Aria celebrates summer start

Construction on the first new condominium project on Longboat Key in more than six years is scheduled to begin soon.

Developers celebrated the imminent groundbreaking for the 16-unit Aria project June 25 with a quick photo-op. A building permit for the project at 2251 Gulf of Mexico Drive is anticipated in the next week, according to project representative Amy Drake.

Positano and Grand Mariner were the last two condominiums built on Longboat Key. Construction of the 32-unit Positano was completed in 2006. Although the Grand Mariner project was completed in 2008, Bank of America filed a foreclosure suit against its developer later that year; the litigation put sales on hold for more than three years.

Jay Tallman, of Ascentia Realty Group, is the developer for the $60 million project. He partnered with Northbrook, Ill.,-based BBC Key LLC to develop the property. It includes the restoration of the historic Villa Am Meer estate on the property, which dates back to the early 1930s.

Units are currently priced between $3.44 million and $4.25 million and range from 3,804 square feet to 3,940 square feet in a new four-story building. Construction will last an estimated 15 to 17 months.

Units will include garages and extended terrace areas with approximately 4,000 square feet of space to maximize the units’ views. Unique sliding-glass doors will open to the large terraces and modern pools that overlook the Gulf. Three or four penthouses will hold private rooftop terraces, complete with summer kitchens and gardens. 

Open floor plans with large state-of-the-art kitchens and technology, which will allow owners to control everything from the air conditioning to entertainment systems, complete the mix.

After the Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Board recommended the project Jan. 22, more than half of the units were reserved in less than a day.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected]