Downtown Sarasota - Events and Happenings in and around Sarasota Florida

Longboat Key in Top 10 Conde Nast Traveler’s Islands

October 28, 2015 by

It’s time to invest in a larger trophy case. This time, Longboat Key has garnered national glory.

Longboat Key was the No. 9 best island in the U.S. in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2015 Readers’ Choice Awards. Hawaii’s Maui, Kauai, Oahu and Big Island nabbed the top four slots. Amelia Island, which ranked No. 10, was the only other Florida location to make the list.

The 12-mile island with land in both Sarasota and Manatee counties is known for its elegant and refined personality, said Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota County. Conde Nast described Longboat Key as a more private option among the Sarasota-Bradenton area’s barrier islands and praised it for the sand dollars and seashells that can be found there.

Longboat Key typically spends less time in the spotlight than Siesta Key and Anna Maria Island.

“For us, what’s so important is for people to understand the different personalities of our islands,” Haley said. “It’s just thrilling to see Longboat getting recognized in this way.”

The beach accesses on Longboat Key are less pronounced than at some of the other barrier islands in the region. It also offers a number of hidden gems, such as Quick Point Nature Preserve, at its southeast corner.

“You feel like you’re almost on a deserted island, but you’re looking over all of Sarasota bay,” Haley said.

More than 128,000 travelers took part in Conde Nast Traveler’s 28th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey. The readers submitted millions of ratings and tens of thousands of comments to determine the best cities, resorts, airlines, among other categories for travelers.

This latest honor has joined a long list of recent accolades for the Sarasota-Bradenton area.

This year, Siesta Key was ranked the No. 1 beach in the nation on TripAdvisor.com’s 2015 Travelers’ Choice Awards and was named the third best Florida beach in a poll by USA Today. Siesta Key and Lido both make regular appearances on TripAdvisor.com’s best of lists.

Stephen “Dr. Beach” Leatherman also touted Siesta Key in May 2011 as the nation’s top beach in his annual ranking.

Anna Maria Island, too, received recognition from Conde Nast earlier this year when its Coquina Beach was named one of the world’s “top island beaches for perfect sand.” The island this year was also named as one of the fastest-growing vacation destinations by TripAdvisor.com.

Herald Tribune 10/22/2015

Filed Under: Sarasota Best of, Sarasota Lifestyle, Sarasota Tourism Tagged With: Downtown Sarasota Condos, Longboat Key, Sarasota Lifestyles, Waterfront Condos

Black Opal Caviar – Mote Marine Laboratories

October 28, 2015 by

Sustainable, farm-produced American Black Opal caviar debuts this week

Black Opal Platinum Reserve among world’s finest caviar

SARASOTA, Fla. (Sept. 16, 2015) – Black Opal caviar, the much-anticipated farm-raised black sturgeon caviar developed at Mote Marine Laboratories in Sarasota, goes to market this week, according to Christopher Cogan, chief executive officer of Healthy Earth Inc.

More than a million dollars’ worth of the very high-quality black caviar, produced from farm-raised Siberian sturgeon, has been produced for this initial marketing effort, Cogan said. The caviar is available in several amounts – from one-ounce jars, to one-kilo tins – which are now being labeled and packed in anticipation of shipping to select retail outlets and fine restaurants.

“We have plenty of caviar on the shelves, ready to go,” said Cogan. “We’ve produced nearly 1,000 kilos of Black Opal caviar in anticipation of this initial marketing effort. Our team of experts at Mote Aquaculture Park continue to harvest the largest, best-quality caviar they have ever produced.”

The story of Black Opal caviar and how it came to be is a fascinating tale of the meeting of technology and epicurean knowhow.

Sarasota’s prestigious Mote Marine Laboratory, a leader in research that supports long-term conservation and the sustainable use of marine resources, spearheaded water recirculation processes and other technologies that successfully applied land-based aquaculture to the production of black caviar, a product that had generally been collected in the wild.

The result: A successful process and operation that can produce nearly two metric tons of caviar and 81,000 pounds of sturgeon meat per year.

