Step by Step Guide for Communities
• FBCI Library of Codes
• An online course with instructor feedback
• Webinars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More information is available in these articles:

Dialing-in your zoning to fit your community by Tony Perez

Why design guidelines on their own don’t work by Kaizer Rangwala

Form-based codes – new approach to zoning  published by Smart Growth Tactics

Finding the right path through design review by Kaizer Rangwala

Ways to fail at form-based codes: Don’t articulate a vision by Hazel Borys

 

Why are Laurel Park’s Historic Structures now being Regulated?

Laurel Park became the City’s seventh National Register of Historic Places District March 11, 2008.  It took 3 years, the work of many volunteers and came at a cost to the City of more than $15,000 (paid consultants) to survey, create boundaries, record the history and make application for the State of Florida to submit to the National Park Service for determination.

Before moving forward with the application meetings were held, articles published, and notices were sent to Laurel Park’s property owners to explain the process and the advantages of becoming a National Register Historic District. It was made clear to the owners by the City-hired consultant and City staff that designation would not impose any restrictions on what owners could do with their property.

Designation is an honor. By becoming a National Register District Laurel Park joined a prestigious list of more than 86,000 properties across our country and 1,602,903 resources whose history is now recorded and woven together to form a great heritage quilt of historic fabric throughout the United States.

To learn more about the National Register go to Dwight Young’s article in Preservation Magazine.  It is a fantastic read!

There are 270 structures in Laurel Park’s National Register District that are designated as “contributing” to the Historic District, and 2 properties that were individually nationally designated prior to the district designation.

After Laurel Park was awarded the National Register District designation the City then enacted an ordinance that created regulations which now affect the owners of both the Individually designated national structures and those 270 structures that contribute to make up the District.

Division 8 of the Sarasota Zoning Code applies to historic preservation.  It was written to regulate locally designated individual structures and local districts.  The words National Register were never in the code prior to 2009 and today they only show up in two sections of the code.

Sec. IV-822

and Sec. IV-824

Minutes from the City’s Historic Preservation Advisory Board meetings confirm the lack of  authority to review Individually designated  National Register properties or properties that contribute to National Register Districts even after 2009……….

“Chair Hall noted that, at the last meeting, members were exploring the idea of increasing protections to historic resources within the City; particularly those listed individually on the National Register that are not locally designated and those listed as contributing structures to National Historic Districts that are also not locally designated.  Those structures do not go though local review by this board.” Jan. 11, 2011

“Historic preservation protections in place in the City’s ordinances do not extend to National Register Properties.” Dec. 14, 2010

“It came as a surprise to citizens that nationally nominated properties are outside the reach of this Board.” Oct. 12, 2010

City staff, in the person of the City’s historic preservation planner, appears to be taking a different approach.  More recent HP Board meeting minutes below find the historic preservation planner explaining why a structure is before the board for review…..

“the proposed demolition was before the HPB due to being a contributing structure to the Laurel Park National Historic District…”March 10, 2015

329 S. Osprey

“329 S. Osprey…when the Laurel Park Historic District was created the structure was listed as a contributing structure, and that is why it was coming before the HPB.” Feb. 10, 2015

But staff seems to pick and choose what is regulated and what comes to the HBP Board. The structures below, all contributing structures to the Laurel Park NRHD, did not come to the HP Board for review.

1902 Laurel Street

1902 Laurel St. – a 1920’s contributing structure – Demolished 3/2014

1652A Oak St. – a 1925 contributing structure – Demolished 6/2015

1910 Laurel St. – a 1925 contributing structure – Demolished 10/2010

Let’s back up a little…..Prior to 2009 if you wanted to demolish your historically designated structure in Laurel Park and your structure was on the Florida master site file, which it likely is, you had a 45 day demolition stay after filing for a demolition permit with the building department.  This stay was created to allow time for the City’s HP Board and local historic preservationists to contact interested parties who might move and reuse the structure rather than demolish it.  After that 45 day period the property owner was free to proceed with the demolition.

So, what started as a way for the City, interested parties and preservationists to have time to find options to reuse historic structures vs. demolition has morphed into a burdensome, often hardship, situation by creating requirements for the structure owner to have to comply with. The 2009 demolition ordinance creates a 120 day stay period and the HP Board has the authority to extend the time to a year.  The City requires a review of the building by the City’s historic preservation planner. The City has the right to require mitigation. The City may, and often does, require the owner appear before the City’s Historic Preservation Advisory Board, hire a preservation professional to document the building history, and obtain written quotes from a certified house mover for relocation of the structure and quotes from a salvage company to remove anything that can be repurposed. The City also charges an additional fee for an historic structure to be demolished, over an above the demolition fee. Whoa!  That is a big dump on owners who never expected and were never notified they would have this responsibility.

We live in a great small city.  It’s comparable in size to Charleston but it has nowhere near the amount of, or quality of, historic structures.  Sarasota is not a community that values historic preservation due in large part to the lack of public discussion, inclusion and neglect of noticing residents about structures deserving of preservation.

In Laurel Park, property owners have little idea of the status of their old homes and even less about what incentives or benefits are offered to them to preserve and retain these small bungalows and cottages. Even the neighborhood association makes no effort to help the residents to understand what is designated in the district.

There are actually incentives and benefits offered by the City to preserve historic resources such as relief from building codes and an exemption from FEMA so you can add on to a historic structure in Laurel Park’s flood zone without having to build up.  Who would know???   Where is the discourse, the education, the promotion?  The City’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan has an entire chapter on Historic Preservation with goals and objectives that states the City will do just that.

This past May was preservation month. Every year in May communities and cities and states throughout the United States take the month to celebrate, honor and  promote historic preservation.  In the City of Sarasota, not one event was scheduled.

The regulations imposed on nationally designated structures should be removed.
They were enacted without notice to those most affected by them.
They are applied unequally and they fly in the face of the City of Sarasota’s voluntary program to preserve our historic resources.

