Newsletter 170

NEWS FROM THE SUNCOAST …..

IS WATERFRONT LIVING WORTH THE RISK?

Less than one year after the devastating 2024 hurricane season, Bradenton and Palmetto are considering allowing more intense development in areas at high risk of flooding during major storms. Discussions in the two cities come as Sarasota and Manatee County officials are aiming to address issues that caused many homes to unexpectedly flood in last year’s storms. Problems including debris-filled canals, a need for dredging in Phillippi Creek, the dike near Laurel Meadows and the Lake Manatee dam water release all contributed to flooding from Hurricane Debby last year. But so did a lack of detailed flood zone mapping and possibly outdated building standards that serve as foundational development practices, local officials and residents say. Those issues have prompted discussion in Sarasota County about a need for stricter flood standards, and both Sarasota and Manatee counties are working to help create more precise flood zone maps. Better maps could more accurately predict where flooding is likely to occur, especially in places previously lumped into a “500-year” flood zone, which has a .2% chance of flooding per year. Many of those areas have low-lying roads or other nooks and crannies that can flood with much less rainfall than that. “Throughout the county, since, like, 1970, we’ve been using the same kind of methodology and requirements for” designing stormwater drainage systems, Sarasota County Community Rating System Coordinator Noah Taylor said. “In Sarasota County that’s 10 inches of rain in 24 hours,” he said. “Part of the conversations that we are having with the (county) commissioners is if we need to start building our new systems going forward, because retrofitting everything existing is a much bigger challenge and takes many years, but going forward, do we need to start building systems to accommodate 15, 18 or 20 inches of rain?” Still, Bradenton and Palmetto appear poised to embrace more dense residential development near desirable city shorelines, on the land most vulnerable to flooding and surge during storms, with hopes of capitalizing on the economic benefits of housing and retail businesses along city waterfronts. Two development proposals, one in each city, require that each city amend policies limiting the number of residential units in the Coastal High Hazard area. The catch: the density bump would apply city-wide. Bradenton and Palmetto are not alone. Many Florida municipalities already allow for − or even encourage − dense development along popular scenic and recreational shorelines. While Palmetto and Bradenton are considering changes that would increase development in flood-prone areas, Sarasota and Manatee counties are grappling with flooding last year in unexpected places. They’re now working with the Southwest Florida Water Management District on plans dealing with large-scale drainage areas, called watersheds. They intend to feed the information to the Federal Emergency Management Area so that it can be factored into the agency’s maps of flood-prone areas to get a better handle on where future flooding may happen. The process has been ongoing for years, but came to the forefront following flooding issues in unexpected places during 2024’s unprecedented hurricane season. Hurricane Debby, for example, caused significant flooding in areas outside of what is often called the 100-year flood zone — an area that runs a 1% chance of flooding in any given year — in places where flood insurance is not required. If it were solely up to him, Sarasota County’s Taylor said he would rebrand the “100-year” flood term because it misleads people to believe storms of the magnitude are rare, occurring only once in a century. He said last year’s hurricanes brought focus back to questions about flooding in residential areas outside of the “100-year” flood zone, and that the county has plans for several workshops to discuss flood mitigation techniques or options for higher regulation this year. “I feel like there is more of a laser focus now because we had all these storms back-to-back; people had just rebuilt and then they got hit again,” Taylor said. “So I think the conversation is definitely at the forefront of everybody’s thought process right now.” For more information on this story, courtesy of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, please click here: Waterfront Living