Enter Seven Holdings, an investment company that acquired the Siberian sturgeon and caviar business from Mote Marine. It is now beginning to market Black Opal caviar under the Healthy Earth brand – a hand-crafted, small-batch caviar that features a hint of briny sweetness that results in part from its malossol, or “little salt,” curing process.

The first black caviar to be marketed under the Black Opal brand is Black Opal Platinum Reserve ($95 per ounce), the brand’s highest quality grade. Black Opal Platinum Reserve has an egg size no smaller than 2.6 mm and must meet strict standards of firmness, aroma, flavor and appearance. Black Opal Platinum Reserve represents less than 20 percent of the company’s total caviar production.

The Black Opal brand also will include Black Opal Platinum ($76 per ounce), a caviar product that meets the same exacting standards as Black Opal Platinum Reserve but which is slightly smaller in size at 2.4 mm. Another grade, sold under the Black Opal Select, also is available to restaurants, chefs and distributors.

Healthy Earth’s goal, according to Cogan, is to become a world leader in the development of sustainable and economically viable sources of seafood as an answer to overfishing, pollution, and worldwide increases in the demand for seafood. Based in Sarasota, it is supported and led by a team of veteran entrepreneurs and internationally-recognized marine scientists.

To learn more about Healthy Earth, including purchase Black Opal caviar directly, visit its website – www.healthyearth.org

Filed Under: Sarasota Lifestyle Tagged With: Downtown Sarasota Condos, Downtown Sarasota Lifestyles, Sarasota Lifestyles

Sarasota – Top 100 Best Places to Live

September 23, 2015 by

Tropical island ambiance with the comforts of craft beer and fine art helped land the City of Sarasota on the “2016 Top 100 Best Places to Live.”

Sarasota showed up as No. 31 on the list along with places like Boulder, Colorado; Santa Rosa, California; and Madison, Wisconsin. The other Florida entries on the list, published this week by www.Livability.com, were Boca Raton, at No. 59, and Miami Beach, at No. 79.

“Overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, just south of Tampa Bay, Sarasota includes a string of eight islands that draw thousands of tourists,” Livability. com said. The report cites the fact that locals enjoy year-round access to beautiful beaches, a multitude of golf courses and a thriving downtown.

“The Sarasota Opera and Florida Studio Theater anchor the city’s arts and culture scene, while craft breweries, restaurants, shops and galleries provide many entertainment options,” the Livability study states.

Locals tend to roll their eyes at lists like this, because Sarasota shows up on so many of them. Siesta Beach shows up with regularity as the best or one of the best beaches in the country, thanks to Dr. Beach. Earlier this summer, both Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and NerdWallet placed Sarasota at or near the top of their own lists of great places to retire.

But for those in the business of winning new converts to the Southwest Florida, lists like this are manna from heaven. “We love the list, especially at this time of the year, because we are getting ready for the season, which comes earlier and earlier every year,” said Pauline Bennett, who manages the Coldwell Banker real estate downtown Sarasota office, which has 90 agents. “Lists like these helps keep us top of mind.”

Realtors will use the list as a reason to call or email a client who is on the fence, particularly if the client’s northern city also is on the list, Bennett added.

“Excelling as a livable city is what will help us attract and retain the quality workforce we need to support innovative, high-growth companies,” said Mark Huey, president of the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County. “This is a recognition that we are on the right track in being that kind of magnet for talent.”

The top communities on Livability.com’s list were, in order: Rochester, Minnesota; Bellevue, Washington; Madison, Wisconsin; Santa Barbara, California; Boulder, Colorado; Palo Alto, California; Bismarck, North Dakota; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Iowa City, Iowa; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The Study

The site said that more than 2,100 cities (with populations from 20,000 to 350,000) were evaluated in the study. Researchers analyzed more than 40 data points that were then grouped into eight categories: economics, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital, education and health care, Livability. com said.

The eight scores were weighted based on an exclusive survey conducted for Livability.com by Ipsos Public Affairs, a global market research firm. Respondents were asked about factors that make their communities better places to live, as well as the factors they would consider in selecting another city.

“Sources included the best public and private data available from organizations like the U.S. Census Bureau, Walk Score, GreatSchools.com and Esri,” Livability.com said.