The 3rd Historic Designation in Sarasota …….

 Burns Court National Register District

 

In the City of Sarasota there exist 2 types of historic designation offered to help preserve and  recognize the city’s valuable historic resources. One is national designation – listing on the National Register of Historic Places.  The other is local designation offered by the City of Sarasota.

Local Designation in Laurel Park

 

What is confusing and misrepresented as a designation is a listing called the Florida master site file – FMSF for short.  It is not an official designation.  It is not a designation at all.

FMSF Listing Harbor Acres (built 1948) – demolished

 

FMSF is a state archive for resources in Florida that are 50 years old or older. It’s simply an inventory.  It contains more than 196,000 cultural resources and more than 21,000 manuscripts.  Anyone can submit a resource to the FMSF – anyone!  For preservation researchers, the FMSF can be a goldmine of information.  But for communities who attempt to utilize it as a standard in their local ordinances the FMSF can create quite a quagmire.

It is not consistently updated, submission forms are riddled with inaccurate information and the inventory does not cover all resources in the state or the City of Sarasota that are 50 years or older by any stretch of the imagination. Establishing any review authority based on a list that has no standards and no requirements is extremely problematic.

The City of Sarasota has included the FMSF in their preservation ordinance and uses it as a standard for review almost on par with the City’s locally designated historic properties. This why it is often erroneously referred to as a historic designation.

FMSf listing – built 1950 – yet this is clearly a newer structure and demolition of the original house was never recorded on the fmsf

 

On the upside – FMSF properties are offered relief from the building code in the City of Sarasota. Listing on the FMSF offers owners virtually all the same exemptions and latitude that the City provides to locally designated property owners such as easy zoning code variances and relief from building codes.

 

Excerpt from  –  Zoning Code City of Sarasota

A FMSF property owner can decide whether to go through the City’s review process to take advantage of the perks, while owners of locally designated structures must go through review whenever a building permit is necessary for alterations. I confess, I own a locally designated property and the review is not a big issue – but if you are considering applying to locally designate your property, why would you choose to spend the time and money to do that when you can receive the same benefits by simply listing the property on the FMSF and escape mandatory review?  Ah, but you would miss out on the bronze plaque and your property being recognized on a  list on the City’s website!

FMSF property preserved and enlarged through the exemption from the 50% rule

 

The pièce de résistance of inclusion on the FMSF in the past was if you owned a property listed on the FMSF that is in a flood zone, the property was automatically, without review by the City’s HP advisory board or the administration, exempted from the 50% rule and substantial improvement. You could add on without elevating the new addition saving thousands in the construction cost to elevate! Many very small, functionally obsolete cottages on great pieces of waterfront which would ordinarily be bulldozed were preserved because of this.

Indian Beach Lane – Built 1935 – Not on the FMSF

 

On the downside – property owners  whose property has been listed on the FMSF face a rude awakening if they wish to demolish their building.  The city requires a review of the building by the City’s historic preservation planner.  The City has the right to impose a stay of 120 days and require mitigation.The City may and often does require the owner appear before the City’s Historic Preservation Advisory Board, hire a preservation professional to document the building history, get quotes from a certified house mover for relocation of the structure and quotes from a salvage company to remove anything that can be repurposed.  The City also charges an additional fee for a FMSF structure to be demolished, over an above the demolition fee.

House on left FMSf  (built 1938) – House on right is not FMSF  (Built 1951)

 

For property owners the biggest problem is they likely don’t even know their property may be on the FMSF.  No one notifies you when it is listed.  The City doesn’t publicize or promote it. It’s not in your deed, its not part of the property appraiser’s information on your property.  You have to be savvy enough to know the list exists.  For years the only way to find out was to contact the state’s preservation office. More recently, the City has put the FMSF list on their website.

  House on left is FMSF (built 1915) –  House on Right is not FMSF (built 1950)

 

What is shameful is the condition of Sarasota’s FMSF list.  It is not maintained, not regularly updated and it is far from being comprehensive.  By using the FMSF list to regulate what properties in our city can receive valuable relief from the building code and what properties may be subject to a demolition stay and the added expenses to mitigate before demolishing a structure are incredibly unfairly applied.  While your 1964 house may be on the FMSF it is quite possible your neighbor’s house built in1936 is not.   Many old properties have been overlooked. Many properties have not been surveyed.  If the city code is to be fairly applied then all properties built before 1965 need to be listed on the FMSF.

House built in 1980 is ERRONEOUSLY listed on the FMSF

 

Owners of individually designated and contributing properties in the City’s National Register Districts have a somewhat unique situation. The City’s preservation ordinance and code pertain to locally designated individual resources and locally designated districts.  The City’s zoning code does not regulate nationally designated properties or districts except in one, and only one section of the code – Section IV-822.

In 2009 the City amended the zoning code to be able to administratively regulate  national register historic resources individually and within a national district.

 

More than likely your nationally designated property whether individually designated or contributing to a national district is also on the FMSF. Your historic property is subject to whatever regulations the City has mandated for FMSF listings.

National Register of historic places Contributing Structure

 

So when you and your neighbors agreed to have your neighborhood designated a national register district and were told the designation would not impose any obligation on your property, or restrict your basic right to use and dispose of the property as you see fit that was and is true from a national /federal level.  It is not true from a local level.  As is the case here, the City of Sarasota considers your property a FMSF listing and has amended the zoning code to regulate your historic resource.

434 S. ORANGE – BUILT 1946 – NOT ON THE FMSF

 

So how exactly does a property get on the FMSF?  Over the years the City has hired consultants to do windshield surveys of the City’s historic resources in specific neighborhoods around the City.  Some of the listings are done fairly thoroughly, others not so. As national districts are proposed and their resources identified, they too are added to the FMSF.  Individuals can also add properties to the list.  It is the responsibility of the City to maintain the city’s FMSF listings.

