PAST PRESERVATION
PROJECTS
Vamo: The Neighborhood, the Park, and the Lodge
The History of the Vamo Lodge
Acquired by Sarasota County in 2018 as part of the passive park, the Vamo Lodge is currently the focus of neighborhood residents and many in the preservation community. Predating most structures remaining in Sarasota County, the Vamo Lodge (sometimes referred to as the Vamo Hotel or Casino) was the social hub of the southern coast line.
“Settled among spreading live oaks, the [Lodge] building gazes out over the water through its screened porches. Surrounded by exotic palms, clumps of bamboo, citrus trees and a variety of flowering shrubs…the lodge with its green tin roof, white walls and big brick chimney, seems to be pondering the many years of southern hospitality which has been extended to its guests over the last half-century.” Randy Matthews, Sarasota County Historical Resources.
At the turn of the century, when Sarasota was still part of Manatee County and the area south of Sarasota was still known as Bayonne, J.B. Surgnier purchased a plot of land on the little Sarasota Bay and built a two story wood frame house with 8 bedrooms for his family. Fishing was the primary industry in the area, and life revolved around the water. In 1909, the property was purchased by Dr. J. B. Mobley, a family physician, who lived and worked there with his wife and children. As of 1912, it was still known as Surgnier’s place as seen in this advertisement for Dr. Mobley’s services. At some point in the next 10 years, the home changed ownership at least once, likely to a well known newspaperman, Mr. W. B. Beatty, who hired a manager and began running a hotel or lodge out of the home. In 1924, Mr. A. A. Wren visited Sarasota in search of a location for investment. When he stood before the lodge building, he later reported “One view of the bay front at this point was enough…for here his clients could get all out of life there was in it, fishing, bathing, boating, and the wholesome quiet that the city denied its inhabitants.” Sarasota Herald, January 17, 1926. Shortly after that first visit, Wren settled into the Vamo Lodge and created an office in one of the rooms. Teaming up with Bessie P. Gibson, the VA of the Virginia and Missouri duo from which the town’s name is derived, they began entertaining ‘delegation(s) of Virginians’ at the lodge’, and writing up contracts for the plots of land the developers had drawn up. “Stopping temporarily at the Vamo Lodge, many of the party vowed their intentions of coming here to make their permanent homes after discussing with each other the sights to which they were treated after their arrival to the land of eternal sunshine.” Sarasota Herald, November, 23, 1925. Wren and Gibson began advertising the bungalows in the paper as several neared completion. The well on the property of the Lodge provided what Wren referred to as ‘superior’ drinking water for the homes. By 1926, Vamo development was in full swing. On January 26, 1926, the first elections were held and A. A. Wren was officially elected as City Manager. The Vamo Lodge, continued through the boom time and beyond as the social epicenter, with rooms rented out at $5 per week, and frequently meetings and community events on the grounds. Vamo felt the real estate bubble burst along with the rest of Sarasota when the depression hit. The area became somewhat of a ghost town, and then in 1946, the Vamo lodge was purchased by Norma and Jack Martin as a private residence, and it was from them that the County acquired the historic building. “…It looks pretty much the same except for the removal of the dance floor and some minor renovations. At that time, it was the focal point of social activity: dancing, dinner, or even a night’s rest in one of the eight bedrooms. Many came by boat, since the lodge edged the bay, while others strolled down the 31-foot-wide promenade provided on either side of Vamo Drive, Mrs. Martin said.” Solders, Sarasota Journal, April 18, 1978. It is now up to us to ensure that this historic structure which so beautifully and profoundly reflects the way of life that residents ponder with nostalgia, as well as the welcome of those new to our shores. Without our history, we cannot know where we come from, nor where we are going.
