Fire Rescue responds to fire at Colony site

Officials are continuing an investigation into the cause of a blaze Sept. 22 at the former Colony Beach & Tennis Resort.

Longboat Key Fire Rescue, with assistance from the Sarasota County Fire Department, responded to a call 2:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at a vacant, six-floor building at 1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The fire was on the top floor of the condemned building on the site of the former resort and was contained by firefighters, who used water and foam. 

Gulf of Mexico Drive was closed in both directions for about 30 minutes Saturday afternoon because of the fire.

Longboat firefighters returned to the Colony site 9 a.m. Sunday after seeing smoke coming from the building’s roof. Fire Chief Paul Dezzi said a ladder truck was dispatched to check the building’s roof. No additional fire was discovered, he said.

Longboat Key Police believe the fire was either caused by juveniles playing inside, or by a person working on demolition of the site.

Clothes and debris were found on the sixth floor by firefighters.

Orlando-based Unicorp National Developments Inc. plans to develop a $600 million St. Regis Hotel and Residences, a 166-room, 78-condominium project, on the former resort property.

The company is in the process of demolishing buildings on the site, which has been shuttered since 2010. Unicorp President Chuck Whittall said Saturday’s fire will not affect demolition.

“We have 60 days to complete the process,” he said.

All of the remaining buildings need to be demolished before Unicorp can begin construction on the site. The town condemned the buildings and issued an emergency demolition order for the site over the summer.

In 2016, Unicorp bought 95% of the property for $22 million, or about $9.57 million per acre. The remaining property, 2.3 acres was purchased by Unicorp in July for $29.51 million, paying more than $12 million an acre.

A legal hurdle challenging demolition of four buildings at the former popular resort was lifted earlier this month, clearing the way for construction on the site to potentially begin by next summer with completion targeted for 2021.

Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Hunter Carroll denied challenges by several Colony unit owners to stop the town’s emergency demolition orders of four buildings, Vagabond, Beachview, Beachcomber and Lanai. The plaintiffs failed to prove the public’s interest would not be served by stopping the demolition.

Carroll said in her Sept. 6 decision there was evidence of a partial collapse of two portions of buildings, as well as termite, rodent and vermin infestation as well as a potential fire hazard, trespassers, lack of water, power and sewer on the property.