Dolphin Street Structure circa 1902 – Demolished but FMSF listing Remains

 

Can a property be removed from the FMSF list?  Nope.   According to the State Historic Preservation Office ” The FMSF holds public information gathered, processed, and organized partly or wholly at public expense. Granting such requests would be similar to deleting public tax records at the taxpayer’s request.”

 

You can request information about a particular FMSF  listing by contacting the State Historic Preservation Office via email: sitefile@dosmyflorida.com. The office is extremely helpful and quick to respond.

FMSF forms are  also available online if you wish to file one for your 50 + year old resource. For more information on the Florida master site file visit: http://dos.myflorida.com/historical/preservation/master-site-file/

Laurel Park’s New City Commissioner!

Congratulations to Ms. Liz Alpert who was sworn in today as the City of Sarasota’s District 2 City Commissioner.  She already deserves many thanks for deciding to run and for holding a clean, fair and respectful campaign.  It is a welcome change to have a working business person representing us.

photo credit – The Observer Newspaper

Additional congratulations go out to Shelli Freeland Eddie who challenged the appointed City Commissioner, Stan Zimmerman and unseated him to represent District 3.  She too ran a wonderful campaign earning the votes to represent Sarasota’s citizens.

Many thanks to both City Commissioners!!!

Sarasota’s big top………..

In honor of World Circus Day, April 18, 2015 a reminder of Sarasota’s spectacular circus days……….

In 1927 John Ringling moved the winter quarters of the circus to Sarasota.  The move would forever change Sarasota.

It wasn’t unusual to be stopped at a railroad crossing in Sarasota by the circus train coming or leaving town.

The winter quarters was located on the east side of Beneva Road just north of Fruitville Road.  It was a formidable training center for the artists and champions of the circus.

In the 1950’s a huge metal sign was erected to attract visitors to the unique facility.  The sign and the quarters no longer exist.  The circus moved its home to Venice then on to Tampa. Today Ringling Bros.and Barnum & Bailey Circus winter headquarters is close by in Ellenton bringing an even greater circus presence to the area.

 Winter quarters performance

Circus families established homes in the Laurel Park area, in the colorful mobile home park in what is today’s Payne Park and throughout the city.  They brought with them a tapestry of cultural backgrounds.

John Ringling North with Father Elslander blessing the circus.

It was common to pass the performers on the street.

Circus acts premiered in the dining room of the John Ringling Hotel.  Captain Heyer on his steed, Starless Night would trot right in the front entrance to perform during dinner.

Today Sarasota is most fortunate to have the circus again taking a significant role in the community.  The Circus Arts Conservatory including the Sailor Circus Academy and Circus Sarasota are internationally recognized organizations promoting, teaching and performing the art in our very own back yard!

To truly get a feel for the enormous part the circus has played in the growth of Sarasota, The Circus Museum on the grounds of the John and Mable Ringling Museum campus is worth a trip and another.  It is a special place for children of all ages!

Nightly Rentals in Laurel Park …….

Walking home from work each day I’ve become aware of a noticeable change in the people walking through Laurel Park.   They are nearly all new faces, changing daily,  most of which do not even respond to a smile let alone to a polite greeting.  Where are these people coming from?  Why so many new faces?   Are they staying in these places offering nightly rentals in the district?

Columbia Court

In the Laurel Park National Register Historic District there are in excess of 400 rental units.  The numbers are based on the 2007 NRHD survey and application.  These rentals are located in apartment buildings, 4-plexes, duplexes, cottages and garage apartments.  Until very recently the rentals were nearly all yearly rentals with tenants often remaining for multiple years.

 525 Rawls Avenue

Today we have a growing number of these rentals being used without consideration for a city ordinance.  Nightly and weekly rentals are increasing rapidly in the district.

Oak Street

 

 “There are no residential zone districts which allow for nightly or weekly rentals. Bed and Breakfast or hotels are the only nightly rentals and they are allowed in a variety of commercial zone districts by conditional or provisional use permit. Residential dwelling units can be rented out for 8 days or longer.”              Planning and Development Director, City of Sarasota – June 25, 2013                 

Cherry Lane

For the visitors reading this post, shopping for one of these nightly or weekly rentals –  a note of caution.  Ask for plenty of photos!  Do your research.  Be sure you’ve asked what surrounds the rental and ask how it currently looks.

Lafayette Court

 

Oak Street

 

Osprey Avenue

 

Devonshire Lane

 

Hawkins Court

 

Laurel Street

 

Ohio Place

 

Ohio Place

 

Laurel Street

 

Ohio Place

What sort of impact will this have on the neighborhood, the historic district and to the city’s overwhelming need for moderately priced housing in our downtown core?

New Construction in the Historic District………

A rendering of the first home to be offered (pre-construction) in the Homes of Laurel Park development between Devonshire and Alderman Streets east of Rawls Avenue.

At the corner of Osprey Avenue and Laurel Street a project begun before the economy tanked has new construction.   Here is the first of 4 more homes to be built on the site of a former motel.

These new homes have not tried to replicate an existing style of architecture in the neighborhood.  They stand apart and are easily identified as something new in style to the district.

Modern design is absolutely encouraged by preservation professionals for infill in historic districts to enrich the architectural fabric of the district.  Respecting what was built in the past is important.  Adding to it, generationally, creating more layers to preserve in the future is equally important.

 

 

Apartments in the district………..

Laurel Park has a few commercial businesses and a particularly large number of multi-family buildings throughout the National Register Historic District.

One of the multi-family buildings was the Louise Apartments on Laurel Street.  It is located halfway between Orange and Osprey on the north side of the street.  The building has been repurposed as part of the condominium complex called The Villas on Laurel.

