Floridays banks on north end

Sarasota-based Floridays Development Co.'s contract to purchase two vacant properties could spur north-end redevelopment.

By Kurt Schultheis
| 6:00 a.m. February 17, 2016

Floridays Project Manager James Brearley told the Longboat Observer Feb. 11 his company was able to reach an agreement with the gas station, which led to a contract for the bank building on Feb. 10.

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Sarasota-based Floridays Development Co. is under contract to purchase the vacant bank building and gas station to enhance a hotel footprint that could help revitalize the north end of Longboat Key.

Floridays Project Manager James Brearley told the Longboat Observer his company reached an agreement on the gas station, which led to a contract for the bank building Feb. 10.

What about Whitney Beach Plaza?

As Floridays Development Co. adds land and prepares for a new hotel, Whitney Beach Plaza owner Ryan Snyder is rebooting his referendum request for the struggling plaza.

But this time, it doesn’t include plans for a hotel.

Snyder is now preparing for a revised referendum for a mixed-use commercial and residential site. The concept calls for 8,000 to 10,000 square feet of commercial space and approximately 12 single-family home sites.

Snyder believes the north end can only support 10,000 of the plaza’s 50,000 square feet of commercial space.

“This area can support a smaller amount of commercial space, especially encompassed around single family homes in a mixed-use plan,” Snyder said.

In December, Snyder announced he wasn’t proceeding with a referendum request to change his plaza’s zoning from commercial to tourism after Sarasota-based Floridays Development Co. announced plans for a referendum request and future hotel next door. At the time, Snyder was concerned the island’s electorate would confuse the two referenda requests, which could cause voters to reject it. He also had plans to discuss the hotel concept Floridays plans for a 1.5-acre site next door to his property.

Snyder said his concept allows the majority of the tenants he currently has in the plaza “to stay put.”

Snyder has hired attorney Patricia Petruff, of the Bradenton-based Dye Deitrich law firm, to assist with the referendum, which he hopes to hold in August or November.

Planning, Zoning and Building Director Alaina Ray said Snyder will have to petition the Longboat Key Town Commission again to give planning staff direction to work with him on the revised referendum.

Combined with a contract to purchase lots owned by William Saba at 6920, 6916 and 6910 Gulf of Mexico Drive, along with parcels at 6931, 6927 and 6919 Palm Drive, Floridays now has approximately 2.6 acres on which to build a 120-room boutique hotel on a combined parcel of land that stretches from Broadway south to Cedar Street.

“We’ve been working to assemble the entire triangle for some time,” Brearley said. “It’s obvious to us it is the wish of the town for the entire triangle to be redeveloped at once, and that’s what we plan to do.”

In November, Floridays revealed its intent to build a hotel on the north end. Brearley and Floridays CEO Angus Rogers are seeking a referendum to change the zoning of the combined parcels from commercial to tourism use that allows six units per acre. To accommodate a 120-unit hotel, FLoridays will likely seek a special exception as part of a future site plan to receive additional tourism units.

District 5 Commissioner Pat Zunz said Floriday’s acquisition of the two other parcels is the catalyst the town needs to spur redevelopment of the north entrance of the Key.

“Without the bank building, they couldn’t do anything,” Zunz said. “This gives them a much better advantage.”

Zunz is also hopeful that a proposed roundabout at Gulf of Mexico Drive and Broadway that’s received preliminary support from the Florida Department of Transportation could be expedited once redevelopment progresses, especially because concern about pedestrian safety is high after a pedestrian was struck in the town’s southern-most crosswalk Feb. 8. Brearley said Floridays is prepared to give the town whatever amount of right-of-way is needed to build the roundabout.

“We would love to see our site redeveloped with a new roundabout to enhance the northern entrance of the island,” Brearley said.

Brearley said Floridays will schedule meetings with nearby Longbeach Village residents to inform them of its plan.

“We need 120 rooms and no more than that,” Brearley said. “We’re looking for no more than three stories over parking as suggested by the Longboat Key Revitalization Task Force and intend to be good neighbors.”