Lido Beach - Hurricane Protection Update    We're another step closer to recycling sand for the long-term hurricane protection and beach stabilization project, after the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners agreed this week to allow construction equipment to be staged in a portion of Ted Sperling Park.  That agreement is expected to save taxpayers $1 million, and we appreciate the Board's cooperative spirit with this matter. 

 

While we await the executed agreement from County leadership, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is prepared to proceed.  Procurement documents are drawn up, and the project will be placed out to bid as early as next week with bid openings in late January or early February.     

 

South Lido Beach this week.

   

The timeline for seeing nearby accreted sand returned to Lido Beach will be determined when a contractor is selected and an agreement is in place. 

The approved permit from the Florida Department of Environment Protection allows for sand restoration as necessary in the years ahead. Construction of the beach groins, which will help stabilize the shoreline, will be limited to outside turtle nesting season. The permits also require monitoring by the City for any unanticipated adverse environmental impacts, and the City has agreed and is willing to make adjustments to mitigate potential issues should the need arise.       

We hope to receive the executed agreement from the County in the coming days and look forward to another step forward with this significant hurricane protection project that has been decades in the making to protect the infrastructure and shoreline. 

Contemporary Art Museum - Opening 12/14  Thanks to the collaboration between the Sarasota School District, Dr. Larry Thompson and the Ringling College of Art + Design and a group of contemporary art loving visionaries led by Linda Dickinson and Wendy Surkis, Christmas will come early for Sarasotans when the former Sarasota High reopens to the public, tomorrow morning, Saturday, December 14th, at 10 a.m. as the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College.  The beautiful building with so many memories and new treasures inside should have a big red bow around it!

	The Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College opens Dec. 14.

     

   

St. Armands Garage - Professional Awards   When the St. Armands Garage opened last February with much fanfare, we thought maybe we were a bit biased marveling at the thoughtful, eye- catching design. Turns out it, it isn't just us!

 

During its recent annual conference, the Florida Parking and Transportation Association honored the City of Sarasota's St. Armands Parking

	The St. Armands Garage project was honored with two awards.

Garage with two awards of merit:  one for structure design, the other for architecture.  The awards are bestowed by a panel of parking experts in the field of planning, design architecture and parking operations.   

 

Kudos to the project team led by Parking Division Manager Mark Lyons, Solstice Planning and Architecture, and Jon F. Swift Construction.  

 

During the conference, the project team also presented about the unique community engagement approach taken with this significant project, from the feasibility study to public workshops, studying the parking programming, developing the financing package and ultimately design and construction of the garage.  Those in attendance found the secret to the project's success -- community engagement and due diligence -- to be enlightening.

 

The St. Armands Garage is located at 57 N. Adams Drive just a short walk from the world-renowned shops and restaurants on St. Armands Circle.  With covered parking for 480+ vehicles, including five EV charging stations, at an hourly rate of just 50 cents per hour, parking in the St. Armands Garage is well worth it!    

 

The St. Armands Garage is located at 57 N. Adams Drive.