The Louise, The Sperry, The San Juan, and The Embassy were just some of the district’s large apartment buildings constructed during the 1920’s building boom.   Dozens of duplexes and four-plexes were added in the 1940’s providing much of the housing for residents working in the downtown and for seasonal visitors wishing to be in the heart of Sarasota.

Why Laurel Park’s design standards are not perfect…….

Updating post…………

One of the design requirements for new construction in Laurel Park’s zone district –    RSM-9 was not adhered to during the site development for the new homes on Devonshire, Alderman and Rawls streets.  Each lot was mounded up with fill to provide a “platform” to build a home on without the necessity to elevate construction.

 

The developer had crews on site removing the tons of fill that was trucked in only a month ago.

 

 

 

 

Already the land is looking more like the city blocks they started with.   New homes built here will have to comply with all of the design standards adopted by the city for the RSM-9 zone district.

 

It is sad that so much money and energy was wasted on this.

 

The RSM-9 zone district and design standards were adopted decades ago for Laurel Park, well before a portion of the district became a National Register of Historic Places District and without consideration for the area of Laurel Park located in a flood zone or the varying size of the rights-of-ways that exist throughout the neighborhood.  As a result, the standards for redevelopment in Laurel Park have not always produced the results they were intended to accomplish.

Redevelopment on properties within the flood zone are required to meet the FEMA regulations ( The Federal Emergency Management Agency of the Federal government) as well as the RSM-9 design standards.

For some properties this means building the first floor as high as 6 to 7 feet off the ground. This can and has become awkward for maintaining a comfortable scale and balance in a district that is made up primarily of bungalows and cottages that are rarely higher off the ground than 18 inches.

RSM-9’s front yard setbacks can also be challenging for new construction in the flood zone.   Steep front steps are difficult to avoid constructing especially on properties that have no right-of-way extending beyond the curb and are required to build within 20 feet of the property line.

For the development of the homes on Devonshire within the flood zone, tons of fill has been trucked in creating a subdivision in the middle of Laurel Park’s traditional downtown city blocks.  The finished grade of the land is well above the surrounding neighborhood – an apparent disregard of the RSM-9 design standard “f.”

In recent years the design standard for front porches has had to be rewritten to correct a wide interpretation of this standard after some new homes were built with porches facing side yards rather than the desired front porch.

Over the past decade planners and urban designers have designed far more effective tools to help build better, more comfortable, sustainable neighborhoods.  Form-base codes is one of these successful tools that has been applied throughout our country in some of the most desired cities, towns and neighborhoods.  Form-based codes are more flexible and adapt to the specific characteristics of each individual district, neighborhood and block so that all land issues are taken into account as well as the architectural fabric and relationship to the street.

The RSM-9 zone district design standards do not adequately fit the nature of all of the district.  Laurel Park and all of Sarasota deserve codes that do the very best to sustain our city’s unique built environment.

Read more about the City of Sarasota’s existing zoning code for RSM-9 and the 6 design standards below ……………..

As with all residential zone districts the intent of the City’s zoning code is:

“To create, maintain and promote the development and redevelopment of these neighborhoods while preserving their existing residential character. The regulations promote desirable residential areas by addressing aesthetically pleasing environments, safety, privacy, and recreational opportunities. The site development standards allow flexibility of development while maintaining compatibility within the City’s various neighborhoods. In addition, the regulations provide clarity to property owners, developers, and neighbors about the limits of what is allowed.”

 The area of downtown Sarasota known as Laurel Park* is zoned RSM-9 (Residential Single Multiple 9 units per acre.)   The zoning category is unique to Laurel Park and includes six design standards that must be adhered to when building in the zone district.

Sarasota’s Circus Roots……

A quick posting for throwback Thursday…………

John Ringling’s decision to move the winter quarters of his circus to Sarasota in 1927 forever changed the community.   Individuals connected with the “Greatest Show on Earth” made their homes here, raised their families here and added an array of new professions to the young city.

It wasn’t long before Sarasota became known world-wide as the home of the circus.

Happy Thursday!

Laurel Park’s NRHPD Leaders….

The Laurel Park National Register of Historic Places District has only two structures with the prestigious honor of being individually listed on the National Register.  They are the Dr. Walter Kennedy House at 1876 Oak Street and the Sarasota Herald Building at 539 S. Orange Avenue.

Dr. Walter Kennedy House

Excerpt taken from the NRHP application

 

Sarasota Herald Building (The Woman’s Exchange)

 Excerpt taken from the NRHP application

 

To learn more about these distinct and valuable resources click on the links that will take you to the National Register applications for the Kennedy House and of the Sarasota Herald Building.

Dear City of Sarasota

 

Demanding a Plan

DIANA HAMILTON

 

 

 

Dear City of Sarasota,

I write today and offer up this short list of my heart’s most pressing burdens and worries, my fears for your future—a future mirrored in the past.

You have not now, nor have you ever had a plan for protection of our historic structures and properties. We have lost to the wrecking ball too much that is precious—not one, but two train stations, the Ringling Towers, the Bickel House, the Hover Arcade, the Lido Casino, the Mira Mar and on and on, and in the next year without a plan, we will lose the DeMarcy, Cigar Factory and very likely the Bell Haven.

The Burns Court area, south of Pineapple to Mound, is your most intact, overlooked, untouched, coalesced example of old Sarasota and must be protected at all costs. But again, there is as yet no plan, nor will, nor leadership to develop or enforce one. The same holds true for Laurel Park. The ironclad, outmoded land development regulation (RSM9) defines upwards of 80 percent of the neighborhood’s National Historic Registry properties as “non-conforming.” Without a plan, not even the 1924 perfecto plantilla, for multi-family housing, the 24-unit Spanish Oaks Apartments could either be saved from demolition or replicated in Laurel Park today.

