Citizens continue push against Lemon Avenue sale

Representatives for Hembree and Associates gained a series of approvals from the Sarasota City Commission Monday to continue developing its seven-story, mixed-use building next to the new State Street garage.

But as Hembree and Associates is focused on its project at 1500 State St., a group of residents continues to press the city not to sell the commercial real estate firm an adjacent city-owned parcel fronting Pineapple Park.

Although the City Commission doesn’t plan to revisit discussions regarding the 5,049-square-foot Pineapple Park site until October, residents opposed to the sale of the land told the city’s Parks, Recreation and Environmental Protection Advisory Board Sept. 17 that selling the parcel, in essence, would take away public park space.

The leaders of Save Our Sarasota, a group focused on preserving urban trees, have been vocal advocates against the sale. Although the property is classified by the city as a right of way, Barbra Campo and Jude Levy say the parcel functions as part of the park.

“When you see how this park is used when it’s activated, it’s absolutely beautiful,” Campo said. “And key to the usage of it is using the green space in the right of way.”

In the city’s downtown master plan, drafted in 2000, future plans for the area near Pineapple Park include a building in front of the Northern Trust Bank parking garage — the land Hembree and Associates has expressed an interest in buying.

Hembree and Associates President Joe Hembree said the State Street building is his company’s main priority, and talks regarding the Northern Trust liner building have cooled since earlier in the year.

Still, Hembree said his preference is to acquire the additional city-owned land to develop in addition to the 1500 State St. property. Last November, Hembree and Associates offered $250,000 for the Northern Trust land, appraised at $230,000. That appraised value includes a two-story restriction on building height.

He’s not making a strong rebuttal against those opposed to the sale, but Hembree said his proposal fits with the city’s master plan and would complement the park.

“We just want to do what the city wants done there,” Hembree said. “We’ve been waiting to hear from them.”

Since Pineapple Park was originally established, the city has changed the path of Lemon Avenue. The street now cuts through the land that constitutes Pineapple Park, dividing it into two parts. The western segment, separated from the fountain area, still has pavers and trees, but it also includes exposed dirt and irrigation systems.

Campo contrasts this with the right of way, which includes maintained grass and trees.

“If you look at the right of way strip, it’s almost the same measurement as the hardscape of (Lemon Avenue),” Campo said. “The right of way serves as mitigation for the green space that was lost.”

The former Lemon Avenue right of way extends deep into what some might consider parkland — 60 feet from the Northern Trust garage property line, including some of the land on which the park’s mermaid fountain sits. The proposed liner building would use 30 feet of that right of way.

Campo is not fighting just for the preservation of the status quo. As a downtown resident, she wants to see the park opened up for increased activity. Events such as book fairs or small music festivals could draw a steady crowd to the park and encourage the regular use of the space. She said such uses would discourage illicit activity associated with gatherings of homeless individuals.

Campo cited the Sarasota Farmer’s Market as evidence the park and the right of way can serve as a public good if the proper attractions are in place. She bemoaned the lack of park land in the downtown area in general and said city staff has indicated there aren’t plans to develop more. As a result, she sees the right of way as a crucial asset for a growing downtown core.

“What we have is beautiful green space, nicely maintained, with a lovely tree canopy already in place,” Campo said. “We have that whole area being used by thousands and thousands of people every weekend. To me, that maximizes the most benefit for public usage.”