INSURANCE RATE HIKES HITTING FLA. GULF COAST

Next year’s insurance rates aren’t expected to increase anything like they did during the height of the state’s insurance crisis three years ago, but parts of the state are getting hit by cost increases. With hurricanes slamming the state’s western flank over the past three consecutive hurricane seasons — including three catastrophic storms — the cost of insuring property on the Gulf Coast is getting pushed closer to that of South Florida. The latest data shows that even though South Florida still has the highest average premiums, the largest increases in what homeowners are paying for multi-peril coverage are concentrated in areas of the state that historically were not considered the riskiest. Lee, Charlotte, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota and Pasco counties have all seen their average premiums rise between 45% and 47% between the first quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2024. That’s the time between the state’s first report that shows county-by-county insurance data and the latest, just recently released. Taken together, the reports show some inland Central Florida counties are also seeing higher increases, such as Lake County’s nearly 46% increase in premiums in that time. That interior county saw historic flooding after Hurricane Ian in 2022. Miami-Dade County, meanwhile, saw its average premium increase less than half that — 21% — during the same period. Insurance rates in the state are closely watched as Floridians pay more, on average, than any residents of any other state. The regional contrast in rate increases is even more pronounced in this year’s annual increases of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. rates, the state-backed insurer of last resort, which also insures the most property in the Sunshine State. Compared with last year, the average Citizens’ rate for Miami-Dade County is dropping 2.4% and the only counties getting average increases limited to single digits are Broward and Palm Beach counties, which together with Miami-Dade, account for 27% of Citizens’ policies. “The rate changes being implemented this year by Citizens show average costs increasing in the areas most impacted by the last three years of hurricane windstorm losses in Florida — primarily along the Gulf Coast from Collier County northward to the western portion of the Panhandle,” said Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications for the industry-backed Insurance Information Institute. “Additionally, we are seeing average rate increases in counties along the Interstate 4 corridor, from the Tampa Bay region through Orlando.” Increasing population and property values in those areas also play a role. But there’s no denying that while the southeast Atlantic coast hasn’t had a direct hit in decades, four of the past five hurricanes making a Florida landfall since 2022 have been along the Gulf Coast. And a few of them barreled across the state’s midsection and then hit Central Florida. Please click here for more: Insurance Rate Hikes Hitting Fla. Gulf Coast

SARASOTA COUNTY COMMITS FUNDS TO DREDGING

After months of urging from neighborhood residents who were flooded by Hurricane Debby last summer, the Sarasota County Commission signaled it would use $75 million in federal hurricane recovery money to dredge Phillippi Creek and other local waterways that flooded. The money will be distributed by the Resilient SRQ program, which was originally set up to spend Hurricane Ian federal recovery money and extended this year when the county became eligible for another $210 million from the U.S. government after Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. Commissioners finalized the spending plan at a recent meeting and will send it to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for review. There are several federal hoops for county officials to jump through, including a requirement that 70% money go towards low-to-moderate income households – those that pull in $64,506 or less. Also, 85% of the money must either “tie back” to the 2024 storms or be used to protect against future storms. All of the funding must be spent within six years of project approval. HUD also required a 30-day public comment period after the first draft was published. Sarasota County held several public meetings this spring and had taken community input online. Of 560 submissions through online forms, email, public hearings, and by the mail, about 69% were about dredging. Residents along Phillippi Creek who were flooded by Hurricane Debby have organized and urged county officials to dredge the creek; many have said silt and debris build-up over the years contributed to the historic flood damage after record-setting rainfall. “Dredging” is the removal of sediment and debris from bodies of water. The National Ocean Service calls it a “a routine necessity” to clear waterways and increase their depth. Officials have since identified “Dredging of Phillippi Creek” as a standalone project. It was initially to receive $60 million from the first draft of the grant spending plan. Another category, “Dredging of Major Waterways,” was allotted $10.5 million. However, commissioners have worried for months that such a budget would put them at a disadvantage when negotiating with subcontractors. Commissioner Ron Cutsinger suggested they “split the baby” and move some of the Phillippi Creek money over to Major Waterways, which he said would help when county officials solicit bids on the project. The county will also be able to move money from the Major Waterways budget to Phillippi Creek, if needed. “My understanding is that Phillippi Creek is considered a major waterway,” Cutsinger said. In the end, “Dredging of Phillippi Creek” was awarded $45 million and “Dredging of Major Waterways” was awarded $30 million – together about 35% of all the federal recovery money. Sarasota County Public Works Director Spencer Anderson had previously told the Herald-Tribune those “Major Waterways” could include Forked Creek, Curry Creek, Gottfried Creek, Shakett Creek, Hudson Bayou and Whitaker Bayou. Please click here for more: County Commits To Dredging

