SIX TO SAVE
This initiative highlights the urgent need to save historic resources throughout the county from demolition. The Six to Save list is the springboard for an education and advocacy effort designed to raise public awareness of the most threatened historic properties, archaeological sites, and cultural resources in Sarasota County.
We invite residents and community leaders to be part of the nomination process and efforts to find alternatives to preserve the properties.
Nominate an endangered historic property
Nominate a restoration project for an award
Six to Save 2024
Joe Barth Insurance Co. Building
This simple, one-storey 1,850-square-foot building was designed by architect Victor A. Lundy (1923-2024) and was commissioned in 1957 by local businessman Joseph E. Barth (1905-1983), who used it as the headquarters for his insurance business.
Although technically part of the Modernist “Sarasota-School,” Lundy’s work -- especially the wooden roofs of his churches -- was much more expressive than his colleagues, who typically kept to strict geometric boxes. This building, therefore, is an unusual work by Lundy since it has a flat roof and is made of glass and steel.
The street façade and the masonry of the building, however, are highly indicative of Lundy’s work. The glass walls facing Osprey Avenue are angled 45-degrees to the street, creating a saw-tooth effect that enlivens the façade more than if it were parallel to the street. The side walls are formed with concrete masonry units rotated 90-degrees, laid face-to-face instead of end-to-end, creating a ribbed texture.
This building is under threat due to development pressure. The plot is zoned to be developed up to ten stories. The property immediately to the north across an alley, Reese’s Gas Station, was sold to a developer in 2023. It is quite possible that this developer would be looking to acquire this building and the two vacant lots to its south to make a larger parcel by bridging over the alley, which the City of Sarasota has allowed many times downtown, most recently allowing The Mark to actually bridge over a street.
Joe Barth Insurance Co. Building
25 S Osprey Ave.
Sarasota, FL 34236
Architect: Victor A. Lundy
Built: 1957
This place matters because:
It is a unique example of Sarasota School Architecture by world renowned architect Victor Lundy.
Threat:
Development pressure
HOW TO HELP
SAHP has partnered with the City of Sarasota to create a Historic Preservation Transfer of Development Rights Program that should be operational by March 2025. The current owners need to be encouraged to sell their unused development rights to protect the building.
Palm Coast Florist Building
4715 Swift Road
Sarasota, FL 34231
Architect: unknown
Built: 1930
This place matters because:
It is a creative example of early vernacular architecture outside the city center, and a memorable illustration of adaptive reuse potential, that stands as a touchpoint for many members of the community.
Threat:
Vacancy and deferred maintenance
HOW TO HELP
The Historic Preservation Committee will be reaching out to the property owner to inquire about necessary resources. Once the need has been clarified, specific information about how you can help will be provided.
Palm Coast Florist Building
Built in 1930, this wood frame vernacular was constructed with a hip roof, one-over-one, wood, double-hung windows, and decorative trim. A wonderful example of the creative community spirit developing outside the city center, this beloved example of adaptive reuse is one of the few remaining historic structures along the main thoroughfare of Swift Rd. in central Sarasota.
Originally constructed as a residence, the building was later updated with several storefront alterations and a curved brick patio. Still privately owned by the family who ran the Palm Coast Florist shop, the building is in need of repair from storm damage, and a new user identified. The building is not historically designated, and is currently afforded no protections, making it a strong candidate for a historic preservation easement.
The Warm Mineral Springs Complex
The complex was created for the second location of Florida’s Quadricentennial program in 1959 to recognize Ponce de Leon and Fernando de Soto. Believed to have been designed by Jack West, the buildings included two exhibit halls and a cyclorama.
The exhibit halls transitioned into spa facilities and offices after the event. The springs have drawn archeologists and tens of thousands of tourists from
around the world seeking clues to our history and soaking in the reported healing powers of its waters.
The Jack West buildings are included on the National Register of Historic Places and were included on the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation's 11 to Save as their fate remained uncertain while the City of North Port identified a path forward.
