Hart's Landing closed due to structural issues

Hart’s Landing, a bait shop and dock located at the foot of the John Ringling Causeway, is structurally unsafe for public occupation, the city announced today.

The city, which owns the property, made the decision to close the facility this afternoon. The closure followed a conversation with officials from Sarasota County, which manages and maintains the property and leases it to the bait shop.

An engineer, contracted by the city, found significant deterioration to multiple foundation pilings beneath Hart’s Landing. The damage makes both the structure and dock unsafe to occupy, the city announced in a release. The deterioration was only discoverable by inspecting under the building during low tide.

The city plans to hire an engineer to further inspect the property and advise officials regarding repairs. The timeline for those repairs is undetermined.

City officials are working with the bait shop to allow the concessionaire to drain tanks and reduce weight on the structure. The city and county are discussing options for providing facilities, including portable toilets, for the public in the area while Hart’s Landing is closed.

Contact David Conway at [email protected].