CONDO CRISIS

Anticipating a refinancing offer that could save him $647 a month, Dave Mayers of Jupiter instead got a jolt of reality: The deal was nixed after lenders saw the level of insurance his condominium association was carrying. Inadequate insurance is the most oft-cited reason that more condominium associations are on federal mortgage guarantor Fannie Mae’s blacklist, a number that’s more than tripled over the past two years. This kind of listing makes it more difficult for condo buyers to get loans, for condo associations to borrow for repairs and, for residents like Mayers, to refinance an existing mortgage. “I’ve never been rejected for a loan in my life,” said the 74-year-old retired Pennsylvania furniture store owner. The Legislature this session passed a bill that made new rules for condo associations to take out loans and get lines of credit to finance needed repairs — seen as helping condo dwellers cope with new state regulations designed to avert a deadly disaster like the one that felled a 40-year-old Miami-area condo tower. The new legislation clarifies three options for acceptable levels of condo insurance. Still, following the guidelines set out in the bill might not get associations a clean bill of health from financial institutions, which are looking for condos to be insured at full replacement value. Talking about the legislation’s insurance tweak, the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Jennifer Bradley, said: “There are associations in Florida that I think are being asked to carry coverage levels at an exorbitant cost and insurance levels they will never touch. So … in consultation with their insurance specialist, they (condo associations) will be able to land on the proper level that is adequate from a protection standpoint.” The bill allows for condos’ common property to be insured at “insurable value.” Fannie Mae, however, requires what may be a higher bar: that the common property is insured for the full replacement cost — a guidance that many banks follow in deciding who gets a loan. Andy Kasten, president of Fort Lauderdale-based Creative Financial Property and Casualty, said insuring for anything less than full replacement value could mean of a repeat of the Surfside debacle, where the association was unable to rebuild because of underinsurance. In that tragedy, 98 people were killed when the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside collapsed in the early hours of June 21, 2021. His condo’s status has Mayers — and many more who may not know it — in a catch-22. He’s been emailing lawmakers and state agencies about to no avail, he said. The condo can’t get the required insurance because the roof is too old, but it’s not old enough that it needs replacing, he said. “They’ve been getting prices on replacing the roof, but they don’t want to do it yet — it’s not an emergency,” Mayers said. “We have to fund other things the state is mandating.” As the state’s scrutiny of the condition of condominium buildings increased following the Surfside disaster, the insurance market for condominiums worsened. Only two or three companies would insure garden-style, low-rise condos and coverage for high-rises were simply unaffordable compared to years past, according to Tyler Spaedt, vice president at Valley Insurance Services, which specializes in condo communities. “The last three years were the toughest markets that there’s ever been in Florida,” Spaedt said. In the last five to eight months, though, things have started looking better. “People are starting to save and more (kinds of) coverages are becoming available,” Spaedt said. Still, he says, about one of the 10 of associations he’s covering can’t manage to buy the insurance that would pay for the full replacement value of a condo association’s common property. “It’s not always about what they’re going to save, even though that’s a big part of it. … Some of it (the associations getting insured for less than the replacement value) is that it’s not available to them, based on the condition of the building,” Spaedt said. There’s more to read here, courtesy of the Palm Beach Post: Condo Crisis

SARASOTA COUNTY TO ACT ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING

The Sarasota County Commission appears poised to embrace some of its most aggressive policies on affordable housing in decades. Following a presentation in early April on recommendations by the local Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, or AHAC, commissioners spoke favorably of its boldest proposals and voted unanimously to hammer out the details at a future workshop. “I was overwhelmed with the positivity,” Jon Thaxton, AHAC’s chair, said afterward, calling the board’s reaction to his presentation and the recommendations a “180-degree turn” from that of the previous commission. “It was heartening because there was clearly an interest in not only talking about it, but there was clearly an interest in doing something,” added Thaxton, who is also director of policy and advocacy for the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Notably, a majority of commissioners expressed either enthusiasm or outright support for the AHAC recommendation to use a percentage of rising property tax income from new development as an ongoing source of revenue for the county’s affordable housing trust fund. It’s an idea conceived of by AHAC member Drayton Saunders, president of Michael Saunders & Co., the largest real estate brokerage in the region. The plan is also strongly backed by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. Commissioner Mark Smith – who brought the idea before the board last year, only to be met with silence from his colleagues as the topic was dismissed without comment – called it “essential.” “A fundless fund isn’t much use,” Smith said at the recent meeting. “I hope this board will take this seriously.” The new board seems to be doing just that. With two new members, the commission peppered Thaxton with questions and voiced the desire to take more forceful and proactive measures on affordable housing. Several of them acknowledged that action would be far more likely once the county has access to its own regular supply of dollars for the trust fund. Once the commission agreed to move forward with the recommendations at a workshop, Thaxton said they would be able to do so armed with a forthcoming report on affordable housing, the final draft expected to be released later in May. The new study by the Florida Housing Coalition was commissioned last fall by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, The Patterson Foundation, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. According to preliminary findings released last November, the Sarasota-Manatee County region is in the hole by between 10,000 and 20,000 affordable rental units. In addition to overcoming that deficit, Sarasota County alone will need to build another 14,000 affordable homes in the next decade just to keep pace with growth and demand, the study found. Please click here for more: Sarasota To Act On Affordable Housing

