Newtown landfill property advances toward commercial development

Used for decades as an unlicensed city-owned landfill and most recently as a site for hurricane debris removal staging, the 13 acres in Sarasota known as the Marian Anderson property has finally taken its first official step toward brownfield cleanup and development in the heart of Newtown.

A group of partners called Newtown Gateway made its first appearance before the city’s Development Review Committee. It is seeking a rezoning without a site plan approval of 9.2 acres, located between U.S. 301 and the railroad tracks off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, from Commercial Residential District with a future land use designation of Community Commercial to Industrial General District, which is an implementing zone district for the Production Intensive Commercial future land use classification.

The rezoning would enable environmental remediation and development of the long-vacant site by allowing for light industrial use.

Newtown Gateway intends to divide the property into two parcels, one to be developed as a health care clinic and medical office complex. The parcel intended for light industrial use requires a Comprehensive Plan amendment and rezoning, which must be eventually approved by the Sarasota City Commission. 

The partnership of Newtown Gateway includes Miami-based Woodwater Investments CEO Barron Channer and Newtown residents Keith DuBose, Ernie DuBose and Al Davis. The group intents to purchase the site, which as a brownfield requires significant environmental remediation prior to being developed, from the city for $50,000.

Their effort to acquire the site for development dates back to 2021.

Having received partial DRC sign-off with few remaining outstanding matters to address with staff, the next step prior to acquisition is rezoning approval by the City Commission.