Beer Factor

Sarasota’s emerging craft beer brewing scene also made it into the Livability. com recipe for success. Two craft brewers now operate in Sarasota, another two in Bradenton and more are in the works.

“A lot of people are coming from areas where they are used to having craft breweries around, like Michigan and Ohio,” said Jeremy Jorger, owner of JDub’s Brewing Co., situated near the recently renovated Ed Smith Stadium, where visitors and locals show up for Baltimore Orioles spring training.

The Orioles tout Sarasota with roughly $1 million worth of free advertising per year, including spots on their Mid-Atlantic Sports Network game broadcasts. “You could be watching a game and all of a sudden, Main Street Sarasota is on,” said David Rovine, the Orioles Sarasota vice president.

“What makes an area interesting and dynamic is the mixture of activities that it offers to you,” Rovine said. “If you have a little bit of everything — and I think Sarasota has a more than a little of everything, it makes it a great city to live in.”

Art Destination

Starting with the creation of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in the 1920s, Sarasota has long offered visitors and locals a deeper-than-usual dive into the arts scene.

“Now that the economy is better, people are buying art, so the galleries are flourishing again and new galleries are popping up all the time,” said Lisa Berger, executive director of the Art Center Sarasota, which will celebrate its 90th anniversary next year. Her organization maintains four galleries, including one for juried exhibitions. “You can come once a month and see all new work,” Berger said.

Herald Tribune Sept 14, 2015

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FLORIDA TOURISM HITS RECORD HIGH FOR 2015

August 27, 2015 by

Florida tourism is on pace to pass the highly anticipated 100-million visitor mark for 2015, with more than 54.1 million visitors coming to the Sunshine State in the first half of 2015.

New quarterly numbers released Wednesday from Visit Florida, the state’s tourism arm, show a 5.8 increase from last year and the highest amount of visitors of any six months in the state’s history.

In just the second quarter of 2015 ending June 30, 25.8 million visitors came to Florida, an increase of 5.5 percent from the same point in 2014.

With the fifth record-breaking year, the higher about of tourism is also bringing a record average number of direct travel-related jobs.

In a prepared statement from Gov. Rick Scott, Florida’s tourism industry now employs 1,213,500 people – a number up 4.9 percent from the previous year.

Encouraging tourism helps Florida become the “best place in the world for jobs,” Scott said. “We look forward to exceeding our goal of 100 million visitors to Florida this year.”

Visit Florida also estimates more than 2.7 million overseas visitors, 1.2 million Canadians, and 21.9 million domestic visitors traveled to Florida in the second quarter of 2015, a 6.8 percent increase.

Totals for the first half of 2015 show 45.7 million domestic visitors, 5.5 million overseas visitors and 2.9 million Canadians have come to the Sunshine State, an increase of 6.7 percent, 1.7 percent and 1.1 percent respectively. Top U.S. states for Florida tourism are New York (10 percent), Georgia (8 percent), Texas (6 percent) and Illinois (5 percent).

Most international visitors in 2014 came from Canada (4.2 million), followed by the United Kingdom (1.6 million) and Brazil (1.6 million).

Continued growth of tourism, as well as tourism-related jobs, is putting Florida on track for a fifth consecutive record-breaking year, said Visit Florida Board of Directors Chairman John Tomlin. He emphasized the power of tourism as an economic job creator, crediting the vision of Scott, the Legislature and his staff for “world-class strategies and execution.”

As the number of people visiting Florida increases, so does the amount collected in taxes on sales from recreation and related activities. From January through May 2015, the state enjoyed a 9.0 percent increase in tax revenue.

Visit Florida also estimates the average daily room rate (ADR) for the second quarter of 2015 rose 4.7 percent, with occupancy rates for Florida hotels increasing 2.9 percent and the demand for rooms sold grew 4.4 percent compared to the same period last year.

“This continued growth does not happen by accident,” said Visit Florida CEO Will Seccombe, who thanked Scott and the Legislature for their “unparalleled support.”