COUNTY MAY SEEK GULF GATE PROPERTY

Sarasota County may again seek to buy the former Gulf Gate Executive Golf Course, which could be used to help clean stormwater runoff before it drains to nearby waterways. The 48.9-acre parcel’s owner, Fort Lauderdale-based 13th Floor Homes, is willing to modify its previous asking price, according to a recent memo from county Planning Development Services Director Matthew Osterhoudt. Environmentalists, water quality advocates, and residents — including members of the Gulf Gate Community Association — see the land as a stormwater management and flood mitigation solution. County Commission Chairman Joe Neunder emphasized its potential as a multi-use green space. Sarasota County already owns a 2.5-acre parcel on the course for a lift station. The developer is entitled to build 106 homes, marketed as Lotus Bay. In 2023, Sarasota County appraised the land at $4.6 million and $3.8 million — far below $10-11 million offers from developers. A more recent county appraisal in February valued it at $5.3 million. On April 29, the county reached out again to explore a new purchase offer. Neunder received approval from the commission to proceed with updated appraisals. County May Seek Gulf Gate Property

OPINION: PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE PROPERTY TAXES

This is a recent Op-ed from Budge Huskey, CEO of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty. A select committee of the Florida House of Representatives is evaluating a bold proposal that could dramatically transform the state’s fiscal foundation and housing market: the potential elimination of property taxes. If the measure advances, it may appear on the 2026 ballot as a constitutional amendment with far-reaching consequences for homeownership, public services, and Florida’s broader economy. At first glance, the proposal is appealing. Lawmakers are reportedly considering several sweeping changes, including a $500,000 homestead exemption (and up to $1 million for senior residents), authorizing the Legislature to raise exemptions by statute, and capping property assessment increases at 15% over three years for both homestead and non-homestead properties. Eliminating property taxes altogether, however, would represent the ultimate reach. As with any sweeping reform, the deeper implications warrant scrutiny. Property taxes are a cornerstone of Florida’s public finance system. According to the Florida Policy Institute, they generate approximately 18% of county revenues, 17% of municipal revenues, and up to 60% of funding for public schools. Real estate, including land and permanent structures, comprises 94% of the state’s taxable base. Unlike more volatile revenue sources such as sales taxes, property taxes provide steady, predictable funding for essential services like education, emergency response, infrastructure, and community development, which underpin quality of life and economic resilience. Eliminating this estimated $55 billion in annual revenue raises a fundamental question: what would take its place? A leading alternative under discussion is a significant increase in the state sales tax. The Florida Policy Institute estimates that the current 6% rate may need to double to 12% to make up the difference, potentially making Florida’s sales tax the highest in the nation. While shifting the burden may seem straightforward, the impact would be regressive. Sales taxes disproportionately affect low- and middle-income households and are more susceptible to economic downturns, threatening the stability of funding for vital services. Moreover, Florida’s constitution restricts local governments’ ability to independently raise revenue, often requiring supermajority approval and thereby further limiting flexibility. Proponents argue that an increased reliance on sales taxes would shift more of the tax burden to visitors. While that theory has surface appeal in a tourism-driven economy, the elasticity of demand remains uncertain. Higher costs may prompt tourists to shorten their stay, spend less, or consider alternate destinations, all of which would undercut the very revenues intended to replace property taxes. From a real estate standpoint, the potential upside is clear. Eliminating property taxes could significantly lower the long-term cost of homeownership, especially for buyers relocating from high-tax states. Florida’s appeal could intensify, and sellers may benefit from increased demand and higher property values. For renters, however, it is unlikely that tax savings for landlords would be passed on, so they may face increased costs for goods and services from the higher sales tax, representing regressive effects on affordability. These incentives emerge against a backdrop of rapid housing appreciation. Florida home prices have increased 64% over the past five years, while property taxes rose nearly 48%, according to U.S. News & World Report, citing data from Redfin and CoreLogic. Value gains, however, are now trimming. Florida is already considered one of the most tax-friendly states in the country. Eliminating property taxes could further enhance its attractiveness to domestic and international buyers, particularly retirees and second-home investors seeking lower carrying costs. Still, policies of such magnitude must be approached with caution. Real estate markets do not operate in a vacuum. The very qualities that make Florida appealing, such as strong schools, safe neighborhoods, and sound infrastructure, depend on stable, locally controlled funding. Without a viable, equitable replacement for property tax revenue, these community cornerstones could be at risk. There’s more to read here: Opinion: Eliminating Property Taxes