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This fall, in response to a tremendous outpouring of support by the community, North Port City Council voted to preserve the Jack West structures, teaming up with Sweet Sparkman Architects to create a plan to harden the buildings against future storm damage, and restore them to function for the needs of the park. The Cyclorama will be mothballed for the time being and vulnerable artwork moved offsite, with plans to conduct a full study to inform next steps.
The Warm Mineral Springs Motel, designed by Sarasota School architect Victor A. Lundy, was commissioned in preparation for the Quadricentennial, and put North Port on the map as a tourist destination. The iconic roofline of the motel with its precast concrete shells balanced on slender stems provides shade and shelter from Florida's heavy rains with its deep overhangs. Designed to accommodate longer visits, the motel was constructed with kitchenettes and sitting areas.
A 1958 article in Architectural Forum describes the motel as "An exuberant display of concrete umbrellas lures Miami-bound motorists to a roadside 'fountain of youth.'"
Warm Mineral Springs
12200 San Servando Ave.
North Port, FL 34287
Architect: Jack West
Built: 1959
Warm Mineral Springs Motel
Architect: Victor A. Lundy
Built: 1959
This place matters because:
Not only are the buildings critical pieces of the Sarasota School architectural movement by world-famous architects, the complex anchors our roots as a tourist destination.
Threat:
Storm damage & deferred maintenance
HOW TO HELP
SAHP is working closely to support the City of North Port in their preservation and adaptive reuse of these important structures. Please reach out to our Historic Preservation Committee for more information on how to get involved.
Ringling
Post Office
1661 Ringling Blvd.
Sarasota, FL 34236
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Architect: Robert Shaw
Built: 1964
This place matters because:
Few Sarasota School buildings have touched as many lives as the post office. A fixture of downtown Sarasota with the distinctive eyebrow ledges, it is intimately woven into the daily lives of the community.
Threat:
Development pressure
HOW TO HELP
Elected officials of the City need to hear from members of the community about the buildings that are important to safeguard as the future takes shape.
Ringling Post Office
The Post Office, built in 1964 by architect Robert Shaw to accommodate Sarasota's growing population, replaced what is now known as the Federal Building at 111 South Orange Avenue. A one story masonry building, with a flat roof, its distinctive features include tall, fixed-pane windows and the curved stucco awning.
Designed at over 43,000 square feet, the large Post Office employed the new technology of air conditioning. Robert Shaw went on to construct several buildings on the Ringling School of Art campus.
The building is currently owned by a private trust and leased to the City of Sarasota for the Post Office use.
The Hugh Given House
This modest 750-square-foot residence from 1951 was one of the first houses in the neighborhood of Lido Shores, which was developed in the 1950s and 1960s by Philip Hiss (1910-1988), who stipulated in his sales agreements that clients must build in the “tropical, modern style.” The neighborhood was described in a 1954 HOUSE + HOME article as a “fine and diverse exhibit of Modern American Architecture as any development in the United States” and is today celebrated by enthusiasts of the style.
Hiss was an amateur architect and would frequently provide quick sketches to his clients indicating a possible layout for the site, usually L-shaped around a pool. In this case, Hiss suggested a simple 34 x 22-foot wooden rectangle, with a flat roof, clerestory (high) windows on the street and full-height glass looking out to Pansy Bayou, along with a matching carport. In 1984, architect Don Blivas designed and constructed a 1,700-square-foot addition that respects the vintage property by being made out of the same material, maintaining the same height and creating an open courtyard between the two.
This building is under threat due to “demolition by neglect.” Mr. Blivas passed away in 2023 and the inheritors of this property, who do not live in Sarasota, have not maintained it since. The City of Sarasota has posted multiple code violation notices that have not been addressed by the homeowners. The carport is visibly falling apart and flooding damage after Hurricanes Helene and Milton has not been mitigated.