Tampa Tribune August 19, 2015

Filed Under: Florida Economic News, Sarasota Lifestyle, Sarasota Tourism Tagged With: Downtown Sarasota Condos, Downtown Sarasota Real Estate, Sarasota Lifestyles, Sarasota Tourism

New Development Continues – Rosemary District

August 27, 2015 by

Work Begins on the Rosemary Square Development

SARASOTA – Construction is underway on the Rosemary Square mixed-use project, the latest new development in the long-blighted Rosemary District north of downtown.

The $20 million project, 1440 Boulevard of the Arts, will include 50 condominium units and 30,000 square feet of retail and office space in four buildings, city documents show.

Thirty of the residential units will be used by the Sarasota Opera to house its artists, a boutique theater and fine arts, according to contractor Gilbane Building Co.

“Rosemary Square’s convenient location to downtown Sarasota supports the economic growth of the area and local neighborhoods,” Gilbane vice president Tim Hensey said in a statement. “The timing is right for a project like this.”

The project is being developed by Mark Kauffman and Partners. Jonathan Parks is the architect. It is expected to be finished next summer.

A number of developers have targeted the Rosemary District. The city has added density to allow more units at some projects.

A South Carolina company recently proposed a four-story, 295-unit apartment project called Elan Rosemary, formerly the 7th Street Apartments, east of North Lemon Avenue, north of Boulevard of the Arts, near the west end of Seventh Street.

Other projects in the works in the neighborhood include Sarasota Flats, 228 units at Fruitville Road and Central Avenue; Cityside, with 450 apartments at Florida and Cocoanut avenues; and Valencia at Rosemary Place, 32 townhomes at Cocoanut and Boulevard of the Arts.

Risdon Group Unveils New Rosemary District Project

The Sarasota-based developer has proposed a mixed-use luxury project near the intersection of 5th Street and Central Avenue, further contributing to the rise of the Rosemary District.

Less than two weeks after Gilbane Building Company broke ground on the $20 million Rosemary Square project, another developer will pitch plans for luxury condominiums in the blossoming area north of downtown.

Rosemary District-based Risdon Group will meet with the city’s Development Review Committee next week to discuss plans for Risdon on 5th, which includes 22 condos and six offices in 36,000 square feet of space near the intersection of Central Avenue and Fifth Street. Halflants + Pichette Architects, which is also based in the district, will oversee design of the $5 million project.

“Risdon on 5th is setting the style, DNA and positioning for the Rosemary District’s evolution into a hip, happening neighborhood and Design District,” said Risdon Group President Steve Bradley.

The complex will feature an “original, urban and edgy” design, Bradley said. Halflants + Pichette also oversaw the architectural work on Vanguard Lofts, which is another new development slated for Rosemary.

Property owner Scot Lloyd bought the 21,000-square foot parcel for $590,000 in January. The property’s land value has jumped from a recent low of $253,800 in 2009 to more than $730,000 this year, according preliminary values on the Sarasota County Property Appraiser’s website.

Sarasota Herald Tribune & Observer August 2015

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The 18 Cities Poised for Economic Growth

July 20, 2015 by

Florida Economic Growth

For the past few years, oil towns have dominated the ranks of the fastest-growing economies in America. Now that the energy boom is fading, a new leader is emerging: Retirement communities in Florida that are buoyed by a surge in baby boomers.

Naples, Florida, topped the list of metropolitan areas that are expected to see the most economic growth next year, according to an analysis of data in a new report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors prepared by IHS Global Insight. The economy there will grow 4.9 percent in 2016, according to the forecasts. The Villages, a sprawling senior community that has already been the fastest-growing city by population for two straight years, ranked third. The map below shows how metro areas in Florida made up half of the top 18 performers.
Florida Front runners

1. Naples/Marco Island
2. Sebring
3. The Villages
4. Cape Coral/Fort Myers

In 2014, the front runners consisted of mostly energy patch areas, many of which will probably end up as some of the worst-performing economies next year. Nowhere is the shift clearer than in Midland, Texas, which saw the best economic growth in the country in 2014 (11.9 percent) according to the report’s data. The expectation is that it will rank dead last (3.2 percent contraction) in forecasts for 2016. Other areas that are also expected to struggle include Midland’s neighbor Odessa and Casper, Wyoming.