LAKEWOOD RANCH REZONING APPROVED

Lakewood Ranch received clearance recently to build hundreds of new homes east of Interstate 75 as part of a major expansion project. The Sarasota County Commission voted for a rezoning for part of Lakewood Ranch Southeast, a venture to build 5,000 new homes on 4,100 acres east of I-75 in Sarasota and Manatee counties. It comes amid a development boom in Sarasota County’s traditionally rural and pastoral eastern areas. The rezoned land is just north of where the 13,000-home Hi-Hat mega-development is planned. Matthew Osterhoudt, Sarasota County’s director of Planning and Development Services, wrote in a memo that the expansion for this particular rezoned area, known as “Project Area 2,” will include 910 houses and 490 apartments or townhomes on 548 acres. The designation for the land between University Parkway and Fruitville Road was adjusted from one unit every 10 acres to 3.5 units every acre – an increase of about 3,451%. “Although there is no affordable housing required for the Lakewood Ranch Southeast development, the Applicant receives a residential unit bonus if affordable housing is provided,” Osterhoudt noted. As such, 200 units would be designated as “affordable housing.” However, they will be offered as attainable to households that make 120% of the area median income, which in Sarasota County is about $93,000. The commission faced a similar circumstance to its recent vote on the Hi Hat development. In 2022, the County Commission approved Lakewood Ranch Southeast as part of a Master Development Order (MDO) − which incorporates it into the county’s long-term plans as long as it checks certain design boxes. If the developer jumps through the right hoops after that, county officials would be hard-pressed to deny them a rezone petition. Rex Jensen, Lakewood Ranch’s chief developer, had previously told the Herald-Tribune that if Manatee County officials rescinded previously approved plans, he would sue. That pending threat of court action was also clear at the Sarasota County board meeting. Commissioner Mark Smith was steadfastly critical of the project during a discussion. He said the commission’s original approval was for an expansion of Lakewood Ranch, not “the creation of a separate community or development,” which he felt the project was shaping up to be. He asked county staff and the county attorney if the board had any latitude to deny the rezone, but did not receive a clear answer. Commissioner Tom Knight, the board’s chief development skeptic, said plainly he did not want to approve the expansion, but felt the commission was bound to the previously approved Mast Development Order. “I really don’t want to support it, but I know it’s going to happen,” Knight said. There’s more on this story here: LWR Rezoning Approved.

