Palm Avenue restaurant owner selects design firms

Three local firms have been picked as the best design and building companies for the Seidensticker family’s new restaurant and special events facility in the Palm Avenue parking garage.

Jonathan Parks Architect (JPA), Mills Gilbane and Fishman & Associates, earned their selections as the top three choices in a search that was conducted nationwide.

Mills Gilbane, who will handle the construction, along with JPA, were also part of the original team for the Palm Avenue parking garage project.

Venice-based Fishman & Associates, who is responsible for the kitchen design, was also selected based on its reputation and expertise in the hospitality industry.

All three firms were also able to demonstrate their ability to take the Seidenstickers’ vision and translate that into the actual design and build out process.

“The combined backgrounds and experience of Jonathan Parks Architect (JPA), Mills Gilbane and Fishman & Associates and their shared vision for helping make Palm Avenue and downtown Sarasota more vibrant are a perfect fit for us,” said Joe Seidensticker, co-owner of Libby’s Café + Bar, who with brother Patrick, will be directing the design and branding for the new restaurant and special events facility. “It is also very gratifying to know that we can keep this project locally based, while still meeting our needs to bring new dining and special event facility concepts to the region,” he added.

With the architect, kitchen design and construction company selections completed and renderings in the development stage, the new restaurant and special event facility concepts are being finalized.

Current plans are to have the new restaurant and special events facility open in time for the 2012-13 winter season, with a tentative opening date slated for mid-November 2012.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].