The 22nd Annual Historic Homes Tour
Sponsors! Now is the opportunity to reserve your ad in the Historic Home's Tour booklet for our 22nd Annual Homes Tour, March 4, 2012. These bookets are a keepsake that our patrons collect over the years, retain for reference, and often display for their friend's enjoyment.
Be a part of Sarasota history and book your ad today. Click here for details.
The mable Ringling Memorial Fountain Project
Mable Ringling arrived in Sarasota one hundred years ago with her circus magnate husband, John, and left a legacy of outstanding contributions. She was the first President of Sarasota's Founder's Circle, and after she passed away in 1929, the Sarasota Federation of Garden Circles wanted to honor her service with a memorial fountain and reflection pool. This beautiful tribute to her was placed in the new Luke Wood Park in 1936. This project was years in the making, since the park had to be cleared and developed to accept thousands of trees, shrubs and flowering plants.
By World War II, the memorial founding fell into disrepair and lack of maintenance funding; it finally was filled in with dirt, and remains that way today. The Alliance has received permission from the Sarasota City Commission to renovate this once extraordinary piece of our history. A community project has been established which seeks to involve the entire community and in the end, make Sarasotans proud of their accomplishment.
This undertaking will not rely on taxpayer funds, but solely on donations, grants, and in-kind contributions of services, equipment, expertise, supplies, landscaping, lighting, and statuary castings. Volunteers are needed and welcome. Soon, we will advise how you can become involved. Meanwhile, to learn more about the project download the brochure and donation form.
Under our watchful eye...
Belle Haven Apartments
Concerns have been expressed over the last several months about the deteriorating condition of the historic Belle Haven Apartment building at the corner of El Vernona Avenue and 4th Street.
We are pleased to report that the City of Sarasota is on top of the situation, and the property owner is resolving the issues within a 30-day deadline. Most all of the problems, listed below, will be completed in that time frame, while some have a 60-day completion date. Pictured above are roofers taking off the last of the barrel-tiles, for wood underlayment replacement. Other repairs include:
- All debris in the interior, including the basement, needs to be removed and maintained for sanitary purposes. This includes pumping out all water in the basement area and maintain in a dry condition.
- Repair or replace all broken and loose security fence on the property. This includes the gates.
- Need to board all broken windows and paint the same color as the exterior of the building.
- Need to board or secure all entrance/exit doors off the fire escapes.
- All bare wood needs to be painted the same color as the exterior walls.
- Need to repair or remove all torn awnings.
- Need to remove peeling paint from fire escapes and repaint to protect the surface.
- Need to replace/repair any deterioration of wood underlayment of the roof areas. All loose roof shingles need to be secured/repaired to prevent moisture entering into the interior of the building.
- Need to cut, trim and maintain overgrowth on property north of the parking lot. Need to maintain overgrowth to the street surface.
Van Wezel Estate
The Van Wezel Estate is located at 535 South Boulevard of the Presidents and is also in a deteriorating condition. The large parcel of property is for sale, and hopefully the main house will not be demolished to make way for future large-scale residential development.
The Van Wezel estate, designed by master architect Thomas Reed Martin in 1937, was the first house constructed on Lido Key as a year-round residence. It was the home of local philanthropists Lewis and Eugenia Van Wezel. Built in the Mediterranean Revival Style, the estate includes a house, detached garage/servants quarters and boathouse. The one-story home was originally designed with a U-shaped plan situated around a central open courtyard, but has undergone subsequent modifications. The Van Wezel estate was locally designated by the City of Sarasota in 1998.
Thomas Reed Martin was already an established architect when he built the Van Wezel estate. His first project in Sarasota was the construction of Chicago socialite Bertha Palmer’s home, The Oaks, at Spanish Point. After its completion, Martin opened an office in Sarasota and took part in the 1920s Boom Time development of the area. He designed more than 500 houses and a number of commercial buildings in the area. Martin’s local work, characterized by streamlined modern forms embellished with Mediterranean Revival features, includes the L.B. Whitfield home on Bay Shore Road, the Burns Court Subdivision, the Exhibition Hall (now Municipal Auditorium) and the Chidsey Library (now Sarasota County History Museum).
MISSION
The Sarasota Alliance For Historic Preservation, Inc. is a non-profit and publicly supported organization with the mission To Preserve And Enhance Our Historic Places.