The McClellan Park subdivision clubhouse, built in 1916, later became McClellan Park School in 1933 and School in the Park around 1998. photo credit: Herald-Tribune Archive/2013
McClellan Park School
MCCLELLAN PARK SCHOOL IS GONE; DISPUTE OVER SARASOTA’S HISTORIC PRESERVATION ISN’T OVER
Annalise Anderson, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Published Jun. 20, 2021 | Updated June. 22, 2021
Click here for the original Herald Tribune article
This article has been updated to reflect that the Tim Seibert lighthouse, a one-of-a-kind home iconic to the McClellan Park neighborhood, has been demolished.
SARASOTA – Months after the contentious demolition of the McClellan Park School site, loopholes revealed in the city’s preservation processes continue to fuel residents’ fight to protect Sarasota’s historic architecture.
In March, the city’s Historic Preservation Board was upset when city staff granted an administrative waiver that dismissed the board from reviewing the site’s demolition request.
The 100-year-old site had ties to the McClellan sisters, who developed the neighborhood. But, due to a clerical error by the city’s senior planner, Clifford Smith, it was suggested that the property lacked historical significance. Despite admitting the error, Smith made a unilateral decision to approve the site for demolition. Now, the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation is pushing for improved communication between the board, city staff and Sarasota residents to prevent future sites from “slipping through the cracks.” “The Historic Preservation Board has not been empowered to properly do their job,” said Erin DiFazio, president of the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation. “They are supposed to be able to review demolition requests. The role of the administrative waiver is an issue. Significant or not, properties should go before the board before they're signed off on.” According to DiFazio, the McClellan Park School demolition was a wakeup call to the city’s residents, and they’re looking to the alliance for answers. Though the board’s meetings are open to the public, the alliance argues that there is an evident need for community meetings between the public, board and city staff. “Better communication between the Historic Preservation Board and the city staff is key,” DiFazio said. “But then there also needs to be communication with the community about what it is that the community feels is important to conserve.” City of Sarasota Planning Director Steven Cover contends that the city has done "an excellent job" of its historic preservation, and that, rather than dismissing the board, it's done "the exact opposite." “We look at every option possible to save buildings," Cover said. “There are times when an older structure has seen better days and is in such disrepair that there’s really not much you can do." Since March, the alliance has voiced its concerns to the city and has had limited conversations with the board about modifying the historic preservation process. But the preservation advocates say they have seen no progress from city staff. “To be honest, it doesn’t feel like there’s any intention for progress either,” DiFazio said. But according to Cover, the city's historic preservation staff values community input and "interacts with the public all the time." “The public has the opportunity to, not only address specific projects, but at anytime, come before the Historic Preservation Board to bring up issues, ideas or thoughts," Cover said. Despite the loss of the McClellan Park School, Cover noted that the city is "flexible" and "creative" in its mitigation efforts. He said he is particularly proud of the work being done in the Newtown neighborhood, where the city has already designated a historic trail and repaired historic structures. Its most recent project is the relocation of a historic Newtown home to serve as a community museum. "I have a lot of historic preservation in my background and I’m very sensitive to it," Cover said. "I have no interest in tearing down the great buildings that are here in the city of Sarasota." The National Alliance of Preservation Commissions recently recognized Sarasota's historic preservation program for its city-wide survey of structures that may be deserving of historic recognition. More than 11,000 properties were analyzed and several Sarasota School of Architecture buildings were identified in the process. During the board’s May 11 meeting, Smith gave a presentation addressing misunderstandings in the community about the advisory role of the board and the responsibilities of city staff in Sarasota’s historic preservation efforts. Smith also provided an overview of the city’s commitment to projects, regulations and incentives that aim to preserve the historic fabric of Sarasota. “It was a nice reminder, but it in no way was a meaningful exchange of ideas from the community,” DiFazio said. Significant mitigation for the loss of historic structures are also a priority for the alliance. Right