Spanish Oaks Apartments

We lack sufficient units of housing of all types, not only for the well off but also for everyday working stiffs and fixed income retirees. You need a plan. And for those so-called leaders who refuse to consider a “come as you are shelter” but instead insist the answer to homelessness is “housing first,” well then you better get to building that quick quick! But again, without a plan and the courage to stand up to the fears of those who decry any progressive initiative toward change as an act of aggression against them personally, it’s not going to happen.

And finally, the distain and indifference you have demonstrated toward our police officers has been and continues to be shameful—unforgivable really. We demand they protect us, our lives, our property and your civic image, but you offer them little to no protection in return. You’ve consistently excluded them from participation in devastating decisions made unilaterally, impacting the financial and physical health and future of on-the-job disabled and retirees, as well as officers who currently serve, and then wonder why morale is so low. And yet they do their jobs and we are safe despite ourselves.

There is so much more to say—about your step child, the North Trail, about parkland at risk, about potential loss of momentum in developing a form based code, about your pitiful cracked sidewalks and potholed streets and your just awful teeth-grindingly dysfunctional government structure—but I’m tired for now of thinking about you, talking about you, worrying about you.

Perhaps it’s true the people get the government they deserve, but Sarasota, the place, deserves so much better—it deserves the best. It’s time for you to make a plan.

Sincerely, Diana Hamilton

SRQ Daily Columnist Diana Hamilton, after living 35 years in Sarasota, labels herself a pragmatic optimist with radical humorist tendencies and a new found resistance to ice cream.

Reprinted from the January 3, 2015 

 

Sarasota – New Years Eve 1926

The Hotel El Vernona opens with a formal New Years Eve celebration!

“Designed by Dwight James Baum to resemble a moorish Castle, the five story hostelry offered 150 rooms, most with a bay view, and the Sarasota Herald bragged it was ‘Almost startling in its magnificence, brilliant in its glory and fairly taking one’s breath with the simple grandeur of its appointments.'” Owen Burns, The Man Who Bought and Built Sarasota” by Jeff LaHurd

 The hotel stood along Broadway, today’s Route 41.

The grand building was named after Mr. Burns’s wife Vernona.  The hotel would become the social epicenter of Sarasota – the place to be seen!

Owen Burns and Dwight James Baum

Sarasota’s 1st golf course……….

We can thank John Hamiliton Gillespie for bringing the game of golf to Sarasota.  Gillespie arrived in1886 and soon after he laid out a two-hole practice course near today’s main post office on Ringling Boulevard. The 9-hole course was constructed after the turn of the century with a clubhouse added in 1905.

Aside from being the man credited with saving Sarasota, he was the first mayor of the town and known throughout Florida as the “Golfing Mayor.”  He was indeed avid about the game. He laid out courses in Kissimmee, Jacksonville, Winter Park, Tampa and Cuba and wrote articles for the “New York Golf” and “Golfers’ Magazine.”

Apparently he was known to remark to men who responded to him that they did not play the game – “Mon, y’re mission half ye life.”

Here is the layout of Sarasota’s 1st golf course on a 1967 ariel photo.  Laurel Park is off to the right.  The last street on the right is Morrill.  (You can click on the photo to enlarge it.)  Posters of this photo with the course are available at William Hartman Gallery on Palm Avenue.

For more information about “The Colonel” John Hamilton Gillespie pick up a copy of Jeff LaHurd’s book “John Hamilton Gillespie, The Scot Who Saved Sarasota” at Bookstore1 on lower Main Street.

Woman’s Exchange……….

 

A landmark in Sarasota and an anchor building in Laurel Park’s national historic district – The Woman’s Exchange.  The not-for-profit organization benefiting the arts has occupied the building since 1969.

539 S. Orange Avenue – Building in the rear is todays spanish Oak Apartments

 

The structure was constructed in 1925 for the Sarasota Herald Newspaper – today’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune, our city’s longest running newspaper.  This building, along with several industrial and commercial buildings, and the Sarasota County Courthouse, which was briefly housed on Oak Street, created a pocket of commerce in a growing residential area during Florida’s Land boom.

Sarasota Herald Building

 

In the 1980’s the city surveyed and inventoried its historic properties and selected 24 buildings that it felt exemplified Sarasota’s history to be preserved for future generations.  Those 24 properties became the first in Sarasota to be honored by inclusion on our nation’s most prestigious list of valuable historic buildings and sites – The National Register of Historic Places.  The Woman’s Exchange building is one of those honored properties.

 

 

Going Backwards………..

It certainly seems appropriate on throwback Thursday to post pictures of the Hover Brothers’ Arcade built in 1913 on Sarasota Bay at the foot of Main Street.  It was the seat of our government, Sarasota’s City Hall for many, many years.

It was just this week that Sarasota’s newly appointed City Commissioners took on one of their first major issues – a neighborhood sewer lift station.  All five commissioners voted to spend an outrageous sum of money to build none other than a replica of the Hover Brothers’ Arcade building.  This disneyesque structure will house nothing more than the mechanics of one, yes, just one, of our neighborhood sewer lift stations.

The sewer lift station is being located in Luke Wood Park.  Ironically a previous City Commission voted to locate this neighborhood lift station on this land that was gifted to the people of Sarasota in 1931 for the sole use as a recreational park.

 So here you have it in a nutshell!

Our city tears down a perfectly good building on its bay front.  The City disregards the intended use of land generously gifted to them for all citizens to enjoy by relocating a sewer station to the middle of it and now they are going to recreate the building they tore down 47 years ago at an astronomical price to move our waste.

Demolition of the Hover Arcade – City Hall in 1967

What’s next?

I suppose when the next sewer lift station needs replacement our city can recreate the train depot and for the next one, The El Vernona / John Ringling Hotel or the Mira Mar.