The Hugh Given House
238 Morningside Drive
Sarasota, FL 34236
Developer: Philip Hiss
Built: 1951
This place matters because:
One of the first homes constructed in Lido Shores, which is one of two concentrations of Sarasota School residences.
Threat:
Demolition by neglect
HOW TO HELP
Both the City and the County would benefit from stronger policies and procedures to fight intentional demolition by neglect. Love to do research? Help us compile successful approaches used in other places around the country which can be used in an educational campaign.
Mira Mar Plaza
44 - 71 S. Palm Ave.
Sarasota, FL 34236
Developer: George McAnsh
Built: 1922
This place matters because:
The Mira Mar Plaza is the largest remaining boom era commercial structure in Sarasota. It contributes to the quaint walkable downtown vibe that anchors our sense of place.
Threat:
Development pressure
HOW TO HELP
The community will need to continue to demonstrate support for the Mira Mar at upcoming public hearings for the proposed project, which is the best chance our beloved historic building has for survival. Please keep an eye out for advocacy alerts about future meetings.
It is critical to recognize that restoration of this enormous structure is possible only together with adjacent large scale development. Essentially following the historic plan for the site, the developer proposes to demolish the parking garage and place two tiered towers where the original hotel building stood.
Mira Mar Plaza
The Mira Mar Plaza was built in record time in 1922, at the start of ‘Florida Fever’ tourist boom. The largest apartment building that Sarasota had yet seen, with a hotel and auditorium constructed on site shortly after, Mira Mar signaled to the world that this piece of paradise had risen to ‘resort status’.
Andrew McAnsh was the entrepreneur behind the endeavor, with Sarasota’s Thomas Reed Martin as associate architect for William G. Kreig, J.T. and M.D. Hetherington of Chicago, and builder O. S. Ellis. Built in the “Spanish-Italian style” known today as Mediterranean Revival, the apartments rested on 18 ground floor commercial stores which lined the ten foot sidewalk. The apartment building, which remains after the original hotel building was demolished in 1982, is the oldest part of the complex McAnsh envisioned, and has remained in continued use throughout the decades.
Purchased in 2022 by Seaward Development, the future of the Mira Mar is currently cautiously optimistic. Years of large scale adjacent construction have hastened the work of the termites, making its restoration a complex and financially demanding endeavor, which Seaward has publicly committed to as part of their further development of residential towers on the site. Given the variances required for that project to proceed and generate sufficient income to offset the expensive and laborious restoration, the Mira Mar will need continuing community support to ensure the project is successful.
Six to Save 2023
Colson Hotel for Negroes
REPRIEVE!
During the early and mid-20th Century, Jim Crow laws made it illegal for African Americans to stay at white hotels. To address the issue, in 1926 Owen Burns erected the Colson Hotel in the Overtown neighborhood in the Mediterranean Revival style. The building contained 26 guest rooms and a comfortable lobby which featured a fireplace. It provided an important service for the Overtown and Newtown neighborhoods and has become important to African American history in Sarasota and is a contributing resource to the Overtown National Register Historic District.
Over time, the Colson Hotel was converted to an apartment building. In recent years, the building has suffered from deferred maintenance and neglect. In 2023, the Colson Hotel was purchased by JDMAX Development with the stated intent to demolish the building. Though a conversation has commenced with the developer, there has yet to be any headway in potentially preserving the building.
Colson Hotel
1425 8th Street, Sarasota
Waldman Building
5333-539 S Washington Blvd. Sarasota
Waldman Building
In 1957, Victor Lundy designed a two-story commercial building for Harry and Esther Waldman. Construction of the building was completed in early 1958. The building included retail space, offices, and a large dance studio/ballroom, originally occupied by Arthur Murray Dance Studios.
The two-story main elevation faces east and is broken into three bays with solid floor to ceiling glass which wraps around to half of the side elevations. The two second floor outside bays protrude outward from the first floor. The northerly bay is square while the bay to the south, housing the dance studio is in the form of a half circle. The walls on the rear half of the building are stacked Ocala block.