now, salvaging elements of historic sites is the city’s primary mitigation effort, which DiFazio says has little community benefit. The alliance argues that mitigation should be specific to the site being lost. For the McClellan Park School, DiFazio suggested that the city could have conducted a study about the history of the McClellan Park neighborhood development. Travis Tisdale, the owner of the McClellan Park School site, salvaged wood and brick from the structure, which was deemed dilapidated beyond repair. He plans to incorporate what was saved from the site into its future construction. “I mean it’s better than it going to the landfill, but that does not make up for the loss of that historic resource,” DiFazio said. “The city could have done something that would have provided a meaningful value back to the community in exchange for the loss of that structure.” In addition to the McClellan Park School, the neighborhood faces the loss of two other historic sites. On April 6, a historic home on Hashay Drive designed by Ralph Twitchell, a legendary architect and founder of the Sarasota School of Architecture, was approved for demolition in a 4-1 vote by the City Commission, overturning the Historic Preservation Board’s unanimous vote against it. The Tim Seibert lighthouse, a one-of-a-kind home iconic to the McClellan Park neighborhood, has also been demolished. “Unfortunately, we seem to be going in the opposite direction,” DiFazio said.With the McClellan Park School site now razed, Tisdale remains confident that it was the only logical future of the historic building. After site visits from more than five contractors, Tisdale concluded that it would be too costly to restore and nearly impossible to bring up to code. “I’m not for just tearing things down, but when you’re the homeowner and you have to look at an associated cost with it,” Tisdale said. “I believe it just doesn’t make sense at a certain point.” Not only was Tisdale born and raised in McClellan Park, but he was also a student of the neighborhood school. Knowing how special the site is to the community, he said he hopes to collaborate with the city in installing a bench and a plaque on the property designating its historic significance.
ENGLEWOOD'S GREEN STREET CHURCH
Built by local ship builders in 1928, Englewood’s Green Street (Methodist) Church was the community’s first church building. The simple wood-framed building cost $1,250 and was located on the corner of Magnolia and Green Streets. In 1962 the building was moved a short distance and turned to face Green Street. In 1979 the Church of the Nazarene purchased the building. When renovation plans were announced, the Lemon Bay Historical Society (LBHS) became concerned about the historical integrity of the church. After negotiations, the Church of the Nazarene transferred ownership of the building to LBHS but not ownership of the property.
The Church of the Nazarene has expansion plans which require the relocation of the Green Street Church or its demolition. LBHS has acquired a permanent location for the church at the Lemon Bay Historical Cemetery on Indiana Avenue (State Road 776). Moving the church to its new location is quite expensive, requiring the steeple to be removed and power and telephone lines to be temporarily taken down during the actual move. Once the church is settled in its new home, more expenses are incurred as the electrical and plumbing are reconnected and the steeple is placed back on the church.
Recognizing the importance of preserving this historic building which is on Sarasota County’s Register of Historic Places, the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation presented the Lemon Bay Historical Society with a $2000 grant to assist with the project. The new location will provide the church more public visibility and accessibility. The Green Street Church is available for weddings, vow renewals, memorial services, musical events, and other public events. For more, go to www.lemonbayhistory.com
C. B. WILSON HOUSE RESTORATION
On Saturday, November 13, 2010, the Wilson Family Home was officially opened in Urfer Family Park, near the corner of Bee Ridge Road and Honore Avenue in Sarasota. A large crowd came out for all the festivities and to see the historic home that was moved to this location in 2004.
Sarasota County Commissioners and other notables praised the efforts of the many groups that contributed time, money, and sweat to the extensive rehabilitation of the 1906 house that was occupied by Dr. C.B. Wilson and his family.
Photos of the house and historic marker below L & R. Center, then-President Debra Flynt-Garrett receives a plaque from Lorrie Muldowney, historic preservationist, in gratitude for the financial support received from SAHP to assist with moving and restoration of the building.
Watch a short video story of Dr. Wilson was prepared for the event that shows him in his REO automobile – the first car in Sarasota. The actual move of the house and other interesting facets of this dedicated doctor are highlighted.