ABOUT US
The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, Inc., a non-profit, publicly-supported 501(c)(3) organization, was incorporated in 1985 to save architect Dwight Baum's El Vernona Hotel, built in 1925 by owner Owen Burns, and which by the 1980s was 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 203 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!
(Photo of El Vernona Hotel courtesy of Sarasota County History Center)
Upcoming Events
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Trolley Tours of J.H. Gillespie's Sarasota
10:00 AM or 1:30 PM
$19.00 Donation
Contact: The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation at
941-953-8727 or sahp.mailbox@gmail.com for reservations. Seating is limited. To learn more about the Owen Burns Celebration honoring John Hamilton Gillespie, visit: www.owenburns.com
Sunday, March 4, 2012
22nd Annual Historic Homes Tour
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Homes will be located in the Bungalow Hill Subdivision, and the addresses of the participating homes will be released soon. Be sure to put the date on your calendar, as this tour will be too good to miss. Contact us at 941-953-8727 or sahp.mailbox@gmail.com for more information.
If you would like to volunteer on tour day or assist in any other way, please contact Volunteer Coordinator, D’ Calvert, at dcalv04@hotmail.com.
A LOOK AT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
C.B Wilson House
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.
For the financial support the Alliance provided in the move of the house, our President, Debra Flynt-Garrett (pictured above at the right) receives a plaque from Lorrie Muldowney, Historic Preservationist at the Sarasota County History Center.
A short history video of Dr. C.B. 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.
Visit Sarasota History Alive! to see more videos.
Jack West architect - 60 years of design
Architect Jack West was very influential in Sarasota's architecture during his time here with various partners from 1949 until his death in 2009. In honor of his icredible contributions to our culture, the Alliance participated with Sarasota County and the Friends of the Sarasota County History Center to produce an exhibit of his projects.
The exhibit is open to the public at the History Center Museum, within the Sarasota County Visitor Information Center, 701 North Tamiami Trail. The exhibit, which was curated by architect and author Joe King, features more than seventy architectural and urban planning projects.The AIA exhibit includes designs for educational facilities, custom residences, civic and cultural buildings, recreational facilities, hotels, condominiums and more. Although focused in the Sarasota region the exhibit also showcases projects and competitions as far reaching as Paris and Egypt.
Tour Venice Architecture
The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation provided $15,000 in funding to help produce a customized tour guide (Tour Venice Architecture) to facilitate and promote a walking/driving tour of significant historical and architectural buildings in Osprey, Nokomis, and Venice.
Jeff La Hurd Sarasota Author
Over the years, the Alliance has assisted with the underwriting of seven books authored by Jeff LaHurd, local author and History Specialist at the Sarasota County History Center. The books cover many aspects of Sarasota's interesting and special history. They include:
- Sarasota - Then and Now
- Quintessential Sarasota
- Lido Beach
- Gulfcoast Chronicles
- Sarasota - A History
- Sarasota - Roaring Through the 20s
- Hidden History of Sarasota
Ringling Tack room
In 2006, the first pieces of the original tack room for the Ringling Brothers Circus were preserved and stored through a $50,000 grant by Lowe's Companies Inc. Lowe's provided the grant to the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation to salvage and help preserve the historic facility until it will be rebuilt for its new permanent home at the Ringling Circus Museum. The tack room was located at the southwest corner of Fruitville and Cattlemen Roads at the former Ringling winter quarters.
Part of the original horse barn and stables built in 1926, the tack room was used by Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus to store the various accessories worn by the renowned circus' show horses. The job of salvaging, transporting and maintaining the room, fully underwritten by the Lowe's grant, was part of the, Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation's continued efforts to preserve the area's historical resources through the creation of a documentary database of historic buildings.
REVOLVING FUND
The purpose of the Revolving Fund is to make loans to assist in the acquisition, relocation, or rehabilitation of historically-significant structures throughout Sarasota County and return monies to the fund for future projects.
Often times, local developers provide funds to assist in relocations, and by doing so, garner good will in the community and/or tax benefits. For example, in September, 2008, the Alliance received a donation of $20,000 to its Revolving Fund. This donation was the result of the enforcement of the mandates outlined in the Sarasota County Historic Preservation Ordinances, which state, "...that a contributing structure to an historic district may be demolished if the Historic Preservation Board finds the measures required to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the adverse effect to the historic resource..." In this case, a structure in Nokomis was demolished, and a mitigation measure was negotiated by the Sarasota County History Center.
