The site plan for Phase One of The Bay—the redevelopment of 53 acres of City of Sarasota-owned land along the downtown bayfront into a public park—was approved 4-1 by the Sarasota city commission on March 8.

The approval allows the Bay Park Conservancy, which is overseeing the project, to continue construction on a 10-acre area north of Boulevard of the Arts and south of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

Phase One includes the Mangrove Bayou Walkway, scheduled to open at the end of this month; the Living Shoreline, Sunset Boardwalk, a kayak launch and a concession plaza with restrooms. For more information, click here.