Donors can bring a 25-year vision to life

The proposed library/community center hinges in part on donors contributing $3.5 million.

Longboat Key has been a part of my life for more than 50 years. My father was a three-term mayor and a town commissioner for almost 14 years. I have been a seasonal resident for more than 30 years.

For nearly 25 years, Longboat Key has envisioned a central gathering place for our island. Over the years, this vision has taken different forms — from a community center funded by Longboat taxpayers to a donor-funded arts, cultural and education center in collaboration with Ringling College.

While these earlier initiatives did not come to fruition, the dream of a vibrant Town Center remained strong. What was missing was the right partnership.

Now, Longboat Key has found the perfect partner to bring this vision to life, and I am assisting in any way I can to help make this a reality.

The journey began with a partnership between the town and Sarasota County to acquire the land for the Town Center Green, a 4.81-acre park at the heart of the Key. To complete the first two phases, town taxpayer money was used, Sarasota County provided a substantial grant and private donors generously contributed — all to fund the pavilion and stage that are now being enjoyed by the community.

Now, Sarasota County has committed $11 million to build a new library/community center at the Town Center Green. Today’s libraries are far more than books. They have evolved into dynamic hubs of technology, learning and community engagement. This new library/community center will feature state-of-the-art technology, gathering spaces and opportunities for lectures, workshops and lifelong learning. Most importantly, all events and programming will be free to the public, ensuring accessibility for everyone.

Through extensive public outreach, residents have voiced a clear desire for a larger and more versatile space to enhance the core offerings of the library/community center. To meet these needs, the town is seeking to raise at least $3.5 million in private donations for critical additions, including: 

• A welcoming plaza with a spacious social area
• A larger meeting space for 200+ attendees with built-in versatility to break out into smaller spaces if desired;
• An elevated and covered outdoor terrace connecting the library/community center to the Town Center Green.

While Sarasota County will allocate $1 million annually for operations and maintenance for the entire facility, the above three essential enhancements will not be county funded. Longboat Key needs the support of donors, large and small, to make this vision a reality. 

Every contribution, no matter the size, will bring us closer to transforming the library/community center into a true gathering place — a space for learning, connection and enrichment that will serve our island for generations to come.

I hope many of you will be open to a meeting to discuss this opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting impact on Longboat Key. Your support will help create a space where knowledge, culture and community come together, all free and open to the public.

I would be delighted to set up a meeting with those parties from Sarasota County and the town to provide more specifics on this wonderful project. Alternatively, I can set up individual meetings if that would be your preference.

Please contact me at [email protected] or 917-376-7000, or Susan Phillips, assistant to the town manager, at [email protected] or 941-316-1999, x1212.

— Jeffrey Lenobel