Palm Avenue hotel project up for review

A 160-plus room boutique hotel planned for a vacant parcel of city-owned land would include a second floor pedestrian bridge connecting the hotel to the adjacent recently-constructed public parking garage on Palm Avenue.

A draft of a development agreement shows a hotel complete with luxury rooms, a destination restaurant, pool deck and business meeting rooms.

The whole project will be tied into Sarasota’s arts and cultural theme, and cater to tourists looking to stay at a four-star hotel.

On Monday, City Commissioners are slated to review the Proposal for Development agreement with Floridays Development Co.

The hotel developer will pay the city $2.5 for the hotel site, a vacant postage stamp parcel directly to the north of the Palm Avenue garage.

In June, a committee chose Floridays Development over an Embassy Suites hotel project submitted by Jebco Ventures Inc. and the McKibbon Hotel Group.

The City Commission, acting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, will review the development agreement with Floridays on Monday.

As part of the development agreement, Floridays will use Sun Coast Work Force to hire qualified workers as a first priority for all construction jobs. Floridays will also give first preference to qualified Sarasota residents for all permanent and part time positions in the hotel once it is opened.