Towles Court Arts District is Laurel Park’s neighbor to the north. The districts are so similar you will have a hard time distinguishing one from the other by architecture or street design. Like Laurel Park, Towles Court is made up of several subdivisions platted almost 100 years ago. In more recent years the districts “re-invented” themselves choosing the new names, Laurel Park and Towles Court for definition.
The specific district designations and the allowed uses in each district are what make them unique. Towles Court was created to allow for a mix of residential, business and commercial uses for the benefit of artists and the arts. You can read more about the district’s history at – http://towlescourt.com/history.htm.
Towles Court is a vibrant, fun place to stroll through, to visit artist studios, galleries and to enjoy lunch or dinner. Indigenous , Lavanda, and Shoogie Boogies are special dining places in the district. Not to be missed is the third Friday Towles Court Art Walk held each month.
Laurel Park on the other hand, was first organized into a neighborhood through a desire to preserve the old building and residential fabric of downtown Sarasota. A new zone district was created just for Laurel Park called RSM-9. Years later the neighborhood was surveyed, mapped and nominated by the State of Florida for inclusion in the National Register. The prestigious award was given to the neighborhood in 2008 designating it a National Register of Historic Places District for its architecture and its contribution to the early development of the city. Laurel Park became the 7th National Register historic district in the City of Sarasota.
There are businesses and offices located within the district but the neighborhood’s district is primarily residential in nature. For more information on its history visit the “About” page on this website.
photo credit: Towlescourt.com
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.
Laurel Park Historic District 