Our Story, Our Mission

The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, Inc., a non-profit, publicly-supported 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to "Preserve and Enhance our Historic Places."  SAHP was incorporated in 1985 in an effort to save architect Dwight Baum's El Vernona Hotel located near the intersection of US 41 and Gulfstream Avenue.  The hotel, built in 1925 by renowned developer Owen Burns had come to be known as the John Ringling Towers. Our highly publicized effort to save the towers during the late 1990s raised the community's consciousness and the ire of those interested in saving the historical integrity of Sarasota, Florida.

The Alliance is comprised of more than 500 residents, visitors, artists, architects, engineers, historians, builders, archaeologists, Realtors, planners, designers, and writers working together to preserve and encourage others to preserve - not only the remaining significant landmarks - but also the contributing structures that define Sarasota County.

We hope you will return frequently to learn about our current activities, and what we and others are doing to preserve our heritage. Thank you for your interest in preservation; we look forward to working with you!