PLAN MIGHT KEEP MIDNIGHT PASS OPEN

The future of Midnight Pass, opened by the one-two punch of hurricanes Helene and Milton last year, could be greatly enhanced by some form of inlet management plan, speakers at a Sarasota public forum on the longstanding issue recently said. Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Executive Director David Tomasko, one of four panelists discussing the future of the pass at a Sarasota Tiger Bay Club meeting, pointed to the plan established by Collier County to manage Clam Pass as a prime example. Once one of three passes that linked Clam Bay to the Gulf – development in the 1950s and ’60s closed the other two – Clam Pass closed naturally in 2012 and Collier County received a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge it in 2013 to improve water quality. Once the depth drops to a certain point and the speed of the water moving in and out slows down enough, “the pass is in danger of permanently closing, so they go and do a dredging,” Tomasko explained of the strategy behind pass management. “They actually are proactive.” Two other panelists, Jono Miller, the former co-director of New College of Florida’s environmental studies program, and Glenn Compton, chairman of local environmental advocacy group Manasota-88, both agreed that Collier County’s policy was worth looking into. “I think it’d be great to have the Collier County people come out and explain how that all works,” Miller said. The fourth panelist, Midnight Pass Society II board member Mike Holderness, did not voice an opinion on Clam Pass but did say that Sarasota County – which monitors and models the flow of the Midnight Pass – should also actively pursue permitting for dredging. “I don’t know why the permitting process hasn’t started,” Holderness said. “All we’re doing is monitoring it and …it’s just moving to the north and as it moves to the north, we could have another storm that closes it”. Holderness noted that prior to Helene and Milton doing the job, the state Legislature had budgeted $500,000 to study the impact of dredging Midnight Pass and since then, the West Coast Inland Navigation District board designated Midnight Pass and associated north and south channels as “public channels.” That meant Sarasota County could spend WCIND funding on projects related to the pass. The Sarasota County Commission listed keeping Midnight Pass open among its 2025 strategic planning priorities. “This is what needs to happen,” Holderness said. “We need to get started on the permit process, so we can know what other things we need to work on to get started, but we need a permanent, resilient and sustainable solution.” Compton said it would be critical to see the type of permit Sarasota County pursues. “The devil is in the details,” Compton said. “Where is the dredge going, what is it going to impact, what seagrasses are going to have to be mitigated.” Sarasota County staff is not there yet. In response to an email asking if the county had started actively pursuing permits to dredge Midnight Pass, a Sarasota County spokeswoman queried Public Works then responded: “The county is not pursuing permits and has no plans to dredge or otherwise stabilize Midnight Pass”. “We have informed FDEP that, if it becomes necessary, we will pursue an emergency permit to reopen the inlet if it is closed by a storm,” she added. There’s more on this story here: Plan Could Keep Midnight Pass Open.

MOTE FINDS EARLY SEA TURTLE ACTIVITY

Mote Marine Laboratory documented the first turtle nesting activity of the 2025 season on the Sarasota area shoreline recently. Sea Turtle Patrol from Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program (STCRP) documented three loggerhead sea turtle nests – one each on Longboat Key, Siesta Key and Casey Key. STCRP staff, interns and more than 300 volunteers began monitoring for nests on April 15, two weeks before the normal start of nesting season. Daily surveys covering 35 miles of nesting beaches from Longboat Key to Venice will continue to be conducted through Oct. 31. During the season, STCRP staff and volunteers will collect data on nesting activity to track trends related to sea turtle ecology. Each nest will be marked with yellow stakes and flagging tape to prevent disturbances while data collection continues. Loggerhead sea turtles are a threatened species protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and they’re the most commonly observed nesting species in this region, followed by endangered green sea turtles. While nesting season doesn’t start officially until May 1, STCRP senior biologist and data manager Melissa Macksey said that the group wanted to catch the first signs of nesting at beaches. “Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, interns, and staff, we’re able to cover a large stretch of coastline and monitor for early nesters. We couldn’t do it without them,” Macksey said. During nesting season, it is important to keep local waters and beaches sea turtle friendly. Please follow the jump for more on this story: Mote Finds Early Sea Turtle Activity.

