University Town Center

 

I mentioned recently that we're seeing an uptick in construction projects in the area. And, this is the granddaddy of 'em all: a $315 million upscale mall, called University Town Center, which is getting a lot of attention. (Construction was supposed to start during the recession, but was postponed for years…then, the plans were modified to accommodate different anchor stores.)  Last week, I noticed the Macy's sign was installed and lit up -- and the mall isn't scheduled to open for another five months (on my birthday, to be exact!). Today, Crate & Barrel announced it will be a tenant.  Another big name -- Apple -- also is moving in, which will be nice for me because my drive time to an Apple store will be cut by one hour.  Many people are concerned about the increased traffic the mall will generate.  I live nearby and I'm not overly concerned.  Yet.  (You can't tell from this photo, but the mall is going to be quite large.)  Others fear the new mall might prompt shoppers to abandon the retail stores in downtown Sarasota and St. Armands Circle.  But, isn't a mall experience much different than being out and about in a bustling downtown?  By the way, for those keeping track, this reportedly will be the only new mall to open in the U.S. in 2014.

Construction Resumes

We haven't seen something like this for awhile here -- new commercial construction.  And, now it appears we may have turned a corner in Sarasota with new development.  According to the sign, this   soon will be a 7-11 at Tuttle and 12th St., across from Ed Smith Stadium where the Baltimore Orioles play spring baseball.  It's an interesting location for a convenience store -- right in front of a strip mall. From the looks of the construction, it appears it also will be a gas station.  There's also a townhouse development that got underway in downtown several months ago.  And, work on an 18 story condo building is expected to start any day, also in downtown.  And, all sorts of hotels are in the pipeline:  a total of five, including a proposed Westin, Aloft and Embassy Suites.  We'll see how many come to fruition.  But, there's definitely a lot of interest in Sarasota!

The screening of 'Rich Hill' at the Sarasota Film Festival yesterday was terrific. What a good documentary -- very thought provoking.  A Q & A was supposed to be held afterward with the director, but it was cancelled because she was at a different location in Sarasota receiving a Special Jury Award from the festival.  C'est la vie.

I'm continuing to have some amazing encounters with the barred owls.  I went to the park directly from the movie theater and mama owl was in rare form.  She was hooting and hooting -- my, what a deep, hearty call she has!   Hope everyone has a relaxing Sunday on tap.

What's Up?

It's appears as though these guys are looking skyward for answers.  They're part of the construction crew renovating Ed Smith Stadium, the new spring training home for the Baltimore Orioles.  But, the project is now heading to the Florida Supreme Court!  The citizens group which recently lost a lawsuit attempting to prevent the construction of the stadium announced earlier this week they're appealing.  The Supreme Court might not hear the case for a year, but the construction is scheduled to finish in February for Spring Training 2011.   So, what does that mean?  We're going into extra innings! 

Open for Business

This is what a brand new roundabout looks like!   The Five Points roundabout in downtown Sarasota opened for business yesterday --- 23 days ahead of schedule.  (Yes, ahead of schedule.)  I took a spin around it just before I took this picture and it's quite nice and easy to navigate, not to mention attractive with all those red brick pavers.  I have to give a shout out to Chip, a photographer with the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, who I met at the roundabout and tipped me off to the location where I scored this bird's eye view.   Thanks!  Click here to see what the roundabout looked like under construction just a few weeks ago.

Stars, Stripes and Construction

Construction of the new fire station on Fourth Street, near downtown Sarasota, is nearing completion.  What grabbed my attention about this scene, as I was driving by, was the American flag temporarily planted in a plastic green bucket, awaiting the arrival of a permanent flap pole.  I love this creative way of flying the flag.  The city actually has not had a fire department since the 1990's when it was consolidated with Sarasota County.  This station has been in the works for years and is expected to open in September.  

Squeeze Play

Despite a pending lawsuit by a concerned citizens group, a $32 million renovation project is underway at Ed Smith Stadium, the new spring training home of the Baltimore Orioles Major League Baseball team.  The same group requested an injunction last week to stop the project.  While a Sarasota County judge was considering the injunction, a contractor simultaneously was erecting a construction fence -- just in case the ruling was favorable for the construction to go on as planned.  As soon as the injunction was denied, crews started the demolition.  But, wait!  That's not the end of the baseball stadium saga which now is in its fifth year.  A trial gets underway next week in which the same concerned citizens group accuses local elected officials of making deals with the Orioles in the shadows.  Will the renovation be allowed to continue?  Stay tuned!  

Long Awaited

This is the scene on Palm Avenue in downtown Sarasota.  After years of discussion, construction is underway at last for a public parking garage.  A square, boring box???  Not in Sarasota!  By the end of 2010 this is what will be here:

It was designed by local architect Jonathan Parks.  While you can't really see it from this rendering, the white panels are supposed to be designed to look like sails, to incorporate a nautical theme, since Sarasota Bay is just a couple of blocks away.  The ground floor will be lined with shops, restaurants and outdoor cafes.  

Almost Done

The new Sarasota Police Headquarters is almost finished after nearly 20 months of construction.  It's been fun watching it go up in downtown over the months.  It's not every day a city has a new police building open, so this will be exciting for Sarasota; plus, it's a unique looking structure.  The current police building is right behind this one and is 50 years old -- pretty antiquated for today's public safety standards.  To pay for the new $40 million building, voters overwhelmingly approved a property tax increase a few years ago before the real estate market crashed.