Ben Franklin Solar Lighting
The Ben Franklin Solar Lighting project will replace 56 units of 30 ft. tall deteriorating light poles and fixtures along east side of Ben Franklin Drive from S. Washington Dr. to South Lido Key Beach with 270 light pole units at maximum height of 18 ft. and solar light fixtures and a series of additional pedestrian light pole units at a maximum of 12 ft. and solar light fixtures on the west side of Ben Franklin.
Current Status (as of June 2022)
All of the concrete bases and poles are installed from Ted Sterling Park north to the public beach. There is a slight backorder for a key part. It is anticipated the fixtures will be installed in early July and the existing poles removed.
Ben Franklin Sidewalks and Crossings
In a companion project with Solar Lighting, the sidewalks on Ben Franklin will be repaired and updated to be ADA compliant and the City will also "enhance" all nine (9) of the pedestrian crosswalks on Ben Franklin.
Current Status (as of June 2022)
The project is on schedule for completion for early July.
Lido Beach Dunes Project
With state and federal grant funds the City of Sarasota is planning a dune construction project on Lido Beach. The goal is to add another layer of protection for the beach and adjacent properties in the area where new sand was added with the recent re-nourishment. The City on January 15th made a presentation to the LKRA members.
Current Status (as of June 2022)
The project team has met with all of the property owners and started the design and permitting phase. This should be completed by early fall. Then there will be about 3 months for bidding and 2-3 months construction.
Rosewood Residences Lido Key
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 winter 2024. Units will be up to 5000 sq ft. with prices starting in the $6 millions.
Current Status (as of June 2022)
DRC presented a list of requirements in their 5/4/2022 meeting. The meeting video is available at
(Agenda, Application Materials). It is expected the developer will have revisions to the City by 7/6/2022.
Sandcastle Resort at Lido Beach
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 June 2022)
The developer has confirmed they are working on detail plans and will submit those to the City in the upcoming months. Demolition will start once plans are approved and permits issued.
South Lido Multi-Use Recreational Trail (MURT) Phase 1
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, Sarasota County has identified this as a fiscal 2023 Project.
Current Status (as of June 2022)
Preliminary plans submitted by the County June 14, 2022. The Development Review Committee (DRC) will review at their July 6, 2022 Meeting. The trail is currently staked
Replacing Coon Key Bridge
Started in 2019, FDOT is conducting 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 considered may include twin bridges or a single bridge, as well as bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. FDOT conducted public workshops on April 5 and 7th.
Est. PD&E Completion Date: 2023.
Informative Links:
About the Project and the FAQs