MOTE AQUARIUM AIMS TO OPEN LATER IN 2025

The new, $130 million Mote Science Education Aquarium at Nathan Benderson Park, aka Mote SEA, should open in 2025 but the date is uncertain, depending on several variables, including preparation of water at the facility, the quarantine process for the animals moving in, and state and federal permits. Mote President & CEO Michael Crosby explained the delay recently after a press conference regarding Mote’s new status as a secondary rehabilitation facility for manatees. “It’s moving along great, and I go out there about once a week,” Crosby said of the facility that, once open, could double Mote’s annual visitation to approximately 700,000 people a year. “Every day I go out there, it’s different and better. It’s going to be quite exciting. It’s gonna be so great for our community here, the entire region, something I think we can all take great pride in, because this entire community came together to help us create the Mote SEA science education aquarium.” Before the 2024 hurricane season, Mote officials had targeted a soft opening last winter and an official opening this year to mark the 70th anniversary of the independent, nonprofit, marine research organization. Crosby said the controlling variables for the aquarium’s opening involve water chemistry and animal quarantine. “Every single one of the animals that goes in there has to go through a quarantine system,” Crosby said. “We built a massive quarantine facility for all of these animals out at Mote Aquaculture Research Park; it’s jam packed with animals now that are going through the quarantine process.” Depending on the species, that quarantine could take from 30 to 90 days. Once those animals are moved, the next batch of animals would be moved from Mote’s aquarium at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway to the aquaculture park for quarantine. The water chemistry side is equally complicated, Crosby added. Each tank at Mote SEA must first be filled with fresh water, in part to make sure any chemical compounds harmful to marine life are gone. Then the results of that must be confirmed and then the tanks must be filled with seawater, the pH tested and then “you have to make sure the microbial community is inoculated into the seawater, into the life support system.” “It’s an incredibly complex situation,” he said. The gulf habitat – the largest at Mote SEA – features a 400,000 gallon tank. Please click here for more: Mote Aquarium Aims To Open Later This Year.

ICONIC RESTAURANT EUPHEMIA HAYE REOPENS

One of the longest-running restaurants in Sarasota and Manatee counties is reopening after being closed for the past month. Expect the same enchanting atmosphere and upscale experience at Euphemia Haye — the Longboat Key landmark that originally opened in 1975 — but with new ownership. “Yes — we’re officially reopening Friday, May 23, at 5 p.m.,” said Georgette Young, guest relations manager. “It’s been a whirlwind getting everything ready this week. We’re treating it as a bit of a soft opening, but we’re thrilled to welcome guests back. Reservations are available on OpenTable under our new listing: Euphemia Haye Restaurant & The Haye Loft.” Public records show that Jason and Rachel Ghormley are the new owners of Euphemia Haye. The former owner, Chef Ray Arpke, declined to comment. A story by Kim Doleatto in Sarasota Magazine highlighted the Ghormleys’ $13M unit purchase at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort. Jason Ghormley was also a founding member of Hydrologic, acquired by Winsupply in 2022. “Yes, there are new owners, and while I can’t share too much, they’ve been longtime fans,” said Young. “They love the restaurant deeply… They’re passionate about preserving what makes it special.” The reopening brings back all signature dishes, the baker, dessert room, and even the leadership team of the past 25–30 years. “It’s truly like reuniting with family.” Please click here for more: Iconic Euphemia Haye Reopens.

MAJOR ARTISTS BOOKED BY SARASOTA CONCERT ASSOCIATION

Two of the world’s most well-known orchestras and one of the most popular classical musicians are booked for performances during the 2025-26 season for the Sarasota Concert Association. The organization’s 81st season of the Great Performers Series will feature concerts with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from London and the Philadelphia Orchestra, along with violinist Joshua Bell performing with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Bell is the music director of the British chamber orchestra. The organization will once again split its performances between the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and the Riverview Performing Arts Center at Riverview High School. “We have two programs with artists making their Sarasota debuts – the Danish String Quartet – and they’re known for doing accessible chamber music, and a phenomenal young Russian pianist Alexander Malofeev,” said Linda Moxley, the executive director of the concert association. “He’s only 23 years old and he is stunning everyone everywhere.” The association was launched by the Sarasota Women’s Club in 1938 and evolved into the Community Concert Association, which was affiliated with a series put together with similar organizations across the country by Columbia Artists Management. SCA split from Columbia Artists and now books and plans its season on its own. While many arts organizations nationally have struggled to get audiences to return after the COVID pandemic shutdown, Moxley said SCA has “bounced back nicely,” adding, “We’re even exceeding where we were before the pandemic.” She said Sarasota arts organizations may have come back better than in other cities because it is a “culturally rich community and people who live here come here in part because they love the arts.” In its 80th season, Moxley said SCA saw a “tremendous increase in subscribers, 23 percent, and this year subscriptions are already ahead of where they were last year.” In addition to the Great Performers Series, Sarasota Concert Association presents free monthly Music Matinees during the season highlighting, primarily, local artists and those performing in the Sarasota area. The programs are moving next season to St. Andrews United Church of Christ to accommodate more people. Major Artists Booked By Sarasota Concert Association

