Bayfront 20:20 prepares for busy summer

Although the broad public engagement undertaken by Sarasota Bayfront 20:20 has been toned down since late last year, the group tasked with developing a vision for city-owned waterfront land is still moving forward.

The group held its last meeting before the summer Friday. To give stakeholders perspective on the site, the group completed a walking tour of the 42-acre swath of bayfront. Now, the work surrounding the bayfront land consists of three distinct efforts.

A technical team, made up of city staff, is compiling data on the site, gathering environmental and other logistical information. At the same time, Sarasota Bayfront 20:20 leaders will research best practices for designing, funding and managing the eventual project, the details of which are still undetermined.

Meanwhile, the Sarasota Orchestra and Van Wezel Foundation are conducting needs assessments, which will help map out their plans for growth. Representatives for both organizations said success has left them eager to expand.

“We have no room left in our building,” Sarasota Orchestra CEO Joe McKenna said. “We can’t even add another staff person.”

The group plans to synthesize all the information in September, allowing it to create a more comprehensive roadmap for the bayfront’s redevelopment.