G.WIZ staying put on the bayfront

The Sarasota City Commission will move forward with G.WIZ Science Museum lease negotiations on the museum’s bayfront parcel after city staff ensures G.WIZ is in compliance with the city’s grant policy.

The decision was made at Monday’s regular commission meeting after city officials learned last week that a suggestion by Commissioner Shannon Snyder to discuss relocating G.WIZ to another city parcel in order to attract a high-profile tenant to the waterfront could never be accomplished. That’s because both a city-owned parcel at 1000 Blvd. of the Arts and the G.WIZ parcel can never be sold to a private entity, according to submerged lease mandates and other requirements that are tied to both parcels.

The commission also approved modification suggestions for a 10-year referenda extension of St. Armands Circle’s taxing district to pay for future improvements that include a Circle parking garage and the burying of power lines around the Circle.

For more information, pick up a copy of Thursday’s April 19 Sarasota Observer.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].