SARASOTA ORCHESTRA CENTER CAMPUS PREVIEW

The initial concept design for the new home of the Sarasota Orchestra reveals an expansive campus of three buildings connected by an outdoor courtyard that leaders hope will be seen as a welcoming refuge on a busy roadway. Architects with William Rawn Associates, the Boston-based firm hired as the design architects for the project, recently unveiled a rendering of the complex that will eventually include an 1,800-seat concert hall, 700-seat recital hall and an education and administrative wing. As currently designed, it will take up about 250,000 square feet on a 32-acre site on Fruitville Road, just west of I-75. “We imagine it as an alluring place for music gathering in the community,” said Joseph McKenna, president and CEO of Sarasota Orchestra. He noted that the educational building is strategically located on the east side of the property, with the concert hall on the west. “The east side is where the sun rises and everything begins with education. Those pillars of education are embedded in this space for people to gather and discover,” McKenna said. McKenna said that the design makes the buildings accessible to the community. “The first floor of the concert hall will have seating for 800 or 1,000 people. In some venues, it’s hard to have access. We want it to be easy for people to come and go.” The flow will be atypical, bringing the outside courtyard into the other buildings with glass and other design features. The three buildings are connected to a center courtyard, which Gayley said should be a “place where a few people can go and feel completely at peace and enjoy, and also where a large event can take place. There’s a lot of careful planning in terms of those different scenarios.” A covered walkway, which he described as “a big visor,” rises 40 feet along a driveway where drop-offs and valet parking will happen. “It creates a sense of a front porch where people are protected and shaded,” Gayley said. There will be parking on either side of the campus, though details of how that will work will come in later design phases. Bergeron said there will be a bus stop near the complex on Fruitville Road that will connect to the front of the building. William Rawn is working with the Houston-based landscape architecture firm OJB to design and help configure the property. George F. Young is handling engineering on the project. The entry to the courtyard will be open to Fruitville Road, and Johnson said there is no intention to put up walls to block noise. “You want the sense that it’s part of the community, not cut off. Acoustically, the building is working with the noise from the road and passing airplanes.” He added that the campus is set back a “suitable amount from Fruitville Road” to minimize some of the noise from the passing traffic, but the design teams are always looking at ways to help create a calm atmosphere. Interior acoustics are a key factor in how the buildings are being designed, McKenna said. “There is not a meeting or a conversation that goes by without that being a centerpiece. With these gentlemen and our acousticians at Stages, it’s so a part of the ethos of everything we’re doin. Sarasota Orchestra Campus Preview

AZARA BALLET HIRES ITS FIRST ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

In less than three years, Azara Ballet has grown and gained attention far beyond the expectations of its founders, Kate Flowers and Martin Flowers. They created the company to welcome diverse dancers and emphasize mental, emotional, and physical well-being, with a focus on body positivity and individuality. Now, they’ve hired their first artistic director, Joshua Stayton, a soloist with the Cincinnati Ballet who plans to retire from dancing this fall. They also got the attention of The New York Times, which featured Azara in a January story highlighting companies that support neurodivergent dancers. Kate, diagnosed with autism in 2024, realized she needed to delegate leadership to allow the company to grow. She trusts Stayton, whom she has known for 25 years, to help transition Azara into its next phase. Stayton, announced as artistic director at the May 17 gala, brings experience as a teacher and choreographer and will contribute new works. Martin Flowers will continue teaching and choreographing. Stayton, who danced with Sarasota Ballet and Tulsa Ballet and trained in Cincinnati, Orlando, and Houston, aims to retire from dancing after November unless needed. Leaving Cincinnati is bittersweet, as he’ll miss family, but he’s excited for this new chapter. Azara Ballet Hires First Artistic Director