The building has suffered from long term deferred maintenance and is currently vacant. The property was purchased this year by CPP OPA-LOCKA LLC as a part of a consolidation of all parcels on the block with the intention of demolishing and redeveloping the property.
UPDATE
Sadly, Victor Lundy‘s Waldman Building has been demolished by the developers who plan to build Payne Park Townhomes, a mixed residential and retail complex that will not include affordable housing.
13 Main
A two-story wooden vernacular, built in (or before) 1925, this home remains a bit of a mystery. It is clad in wood novelty siding with a gable roof and appears to retain some of its original sash windows. Clearly a prominent part of the early development in Osprey, located on the Tamiami Trail, it is quite possible that this home was built to fulfill both a residential and commercial need. From the early 1980s, the property was home to the Tunningly Glass Studio, and it has changed hands several times since, but earlier occupants have been difficult to identify.
The address of the property in Osprey has been listed as 13 Main Street and 13 N. Tamiami Trail. One of the few historic touchpoints along the Trail, this property has the potential to contribute to the story of how Osprey began. Deferred maintenance and storm damage have taken a heavy toll on the home, and without significant repairs it could easily fall victim to demolition.
HOW TO HELP
The owners are actively seeking a new steward for this property. Is it you? Contact Carlisle Fiers, Worthington Group at 941-812-3380
13 Main
13 Main ST./45 Tamiami Trl., Osprey
McAlpin House
1530 Cross St., Sarasota
McAlpin House
The McAlpin House, located at 1530 Cross Street in the City of Sarasota was built in 1912 by George McAlpin. Constructed from McAlpin’s own unique hollow, rusticated, pre-cast block, the building served as his own residence while he helped to construct the City of Sarasota. George McAlpin ran a concrete and construction business with his partner Owen Burns, and is responsible for much of the City’s sidewalks and curbs. One of the last remaining examples of this type of rusticated block construction, and recognizing the important role McAlpin himself played in the original development of the City, the home was added to the City of Sarasota’s Local Register of Historic Places in 1984.
In early 2023, the parcel was part of a group purchased by developer Orange Pineapple LLC for the purpose of demolition. The demolition application was unanimously denied by the City’s Historic Preservation Board. The City Commission heard the developer’s appeal and requested a continuance for 6 months to allow the developer to determine whether the building could be moved off site or incorporated into the larger project. The Commission will hear the case again in March of 2024.
The City Commissioners approved the demo permit. The developer is willing to contribute $200,000 to move the structure to a nearby parcel if a willing and able recipient site is located prior to breaking ground in 2026.
I.M. Pei Dorms at New College
Commonly referred to as the ‘Pei Dormitory Student Complex,’ the Bates, Rothenberg & Johnson Residence Halls at New College were built in 1965 by I.M. Pei with Bert Brosmith. It is the only I.M. Pei design in the state of Florida and a rare example of brutalism from this era. An internationally renowned architect, Pei designed the dorms as three courts, or pavilions designed for student living, each centered around a lightly landscaped ‘Palm Court’. In stark contrast to the lighter forms of the Sarasota School architects, Pei’s work featured a heavy concrete frame with interior fountains and ponds (later converted to gardens). The courts featured balconies with sliding doors to bring in light and air.
The buildings were renovated in 2014, however they still suffer from deferred maintenance and heavy student use. New College has expressed that the dorms no longer meet the standards for modern student housing, and there is tremendous concern throughout the community about their potential demolition. Architecture Sarasota has partnered with New College in the hopes of identifying adaptive reuse and preservation strategies for the buildings.
HOW TO HELP
The State of Florida needs to know that there is willingness to see these buildings saved, and that it should be a funding priority for New College.
I.M. Pei Dorms
New College - 5845 General Dougher Pl., Sarasota