With these previous oil and gas hubs tumbling down the ranks, it makes room for Florida’s metro economies to take their places at the top of the list in 2016.

Other metropolitan areas slated for growth in 2016 include greater San Jose, California, which makes up the heart of Silicon Valley; Austin, Texas; and Provo, Utah.

Bloomberg.com June 2015

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Cash Buyers – Sarasota-Manatee No. 2

July 20, 2015 by

Cash Buyers

Cash on the table remains the preferred method of payment for home buyers in Southwest Florida.

The Sarasota-Manatee region ranked second among the 100 largest U.S. metro areas for cash buyers in April, according to a recent report by data provider CoreLogic. The two-county region ranks second among major U.S. metropolitan areas for the highest share of cash buyers of single-family homes and condominiums.

Cash buyers have dominated the Sarasota-Manatee real estate market for several years, even leading the nation for the top share in April. But no-loan buying has actually slowed down, as 58.1 percent of home sales were closed with cash in May 2014.

Nationwide, all-cash buying dropped to 24.6 percent in May, its lowest level since November 2009, RealtyTrac reported.

Florida led the nation with a cash sales share of 51.4 percent, CoreLogic said
Alabama was second at 48.5 percent, followed by West Virginia at 48.3 percent and New York at 45.4 percent.
The West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach region posted the nation’s highest share of cash sales at 59.1 percent. Cape Coral-Fort Myers was third at 58.1 percent, and Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach was fifth at 56.9 percent.
Syracuse, New York, reported the lowest share of cash sales at 11.0 percent.

Locally, Realtors say smaller investors have become key players in home sales while large institutional investors — who commanded the market during its early rebound — have stepped back. Retiring baby boomers who have sold homes up North also are paying cash for homes here.

“As housing transitions from an investor-driven, cash-is-king market to one more dependent on traditional buyers, sales volume has been increasing over the last few months and is on track in 2015 to hit the highest level we’ve seen since 2006,” said RealtyTrac vice president Daren Blomquist.

Institutional investors — those that buy at least 10 properties a year — accounted for just 1.7 percent of home and condo sales in Sarasota-Manatee in May, down from 4.8 percent one year earlier.

The share of distressed sales — homes in some stage of foreclosure — also has declined from 24.8 percent to 15.5 percent of all sales over the year.

Realtors say the region is in a sellers’ market, with high demand and a dwindling supply of existing homes for sale.

In Sarasota and Manatee, the median sales price for homes and condos was $155,000 in May, down 1 percent for the year.

But as usual, distressed sales pull down those numbers. Non-distressed homes sold for a median $180,000, or 9 percent ahead of last year, while distressed properties changed hands for $105,000, a 9 percent drop.

“Distressed sales in May represented a significantly smaller share of a growing home sales pie as an increasing number of non-distressed sellers continued to cash out on the equity they’ve gained over the last three years of rising home prices,” Blomquist said.

“But those distressed sales are still acting as a drag on home prices, selling at a median price that is 43 percent below the median price of a non-distressed sale — the biggest gap we’ve seen since we began tracking that distressed discount in January 2006,” he added.

Herald Tribune July 2015

Filed Under: Downtown Sarasota Condos, Downtown Sarasota Real Estate, Sarasota Real Estate Market News Tagged With: Downtown Sarasota Condos, Downtown Sarasota Real Estate, sarasota real estate market news

Independence Day Celebrations in Sarasota

June 21, 2015 by

Upcoming Independence Day Celebrations July 4, 2015

From downtown Sarasota and spectacular fireworks over Sarasota Bay, to Siesta Key and Longboat Key, live music, food, a parade and more will assure there’s something fun for everyone to enjoy.

Powerboats by the Bay at Centennial Park
Part of the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix Boat Festival
10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Free admission and live entertainment

An American Tapestry
Gloria Musicae
4:30 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 104 S. Pineapple Ave

Fireworks Spectacular over Sarasota Bay
Bayfront Park and Island Park.
9:00 p.m.

