Main Street hotel moves closer to approval

Sarasota County commissioners took a step towards approving a new downtown hotel located at the northeast corner of U.S. 301 and Main Street.

At a meeting Wednesday, commissioners voted unanimously to direct staff to negotiate with SHD Partners on a contract that would allow the development group to construct a hotel on the county-owned parcel located at 20 N. Washington Blvd.

The group plans to build a 9-to-10-story Kimpton Hotel on the land. The hotel, at 115,000 square feet, would contain 150 rooms, a 120-seat restaurant and a 6,000-square foot conference area.

As part of a sale agreement with the county, SHD Partners would conduct a parcel swap to allow for the county to continue providing parking for downtown county services. If an agreement were finalized, SHD Partners would obtain the property at 2051 Main St. and construct an 86-space parking lot before transferring that space to the county.

To complete the agreement, SHD Partners would pay the county about $660,000 — the difference between the assessed values of the two properties.

The hotel was one of only two proposals the county received for the land during the 45-day invitation to negotiate period. Commissioners stressed that today's action was just the beginning of the negotiation process, and that no plan has been finalized.

Still, several commissioners expressed hope the hotel would come to fruition.

“I’m really interested in where the negotiations go on this,” Patterson said. “If they go well, my interest is getting more hotel rooms in Sarasota County and especially in the downtown area.”

Contact David Conway at [email protected].