If you would like to be added to the list of prospective Historic Homes Recipients, please email us at sahp.mailbox@gmail.com, and request an application form. You never know when your dream home will become available.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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SAHP Officers |
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President, Debra Flynt-Garrett Debra Flynt-Garrett is the Director of Marketing and Client Services for Saba and Associates an Appraisal/Planning/Consulting firm in Sarasota specializing in historic and waterfront properties. She is a 26 year resident of Sarasota and has been involved in historic preservation since the early 1990's. She was President of the Alliance Board of Directors during the fight to save the historic John Ringling Towers Hotel and Bickel House. She is a past Chairman of the City of Sarasota Historic Preservation Board, past Chair of the Sarasota County Historical Commission and former member of the Crowley Museum and Nature Center Board of Directors. Currently Debra is the Vice-Chair of the Friends of the Sarasota County History Center, holds a seat on the Sarasota County Historic Preservation Board and is on the Board of Directors of the Sarasota Tiger Bay Club.
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1st Vice President, Joan Bowers I attended Wells College in Aurora, N.Y. and lived all my adult life in Lancaster County, PA. I have four grown children (two boys, two girls) and five grand-children. |
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Secretary, Helena Dean Originally from Ft. Lauderdale, I gained an appreciation for historic homes while visiting various house museums throughout Florida and the Southeast as a child. I moved to Sarasota while attending New College and fell in love with the city’s historical buildings and architectural gems. After earning my Master’s degree in Art History, I returned to Sarasota, where I am proud to be part of the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation’s mission. I love Mid-Century Modern design, road trips, art, all things vintage, and the beautiful beaches of Sarasota. |
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2nd Vice President, Jill Thomas I am originally from Toledo, Ohio, and moved to Sarasota, Florida in 1991. With a degree in Mathematics, I worked in the areas of education and office administration. Currently, I am a full-time Realtor at Michael Saunders & Company. I enjoy working in the yard and restoring furniture. As a people person, my greatest joy is volunteer work in my church and in the community. |
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Treasurer, Joyce Waterbury I was born in Dearborn, Michigan, and moved to Sarasota in 1983, after retiring from a 20-year career as an Operations Manager for Ford Motor Credit Co. In February, 2010, I married Ron Conners, and we enjoy traveling the world. |
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SAHP Directors |
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Laura Burnside Raised in Kansas(land of Oz) Graduated college Kansas State University. |
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Dorothea Calvert I am a recent retiree from UPS after nineteen years of service as a Major Account Manager. I have a B.A. from the University of South Florida and a M.B.A. from the University of Sarasota. I came to Sarasota first in 1976, then relocated to Ft. Lauderdale to access a Montessori education for my daughter returning in 1989. |
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Chris Fitzgibbons |
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Joyce Hart Joyce Hart, a resident of Sarasota since 1968, is a graduate of the Ringling School of Art and Design with a BFA, Major in Interior Design. Joyce was with Robb and Stucky Interiors for 23 years, and she and husband Jeff have just created J. Hart Designs LLC. Joyce also participates every year in the Boys and Girls Clubs Designer Showhouse, which raises money to help support the Clubs. She is also a past member of the American Society of Interior Designers Florida North Board, and is a current member of the City of Sarasota Historic Preservation Board. she and husband Jeff live in a 1926 home built by Owen Burns as one of the original spec homes to promote the Ringling Isles Development. |
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Larry Kelleher I am native to Sarasota, Florida, and fondly refer to myself as a “Sota-Cracker.” After graduating University of Florida, I moved out of state and made my home at first in New Orleans, then later in Houston, Texas. After having enough of not living next the Gulf of Mexico, I returned in 1980 to see Sarasota destroying most of the historic landmarks that I had taken for granted. |
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Katherine "Kittie" Kelly Katherine "Kittie" Kelly a Sarasota resident of 53 years is an environmental and historic preservationist. Kittie has restored three locally designated historic homes. Kittie has been active with the Central-Coconut Historic District and is a past member of the City of Sarasota Parks Advisory Board. She is returning to the Alliance Board after taking a brief hiatus. |
