Sarasota is among Florida's most celebrated waterfront destinations. The city's thriving downtown district is a particular favorite among residents and visitors.
It's widely lauded for its arts and cultural scene with galleries and museums galore, unparalleled high-end boutique shopping, and countless restaurants, bars and entertainment venues all set along a stunning coastal footprint overlooking Sarasota Bay. Including the hip and stylish Rosemary District to the north, the area serves as the city's, and in many respects, the county's, beating heart.
But not every plot of land downtown warranted showstopper status—or even second or third billing. One such area was the 53-acre Sarasota Bayfront, just northwest of downtown.
Ripe for development
Boxed in by N Tamiami Trail to the east, 10 Street to the north and Boulevard of the Arts to the south, the current configuration includes the aging Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the historic 1938 Art Deco and Moderne-designed Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, and nearly half a mile of frontage along Sarasota Bay. Thirty of the site's 53 acres are parking lots.
In 2013, a dedicated group of Sarasota residents set out to transform the lifeless expanse of concrete and one of the city's most underwhelming spaces into something special.
Today, those plans are moving forward via The Bay Sarasota, a new waterfront destination for luxury living and recreation.
Bayfront 20:20, a brief history
In 2013, an ambitious plan took root to convert the 53 acres of city-owned land into a destination bayfront civic space for recreation and the arts. Those early efforts, branded Bayfront 20:20, centered on pulling together community leaders, neighborhood residents, and other local stakeholders to hash out the Bayfront's guiding plan.
From 2013 to 2015, a coalition came together, and the Sarasota City Commission created guiding principles for the Bayfront's redevelopment. A year later, the non-profit 501 (c)(3) Sarasota Bayfront Planning Organization (SBPO) was formed with a nine-member citizen volunteer board, and the search began for a master planning firm to put the project's vision, now called The Bay, on paper. From 22 submissions, the master plan from global design firm Sasaki would provide the Bay's blueprint for the future.
In 2018, the Sarasota City Commission approved Sasaki's plan clearing the way for development. The SBPO evolved into the non-profit 501 (c)(3) Bay Park Conservancy (BPC), the permanent group responsible for implementing the long-term plan for The Bay Sarasota.
The Bay Sarasota Phase One
Over the course of its 10 Days at The Bay grand opening in late October 2022, The Bay Sarasota welcomed more than 50,000 visitors to its 14-acre phase one public park space. Infused with new purpose and greater civic duty as "one park for all," as well as considerably more green space, the first phase is a culmination of nearly a decade of effort to give Sarasota's downtown waterfront a signature public park space.
Tucked in at the southern end of the 53-acre site, between Boulevard of the Arts and Mangrove Bayou, The Bay's phase one doesn't just set the stage for what's to come. Upon its opening, it instantly became one of Sarasota County's best parks and is a standout among those on Florida's Gulf Coast.
Belying its relatively modest footprint, phase one includes the following features and amenities:
- The Blue Pagoda Welcome Center
- Sarasota Garden Club
- Fountain Garden
- The Nest at the Bay food and concession stand which includes a large dining and events patio beneath an arching steel pergola
- Restored Mangrove Bayou
- Outdoor Reading Room overlooking the bayou
- The Common Ground Lawns are spacious enough for fitness and health activities and a comfortable place to take in the park's arts and culture programming or relax.
- The Oval gathering space, with a two-sided LED Screen
- The unique Ibis playground takes the shape of two towering Ibis birds.
- The Sunset Deck, a premier spot for catching stunning sunsets over Sarasota Bay
Activities within the 14-acre space include fitness classes such as yoga and Zumba, kayak and paddle boarding via the ADA-accessible launch, movie night at the Oval and self-guided nature walks.
The park also includes many environmental features, including a royal poinciana tree, butterfly garden, laurel oak tree, wildflower meadow, rookery, osprey nest, and resilient shoreline.
Finally, the 1.5-mile Mangrove Bayou Walkway, which also accommodates bikes and joggers, traverses phase one and future sections of The Bay. It also feeds into the 5-mile "Walk Around the Neighborhood," which takes you from The Bay to the Rosemary District and Gillespie Park before passing around and through a trifecta of parks north along N Tamiami Trail—Pioneer Park, Whitaker Gateway Park and Centennial Park.
The Bay Sarasota Phase Two
Approved in September 2022, phase two of The Bay is already under construction and moving forward at an incredible pace. Directly addressing the outer rim of the park, this phase of constriction will see significant improvements along N Tamiami Trail, to the park's northernmost stretch of land, before sweeping around The Bay's northwest corner with enhancements to the waterfront.
The most notable changes from this portion of the construction include a new Cultural District encompassing the Bay Park Conservancy offices, the Chidsey Building, the Art Center and the Municipal Auditorium and Community Center. The latter's recreational lawns, totaling 27,000 square feet, will also get upgrades, as will the entire frontage along N Tamiami Trail. New plazas will flank the auditorium, offering even more gathering space for visitors.
A new Canal District supporting the park's northern edge will add a covered 400-seat, 6,000-square-foot dining terrace with space for multiple food kiosks. A new plaza, boardwalk, day dock and seawall will round out the improvements.
Perhaps most exciting of all is construction on the first section of the Sunset Boardwalk at the westernmost end of phase one. The first section of the boardwalk will sweep dramatically out over Sarasota Bay, fed by a walkway leading back to the existing sunset deck. Eventually, the second half of the path will complete its journey back to the shore, encircling the Resilient Ecological Shoreline.
Phase two of The Bay is set for completion in 2026.
The Bay Sarasota future phases
Currently, plans for The Bay's future phases depend on ongoing funding from now to beyond 2026. A glance at The Bay's master plan tells you there is still plenty more at the 53-acre site.
In addition to a revamped boat ramp area north of the Canal District, a Waterfront Trail boardwalk and two additional piers/overlooks over Sarasota Bay, ambitious plans are in motion for the site's northern half—a new center for the performing arts.
With the aim of replacing the 60-year-old Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, current mock-ups envision a breathtaking new building integrated into and rising above The Bay's gorgeous green landscape. The concept art also shows the location of an event lawn and natural outdoor amphitheater overlooking Sarasota Bay.
The project is currently in the architect selection phase, with construction beginning in 2025 and the new performing arts center opening its doors in 2028.
A trusted real estate partner
It's an exciting time for Downtown Sarasota luxury real estate. If you're seeking a trusted team of real estate professionals to help you navigate this dynamic, contact The Fox Leiter Team today to start your home-selling or buying journey. Allow the team's experience and expertise to be your guide to Southwest Florida's exceptional real estate market.
