City Commission Approves Master Plan for Bayfront Redevelopment
A rendering of phase one of The Bay
Image: Courtesy City of Sarasota
The Sarasota City Commission on Thursday voted unanimously to approve a master plan to redevelop the Sarasota bayfront near the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, a 53-acre site, and more narrowly approved plans to move ahead with phase one of the plan, which calls for the construction of a 10-acre park on the southern end of the property.
The Bay master plan approved by the Sarasota City Commission Thursday
Image: Courtesy City of Sarasota
The master plan includes construction of a new performing arts center and satellite building, an amphitheater, ecological gardens, a pier and bay overlook, food and beverage stations, pedestrian bridges that cross U.S. 41 and more. The Municipal Auditorium, Art Center Sarasota, the History Center, the Sarasota Garden Club and the Van Wezel would be left standing, while the former home of G.Wiz would be town down.
Phase one of the project will include the construction of piers near where the former G.Wiz building now stands, plus the addition of kayak launches, parking spaces and more. The cost to build phase one is estimated at between $15 million and $25 million.