Hover Brothers’ Arcade from the City Pier

Orange Avenue after 1908

This is a terrific view of Orange Avenue looking south from Ringling Boulevard.  The street immediately on the right is Cross Street.  The street further down on the left is Morrill.  At the corner of Orange and Morrill stands the Church of the Redeemer.  It was moved to the site in 1908 and remained there until 1944.  Today’s Laurel Park is off to the left beyond the Church of the Redeemer.

The map below may help to orient you to the view.

Coming to Sarasota……….

Sarasota’s bayfront would have greeted you with this landscape 127 years ago……

It was 1887 and John Hamilton Gillespie was beginning to revamp a fishing village on the west coast of Florida called Sara Sota into “the prettiest place on the coast of America”.  In the distance you get a peek at the town’s new hotel, The DeSoto.

The hotel was sold in 1902 and reopened with a new name – The Belle Haven Inn.  Almost a decade would pass before the demand for rooms was greater than what were available.

A new wing was added to the rear of the hotel in 1911, a year after Owen Burns arrived to make Sarasota his home.  Mr Burns’s vision and drive would ultimately transform Sarasota beginning with improvements to the bay front including a seawall.

The Belle Haven Inn sat on land that is today the location of The Orange Blossom  Condominium at the corner of Main Street and Palm Avenue. And yes, The Orange Blossom was originally a hotel – one of many that lined Main Street and Palm as Sarasota grew into a sought after winter resort destination.

Happy Halloween!

Wishing everyone a ghoulishly wonderful Halloween!

Happy Birthday Owen Burns!

145 years ago today the man who truly transformed Sarasota from a sleeping fishing village was born – Owen Burns.  He arrived in Sarasota in 1910 for a visit and stayed for the rest of his life. At one time he was the largest landowner in Sarasota having acquired the immense holdings of the Florida Mortgage and Investment Company. Jeff LaHurd’s book “Owen Burns, The Man Who Bought and Built Sarasota” is a wonderful read filed with photos and a terrific map of Sarasota marking the locations of the significant improvements Mr. Burns was responsible for.

Owen and Vernona Burns and family on the porch of their home which was located at the corner of Gulfstream Avenue and Tamiami Trail.

Below is the Herald Square Building Mr. Burns built opposite his Burns Court Bungalows along Pineapple Avenue just outside the Laurel Park district.

Much of today’s Laurel Park was platted by Mr. Burns in the 1920’s.  Portions of the neighborhood, including Washington Park were also developed by him.

For more information visit: www.owenburns.com  or on Facebook at: Owen Burns Celebration.  If you are looking for a copy of Mr. LaHurd’s book on Owen Burns try Bookstore 1 on lower Main Street in downtown Sarasota.

Happy, Happy Birthday to a very special man!

New Homes in Laurel Park………

Take a walk through the historic district.  Progress has been made on the development of the Laurel Park property between Devonshire and Alderman to the east of Rawls.

A brick street has been laid and in no time we should see the construction of the first new homes to be built in the district in some time.  Architects, DSDG have updated their post on Facebook –  The Homes of Laurel Park.  Check it out.  There are a number of renderings of the homes posted.

Around the district………

The Burns Court Neighborhood Association has published a spectacular guide for visitors to its National Register of Historic Places District and surrounds.   The neighborhood is a mecca for those who shop local artisans and independents!  The streets are filled with one of a kind merchants, restaurants, cafes and businesses housed in some of Sarasota’s most treasured historically designated architecture.

You can read more about the history of the district at – More Districts

And here is the wonderfully, spectacular guide:

(Click anywhere on the map to enlarge)

Simple, effective ……..

 

This is one of the cleverest visuals I’ve seen over the years to draw awareness to a project!

   I believe this was in Calistoga, CA

 

Update – Contemporary Design in Historic Districts……..

I posted this awhile back and I am bringing it forward to add an update………….

Last week a judge ruled on the controversial case of a modern house in the historic Raleigh, NC neighborhood of Oakwood.

Read the judges decision in the News & Observer .

Photo – courtesy of the News & Observer

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

 

“…The evolution of architecture hasn’t ended, and that’s why preservation professionals strongly support integrating “modern” design into historic districts………the richness of the layers will continue to appreciate as our own generation adds to the mix while respecting what went before.” Myrick Howard

Contemporary home in Laurel Park

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/03/11/3693106/oakwood-controversy-over-contemporary.html#storylink=cpy

Here is a great article by a well regarded preservation professional as to why modern architecture is both welcome and “fits” in our historic districts: Oakwood controversy over ‘contemporary’ house disturbing on many levels

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/03/11/3693106/oakwood-controversy-over-contemporary.html#storylink=c

“Raleigh’s historic districts were built over a period of decades – house-by-house, owner-by-owner. Unlike modern subdivisions, they contain numerous styles and sizes, and it is this richness that gives them their character. They are mosaics, made up of many distinctive parts. No one style predominates, so it makes no sense whatsoever to prescribe stylistic limitations.” Myrick Howard

 

Raleigh’s Oakwood Historic District has the distinction of being both a National Register District and a locally designated district.  Laurel Park is only  a National Register District.  The districts are similar in that they have no one year of significance or style of architecture.  Development of the Laurel Park neighborhood began at the turn of the twentieth century, flourished in the 1920’s and experienced another “growth spurt” in the 40’s and early 50’s.   The district is generally associated with events that were important to the early development of Sarasota from 1920-1957.  The architectural styles are all over the place.

The lack of understanding of historic preservation has led some Laurel Park residents to believe that replicating the architectural style, maintaining a vintage, historic appearance is necessary to the preservation of a district.  This tells me that preservation professionals and advocates need to do a better job of educating our community.  Some of Laurel Park’s best new homes are those that define this decade in time by introducing architectural diversity into the fabric of the neighborhood.

Laurel Park – New construction in a flood zone

Laurel park hasRead more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/03/11/3693106/oakwood-controversy-over-contemporary.html#storylink=cpy

Parking in Sarasota……

 Is it possible someone with authority in Sarasota government will get a grasp on to the value of paid parking and apply it?

