Our barrier islands are significant to the vitality of our community. Amenities such as Lido beach, our parks, our residential neighborhoods and St. Armand's businesses and restaurants provide a sought-after place to both visit and live. LKRA has and will continue to work with the City of Sarasota in both the development and enforcement of their planning and zoning tools to protect our barrier islands. We monitor proposed projects and activities that may directly affect our members and advocate in support of that project or a modification to that project that will be in the best interest of our residents. We are open to and encourage all developers and others advocating change to work with our association.
We are currently monitoring:
With state and federal grant funds the City of Sarasota is planning a dune construction project on Lido Beach. The goal is to offer protection from a 25-year storm by adding another layer of protection for the beach and adjacent properties in the area where new sand was added with the prior re-nourishment. (More details: January 15, 2022, presentation to the LKRA members).
Current Status (as of August 2024)
Ocean Properties is making significant renovations at the former Holiday Inn, which closed in July 2023. The hotel remodel is a throwback "circus" theme and rebranded as Cirque St. Armands. The first floor will be the hotel lobby, a restaurant and a bar.
Current Status (as of August 2024)
Active renovation continues, with an anticipated completion date early 2025. Their website is taking reservations beginning in December 2024.
The City Commission has given Ronto Group a zoning variance to build a five-star, hotel-branded 65 unit condominium on the property formerly housing Coquina and Gulf Beach Resorts. Designed for eight floors above parking, it will contain a private beach club with accessory amenities including pools, a poolside pavilion, sports bar, bocce lawn, private theater, private restaurant, storage, pet park, and administrative space and provide a new public beach access easement. Rosewood (owned by Chow Tai Fook) will manage the property. The developer will be required to incorporate the existing Gulf Beach Resort Motel historic designation sign into the redevelopment of the property. The project team estimates the construction value of the project at $125 million and is targeting a completion date in December 2025. Sales Video
Current Status (as of August 2024)
Active construction. Occupancy Anticipated:1st Quarter 2026.
The City Commission gave Ocean Properties the owner of the Sandcastle site plan approval for redevelopment to a 304 room luxury resort hotel with restaurants & amenities.
Current Status (as of August 2024)
The developer confirms they are working on detail plans and will submit those to the City in the very near future. They have stopped taking reservations effective June 2025.
Started in 2019, FDOT conducted a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study to evaluate replacement alternatives for the Little Ringling bridges on State Road (SR) 789 over Coon Key waterway for a distance of approximately three quarters of a mile. Replacement alternatives were presented at a Public Hearing on March 21, 2024. The image here is a rendering of the selected alternative, two car lanes, a bus lane and separate bike and pedestrian pathways. The bridge surface will be raised 10.5 feet over the existing surface. The estimated cost is $59.1 Million with a construction start date in 2028.
The Multi Use Recreational Trail (MURT) at Ted Sperling Park at South Lido Beach will consist of an approximately 4.500-foot-long trail utilizing boardwalks and other fixed surfaces to provide safe, functional pedestrian and bicyclist connectivity between the Ted Sperling Nature Pard at 190 Taft Drive and South Lido Beach, at 2201 Benjamin Franklin Drive. In addition to providing recreational opportunities, the MURT will define a designated traffic path, thereby offering protection for sensitive ecological features and habitats in surrounding areas. At estimated $88,000 in project management fees are currently budgeted with the remaining costs funded by the RESTORE Act funding, Following the DRC, the Planning Board met on November 8th.) Click Here to View Staff Report Click Here to View Site Plan There was considerable discussion about the removal of trees and the scope of the walkways, casting doubt about the need for the project.
Current Status (as of August 2024)
The county reports this project remains "on hold" and not be reinstated.
Contact: LKRA PO Box 884 Sarasota FL 34230 lidokeyresidents@gmail.com
© 2024 Lido Key Residents Association, Inc - All Rights Reserved.
With the Sandcastle unavailable, we will hold our November Meet & Greet on Tuesday, November 12th at 5:00 at the Daiquiri Deck on St. Armands.
Our first Membership Meeting of the fall will be held on Saturday, November 16th at 10:00 am at the Lido Beach Resort. Selby Gardens will be unveiling their next phase of their master plan.
Our postponed October Membership Speakers (Sarasota Performing Arts Center) will make their presentation at our Saturday January 18th Membership Meeting.
RECOVERY TAKES TIME, BE PATIENT!