Construction on Mar Vista addition targeted for 2013

A second story at Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub is still in the works, even though it’s been almost three years since the proposal was first submitted.

Mar Vista owner Ed Chiles said a revised site-plan application will be submitted to the Planning, Zoning and Building Department soon, and he hopes work can begin on the project this time next year.

Last summer, Chiles’ staff did some redesigning and decided it wanted to move the second story approximately 15 to 20 feet closer to the water.

Planning, Zoning and Building Director Robin Meyer said the change meant a new site plan had to be filed, showing the changes that include rearranging some of the second story’s access points and adding a storage room where a stairway was originally planned.

“We are going back to the town, as requested, hope to re-file again soon and be in the midst of the project next year at this time,” Chiles said.

The second story is a long time coming.

Chiles got up on the roof of his restaurant more than two years ago to look at some routine roof maintenance.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Chiles said. “The view up there is really something.”

The visit to the roof spawned a plan to add a second story to the longtime restaurant, which was built in 1913 and is listed with the state as a Longboat Key historical structure.  

The plan is to take approximately 60 seats of the 70 seats located downstairs and move them upstairs. Ten seats, which are bar stools, will remain downstairs in the bar.

The second story, which will act as an open-air tree-house balcony, will become the main dining room. The second story, Chiles said, will blend in nicely with the restaurant’s outdoor wooden deck that was built among the trees a few years ago near Sarasota Bay.

In total, the restaurant will have approximately 169 seats once the project is complete.

On the first-floor of the restaurant, existing bathrooms have already been renovated and expanded.