Bayfront planning group announces open house series

Next week, Sarasota residents will have another chance to share their thoughts on the future of more than 50 acres of city-owned bayfront land surrounding the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

The Bay Sarasota, the collective developing a master plan for that land, is holding open house events on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week. Representatives from the professional planning firm Sasaki, hired to put together that master plan, will be in attendance at the events.

The open houses are scheduled for:

• 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 34th Street
• 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, Van Wezel Grand Foyer, 777 North Tamiami Trail
• 8:30-11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, Van Wezel Grand Foyer, 777 North Tamiami Trail

The Bay will provide background information about the bayfront land and the planning initiative. The group will ask attendees to provide input about what, exactly, they’d like to see on a redeveloped bayfront.

“We want the entire community to give us their feedback from the interactive open house sessions to better imagine the possibilities,” The Bay Managing Director Bill Waddill said in a release.

The Bay also plans to launch an online survey next week for those who cannot attend an open house. The information gathered will be used to develop a set of options for the site, which Sasaki will present for further public feedback in April, the release said.

More information on the bayfront planning initiative can be found on The Bay Sarasota website.