 

“The two most common parking-related mistakes communities make in promoting New Urbanism are not providing sufficient on-street parking in downtown areas and not charging enough for the parking they do provide. It can be tempting to limit the bulk of parking to satellite facilities in an effort to encourage drivers to park and walk to their ultimate destinations. The problem with this approach is that drivers will often circle areas with limited on-street parking, searching for open spaces or spaces that are about to open. This can actually increase roadway congestion and create hazards for pedestrians who are forced to avoid circling vehicles.”

“A better approach is to provide sufficient parking to meet on-street demand, and to charge a premium for that parking, while charging less at nearby satellite facilities. Read more…….

Better Cities & Towns published this article by John Dorsett, a certified planner and principal with Walker Parking Consultants  in the May 2014 issue.

Older, Smaller, Better…………..

 

Measuring how the character of buildings and blocks influences urban vitality

From the National Trust’s Preservation Green Lab…………

“Corridors with smaller, older buildings generally perform better for the local economy than areas with newer buildings that might stretch an entire block.  Older buildings become magnets for young people and retirees alike……..”

“People want to be where there is an interesting and exciting mix of the old and new……Now we have all of this data to back up what i think preservationists and planners have sort of known for decades.”  Michael Powe, Urban planner.

Read the report here………

10 Reasons the American Dream has Changed……….

“A new America Dream has emerged in recent years. It is based on social and cultural diversity and the idea of community. This dream is more about great streets than highways. You can drive if you want, but you can also walk, ride a bike, take transit, or join carshare. In this dream, the things you are connected to are more important than who you are separated from.”

Robert Steuteville

View the 10 reasons and read more………

“Hurray for Sarasota County”

Photo courtesy of the Sarasota County Dept. of Historical Resources

Laurel Park in 1920 was mostly undeveloped land.  John Hamilton Gillespie’s home, Roseburn stood alone on Morrill Street.  A few vernacular frame homes were scattered among the streets.  The newly formed Sarasota County housed their administrative offices and court house on Oak Street in the 20’s but it was not until the mid 1920’s that construction truly escalated in the neighborhood.

In 1920 Sarasota’s leaders saw their tax dollars going to Manatee County with little return to Sarasota.  A movement was afoot to break from Manatee and form Sarasota County.  To the dismay of  Venice, the City of Sarasota was chosen as the county seat.

Read Jeff LaHurd’s latest article .

National Realtors’ Survey – Walkable mixed-use neighborhoods desired…..

When asked to choose between a neighborhood that “has a mix of houses and stores and other businesses that are easy to walk to” versus a neighborhood that “has houses only and you have to drive to stores and other businesses,” the walkable neighborhood was preferred 60 percent to 35 percent…… News Release

 

Laurel Park’s Washington Park Subdivison……

The plat of the subdivision named Washington Park.  The plat was recorded in February 1925.

This subdivision was owned and developed by Owen Burns.  Mr. Burns arrived in Sarasota in 1910.  His businesses, real estate developments and his extraordinary service to the community forever changed Sarasota from a small fishing village into a city.

Sarasota 1913………

Sarasota 1913 – The year Sarasota became a City.

In 1913 John Hamilton Gillespie, the town of Sarasota’s first mayor, resided in what is today’s Laurel Park historic district.  His home, built in 1880 was named Roseburn.

 The Sarasota Yacht and Automobile Club while not in Laurel Park, was located at the bayfront on Gulfstream Avenue.  It was one of many multi-story buildings beginning to crop up in Sarasota in the teens.

The club was a center of activity.  In 1913 a banquet was held for Colonel Gillespie to celebrate his vision and his part in developing Sarasota.  He was made an honorary member of the yacht club and the date of March 10th was set as  “Gillespie Day” to duly remember his contributions.  This photo of a woman’s tea was taken in 1914 in front of the club.

The Rightsizing Report…….

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has just released this report………..Click here to view and read the entire report.

Adding a new page…..

Sarasota has some unique neighborhoods and sites that add wonderful character to the city.  Read more about them on the “More Districts” page of this website.

The page is a work in progress and more will be added to it shortly.

Rare rental in Laurel Park………..

Laurel Park’s most attractive historic apartment buildings

has a rental available!

It’s a 2 bedroom townhouse in the  Spanish Oaks complex.  Contact Spanish Oaks or drive by on Oak St. and pick up a flyer at the sign.

1952 Sarasota…………

Several people contacted me requesting a re-post…….

This is the 1952 aerial of Sarasota’s Hudson Bayou and bayfront area.  The blue line is Route 41, Tamiami Trail as it is configured today.

A look back 61 years…..

Aerial views of Laurel Park…………..

The Sarasota Terrace Hotel was constructed on the southeast corner of Ringling Boulevard and Washington Boulevard (Rt. 301).  These photographs were taken from the hotel looking southwest at what is today’s Laurel Park National Register District.

A lovely part of Laurel Park………

The Washington Park Subdivision is just one of many subdivisions that make up today’s Laurel Park National Register of Historic Places District.

 Dr. Kennedy House at Oak and Columbia.

The residence was designed by architect, Dwight James Baum.   Mr. Baum kept an office in the Burns Realty Company building (the razed Bickel House)  located on Broadway (today’s Tamiami Trail).  The photo below of Mr. Owen Burns and Mr. Dwight Baum (right) was taken in front of the realty office.

What’s the National Register……..

Laurel Park is a National Register of Historic Places District.  After an extensive property by property survey, the neighborhood was nominated by the State of Florida and received the honorific designation in 2008.  Here is a rather playful piece describing what the National Register is and does……………..

New links added………

If you enjoy old homes and have a passion for small houses……

Visit  Antique Home Style.   

