Longbeach Condominiums marks 50th anniversary with party

Even in the age of digital maps, Longbeach Condominiums residents say many still have trouble finding the spot tucked away on Broadway Street on the northern end of Longboat Key.

With its 17 acres of land, proximity to the Gulf and Beer Can Island and its intimate family-style community, it's often called “Longboat’s best-kept secret,” by residents.

That "secret" turned 50 years old this year. Longbeach celebrated the milestone the weekend of March 22-23.

“How lucky are we to be on these 17 acres in the best beach and the best island in Florida,” said Peter Butler, president of the Longbeach Homeowners Association. “When you think about it, it is really the memories that have been made on these physical assets that makes all this important. Families have gone one after another to pass along Longbeach and keep everybody connected.”

Residents came together on the rainy Friday night for a toast and cake to start the celebration weekend. Saturday, they hosted a dinner with a total of 89 guests. Jessie Butler chaired the 50th anniversary weekend with the help of her committee.

At the celebration, a special table was reserved for the six residents and their families who are original owners at Longbeach. They sat around the table and reminisced over their favorite times at their beach getaway.

The 88 units of Longbeach Condominiums were first for sale in 1974, which was the same year Becky Jones’ family bought their condo there. In the 1970s, she got to explore the area with her family when they were visiting a family friend. After that trip, she was surprised to find out that her father spontaneously bought a condo at Longbeach. She said that it fit everything they wanted in a Florida condominium: the gulf, lots of outdoor space, and the perfect beach to take walks on. In 2000, Jones bought her father’s condo after he passed away. 

“I really tie this place to him, and I think a lot of people do the same thing with their families because most got the condos are passed down,” said Jones. “It just constantly reminds me of those summers with my family. We would always leave the windows open and we could feel the summer breeze and hear the doves talking to each other. Not a lot of other places on Longboat have as much land as we do and access to nature like this.”

Like Jones, most original owners and other residents had their condos passed down to them from family and/or friends. Original owner Bob Appel, who was president at Longbeach four times, said this helps create the family environment among neighbors at Longbeach. 

Everyone was in agreement about their love for Beer Can Island and Longbeach’s access to the outdoors. Resident Steve Lakamp said that he can confirm all the stories to be true that people would go to Beer Can Island and leave all their beer cans along the island. Original owner Rob Hongen said Beer Can Island is the best place to kayak, bird watch and explore a lesser known part of Longboat. 

Many residents expressed that Longbeach's history includes concern over the receding shoreline due to hurricanes. With the help of beach renourishment, residents are content with the beach now but are always trying to be mindful to keep the gulf as healthy as possible. 

Longbeach hosts happy hours and holiday parties throughout the year. Many residents said that if they are looking for social hours they can always find people by the pool or the beach even when there is no event planned.

Original owner Joan Reploeg said that her favorite part about Longbeach is how casual and close-knit it is. Since there are only 88 units, it makes it easier to get to know more neighbors and feel a part of the community. 

Committee member Crystal Howard said that the units at Longbeach fill up fast. This is what happened to Mike White, Pat White and Susan Rivers, who just started renting two months ago. 

“We have fallen completely in love with Longbeach and Longboat Key,” said Rivers. “We are already planning to come back next year but the condo we are staying in now is already rented which makes us sad because we love the northern part of the island and the community we have built here at Longbeach. I think everyone’s adventurous spirits and their desire to build tight-knit friendships really makes this place stand out.”