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Aviva LaGasse As a child in Highland Park, N.J., I decided I loved “old” and “historic” and have maintained those interests throughout my life. As a teenager, I had the experience of working on an archaeological dig in Israel and later earned a degree in Anthropology from the University of Arizona. |
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Ron McCarty Ron McCarty has been a member of the Curatorial Department at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art for the last 30 years, and is currently the Curator and Keeper of Ca'd'Zan, the 36,000 square-foot historic Venetian-Gothic mansion seated on Sarasota Bay. Ron studied painting at the Kansas City Art Institute and has been a professional painter specializing in watercolor since the early 1970's. He has exhibited in numerous museum exhibitions and galleries worldwide. Ron has been on the Advisory Board of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design at Florida State University for the last 6 years. He coordinates the summer program for the Department of Interior Design held at Ca'd'Zan each year from FSU. He has also contributed his writing talents to numerous publications. He serves on the vetting committee for the International Palm Beach Fine Arts Fair held every February. |
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Rebecca Morgan I have been married for 39 years to Dennis Morgan, and have three children and two grandchildren. I am co-owner of the consulting firm, DL Morgan and Associates, and also am an Interior Designer, a Chef, a Genealogist, and Master Gardener. |
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Wilson Stiles Wilson Stiles holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from the University of Arkansas and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Florida with a specialty in Historic Preservation. He has held government positions in preservation in both Arkansas and Sarasota County, and has owned his own Interior Design practice with projects in Sarasota, New York and the Midwest. In contrast to his involvement in historic projects, his interiors are known for their refined, modern simplicity. He has served on the Boards of the Preservation Institute: Nantucket and the Victorian Society in America, as well as the design and restoration committee of The Mount, the Berkshire home of author Edith Wharton. |
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Ginger Sutton I am a native Floridian, having been born in Tampa, Florida. My first recollection of loving a home is a period Spanish-style stucco. Still today, this is my favorite type of home, although I appreciate all types of “old Florida” homes. |
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SAHP Ex-Officio Officers |
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| Ex-Officio Director, Lorrie Muldowney | |
| Ex-Officio Director, Don Smally | |
| Ex-Officio Director, Jesse White | |
The four homes featured on the tour are located in and near McClellan Park. McClellan Park open to the public in the Spring of 1916, and the Sarasota Times boasted that the new subdivision “owned and managed by two women” was the realization of the dream of sisters, Daisietta (Miss Daisy) and Katherine McClellan. They hired landscape architects to design the park, with the result that roadways curved over the gently sloping land and every lot, at the time, had view of the bay.
This year’s tour is on Sunday, March 6, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Also, part of the Tour, the Sarasota Trolley will be available to transport you from home to home. You may enjoy the beautiful sights along the way, while learning about the history of the neighborhood presented by Sarasota County Historic Preservation Specialist, Lorrie Muldowney and others.
The $20.00 tickets may be purchased in advance at the following locations:
* Davidson Drugs -1281 S. Tamiami Trail, 5124 Ocean Blvd. and 6595 Midnight Pass Road
* Historic Spanish Point - 337 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey
* Sarasota Architectural Salvage - 1093 Central Ave.
* Sarasota County History Center - 6062 Porter Way
* Main Street Traders -1468 Main St.
* Sarasota Visitor Information Center - 701 N. Tamiami Trail
Tickets may also be purchased the day of the tour at any of the tour homes.
Sarasota Alliance For Historic Preservation, inc. All rights Reserved
PO Box. 1754 - Sarasota, FL 34230 (941) 953-8727
An affiliate of the Sarasota History Alive! Network
CONTACT US
Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation,Inc.
Post Office Box 1754
Sarasota, Florida 34230
(941) 953-8727
sahp.mailbox@gmail.com
MEMBERSHIP
Benefits of membership include participaton in historic homes tours, walking tours, rehabilitation projects, workshops, seminars and much more. Please join us by completing this form and sending it to the address below in the Contact Us section.
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SUPPORT US
There are a variety of ways to support the Alliance's mission. One way is through the purchase of books about Sarasota's history. Click here for more information.
NEWSLETTER
The Alliance publishes quarterly newsletters containing up to date information on Alliance activities.Newsletters are mailed to members free of charge.