“Antique Home Style is a repository of vintage design inspiration and a quiet space on a noisy, frenetic Web. With so many blogs, forums, and other opportunities for social interaction on the Internet, we didn’t want to create another “wildly vibrant and creative space to share our knowledge and journey with others.” We wanted a haven from the present that presents some of the coolest ideas and images we can find from the not so distant past. And nothing resonates with Americans like their homes.”

Another new link I’ve added is  Tightlines Designs.

“TightLines Designs is a socially responsible architecture firm whose mission is to provide eco-friendly, quality affordable housing design solutions. From single-family homes and community development to elderly and supportive multi-family housing, we are committed to creating great places to live.”

Why walkable places are preferred…….

When Americans today are given a choice involving trade-offs, the option of a walkable, compact, mixed-use community comes out consistently ahead of conventional, drive-only places.

Just more than half of Americans (52 percent), say they want a detached house with a large yard — compared to a house with a small yard or no yard at all, according to the latest poll of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), released in October.

Does that mean that Americans want more of what the housing industry has been providing for the better part of three generations—spread-out subdivisions with drive-to shopping centers and office parks? The desire for the house with the big yard has fueled suburban growth since the end of World War II and was a major force behind the American suburban dream of the last half of the 20th Century.

But the statistic could be compared to your favorite ice cream. Question: Would you like a single scoop or a two-gallon tub of your favorite ice cream? A yard is appealing. A big yard is more appealing. Put that way, I’ll take the big yard and the two-gallon tub.

 

But that’s not how people navigate the difficult choice of where to live. The decision involves trade-offs on many factors, many of them conflicting. Americans overwhelmingly want a short commute (or no commute at all). They want easy access to the things they need (60 percent favor a neighborhood with a mix of houses and stores and other businesses within walking distance, NAR says). Fifty-nine percent want public transportation within an easy walk of their home, the survey reports.

 

They want choice in how to get around (driving, walking, biking, public transportation), and they want easy access to culture and parks, preferably within walking distance. Sometimes home buyers simply fall in love with the charm of a community (the vast majority of respondents, 78 percent, say that the neighborhood is more important than the house in choosing where to live, NAR reports).

 

When Americans today are given a choice involving these trade-offs, the option of a walkable, compact, mixed-use community comes out consistently ahead of conventional, drive-only places, the NAR survey shows (by a margin of 60/35 to 50/45, depending on how the question is phrased).

 

oversupply of drive-only suburbs

 

The concept of drive-to-where-you-live suburbia was rational and appealing to the majority of households, policymakers, and industry when it was new in the middle of the last century. Commutes were short, open space was plentiful, and the demand for mass-produced subdivisions was huge. We subsidized this new growth and enacted policies — single-use zoning, setback and parking requirements, street standards, finance controls — that made building traditional neighborhoods illegal. Predictably, over seven decades, we have overbuilt the drive-only suburban option. Researchers such as Arthur Nelson and Christopher Leinberger—whose work is featured in this issue—have confirmed this oversupply.

 

As traffic congestion, longer commutes, more expensive driving, and loss of open space has eroded the advantages of conventional suburban communities, the virtues of your grandparents’ communities are once again widely recognized. For the public and private sectors, walkable places create a ton of value. It’s not just the higher density, but the way that density is arranged in cities and towns that generates economic and social value not available in drive-only suburbs.

Smart growth allows for creation of quality public space, proximity to culture and civic amenities, and the connection to nature that is accessible on foot. It allows for transportation choice and the ability to reduce household automobile costs. It’s simply a more efficient way to build. Combine these qualities with current undersupply and a strong ongoing demand for walkable places, reflected in research reported throughout this issue, is inevitable.

 

Note: This article is published in the December 2013 issue of Better! Cities & Towns.

 

Sprucing up with new paint colors in Laurel Park…..

There have been some wonderful visual improvements in the district recently.  

A new paint job can make such a pleasing change.

270 Buildings Contribute Over 9 City Blocks…..

A National Register of Historic Places District in the City of Sarasota’s downtown core………..Laurel Park was awarded the distinction in February 2008

The district is bounded on the north by Morrill Street and on the south by Alderman St. & Brother Geenen Way.  It extends west to Rawls Ave. & Orange Avenue and east to Julia Place & Lafayette Court.

Washington Park is one of ten platted subdivisions located within the district boundaries.

Madison Court

“Preservation of historic properties and communities fosters community pride resulting in more involved and informed citizenry.  By preserving existing historic resources, a connection is established with our past.  This connection sparks recognition that we have an obligation to responsibly manage our community for future generations.”

Historic Preservation/Smart Growth Principles

Please note – This website and its content are in no way related to the neighborhood association of Laurel Park.

Myths

Myth #1

If I build in a National Register historic district I have to apply the same architectural style to my new home as what exists in the district.  I can’t build a contemporary home in a National Register Historic district…….

Wrong!   Especially in a National Register historic district like Laurel Park that has no one era or year of historical importance.  The neighborhood developed over decades (1920-1957) as did its architectural styles.   New construction offers an exceptional opportunity to add yet another type of architecture and new character.

Photo credit:http://www.contentdg.com/walnut-house-modern-historic-district/

An exceptional new home in Laurel Park sensitively scaled to its neighbors.

 

Myth #2

National Register Districts restrict a property owner…………..

Wrong!  Designation as a National Register historic district is honorific. It is our country’s way of recognizing significant sites and neighborhoods throughout the United States that merit preservation.

National Register district designation does not protect or preserve a property.   It places no restrictions on the properties within a district. Owners are free to build, remodel, renovate, sell or even demolish their structures.

Regulations and restrictions on changes to a historic property come from state and or local governments adopting statutes or ordinances and designating National Register districts as “local” historic districts.

In Sarasota, Florida there are eight National Register of Historic Places districts  within  the city.  Of those eight, only one, Rigby’s La Plaza District, is designated a local district and regulated by city ordinance.