The 25th Annual 4th of July Fireworks Display over Siesta Key
On Siesta Key’s magnificent beaches – spectacular fireworks over the Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical Sarasota Fourth of July
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Get ready for Barbecue and Ice Cream
6 p.m.
Bring chairs/blankets to view the Fireworks over Sarasota Bay

Longboat Key Freedom Fest Parade
9 a.m
Bay Isles Road
Kids, pets and decorated bicycles adorn the parade. Food, games for the children and more at Bicentennial Park

Sarasota Sailing Squadron’s Liberty Day Regatta and Family Festival
City Island
5:00 p.m.
Great family fun with a water slide, live music and more followed by the Bayfront Fireworks

Filed Under: Downtown Sarasota Condos, Downtown Sarasota Real Estate, Sarasota Events, Sarasota Lifestyle Tagged With: Downtown Sarasota Entertainment, Downtown Sarasota Events, Sarasota Lifestyles

Sarasota Downtown Development Progress

May 28, 2015 by

Downtown Sarasota Real Estate Development

Numerous projects are on the horizon and in varying stages of progress for downtown Sarasota. See the overview of Sarasota Condos, Townhomes and Hotels under development.

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Van Wezel Beats St. Armands as Tourism Destination

May 25, 2015 by

SARASOTA – Move over, St. Armands Circle. The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall ranked as the No. 1 attraction in Sarasota County from January through March — the so-called “high season” — for the first time, the county’s tourism agency says.

St. Armands Circle — Lido Key’s premier destination for shopping and dining, just steps away from Sarasota’s sugary white sand beach and emerald Gulf waters — was beat out by the Van Wezel as the most visited attraction.

Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota, the county’s tourism agency, credits the change to the Van Wezel’s impressive programming this year.

“Every show at the Van Wezel this year was awesome,” Haley said. “It’s very exciting, as we’ve really pushed the cultural amenities of Sarasota in our marketing plans.”
Visit Sarasota regularly conducts visitor-intercept studies in which it asks tourists to list which attractions they visited during their stay.

It was a close competition.
Van Wezel was at the top, with 36 percent of visitors in the three-month period, while St. Armands Circle was around 35 percent. The new Mall at University Town Center was 30 percent. “I think the key is that the Van Wezel offers diversity,” said Mary Bensel, executive director of the Van Wezel. “We’re showing something different here every night that is of interest to all sorts of people, from concerts that appeal to younger people, to music and dance and our educational programs.”

The hall held performances of the musical “Jersey Boys” and more recently comedian Kathy Griffin.
The Van Wezel also offers performances by the Sarasota Orchestra and Sarasota Ballet and is home to the Ringling College of Art & Design’s Town Hall series.

Other statistics

Tourists from the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., region came to Sarasota County in record numbers this year, overtaking New York as the No. 1 source of visitors to Sarasota, the tourism agency reported.
Nearly 26,000 visitors from the Mid-Atlantic region came to Sarasota County from January through March, thanks in part to the Baltimore Orioles, which plays the spring training season at Ed Smith Stadium.

The number of visitors this year increased 128 percent from the 11,000 people who came from Baltimore and Washington in the same period last year.

“The sustained investment from our partnership with the Baltimore Orioles has really paid off,” Haley said. “This performance in the Mid-Atlantic region shows the benefits of the Orioles providing more than a million dollars of advertising and promotion annually in the D.C. and Baltimore area each of the last six years. It is great to see it be this successful.”

The 110,000 fans who attended the 2015 spring training season was a record for the franchise.

“The breadth and economic impact of the marketing partnership between VSC and the Orioles continues to be unprecedented in Major League Baseball,” Orioles spokesman Greg Bader said. “Our goal has always been to bring visitors from the Mid-Atlantic region to the greater Sarasota area, but we never imagined they would so quickly constitute the largest number of visitors to the region during the winter months.”

The Orioles’ overall economic impact on the region is more than $59 million, an analysis by Sarasota County government concluded.

Sarasota Herald Tribune May 8, 2015

Filed Under: Downtown Sarasota Condos, Downtown Sarasota Real Estate, Sarasota Lifestyle, Sarasota Tourism Tagged With: Downtown Sarasota Condos, Downtown Sarasota Entertainment, Downtown Sarasota Lifestyles, Downtown Sarasota Real Estate, Sarasota Lifestyles