Longboat library will be named for Buchanan

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is the sole million-dollar donor to the collaborative project between Sarasota County and Longboat Key to build a combination library and community space on the island municipality's Town Center Geen. 

Announced hours after Sarasota County Commissioners approved an agreement that would allow naming rights for the library to go to the million-dollar donor, the town confirmed Wednesday that donor was Buchanan, who has represented the region in Congress since 2007. That region has shifted over the years, though. His 16th District now encompasses nearly all of Manatee County and a segment of Hillsborough and none of Sarasota County.

Buchanan and his wife, Sandy, have lived in Longboat Key for four decades.

“Sandy and I have been looking for an opportunity to give back to our Longboat community and when this project was presented to us it was a perfect match,'' Buchanan said in a statement. “We are all about community and this space will be a gathering place for Longboat residents and visitors for generations to come.''

Though commissioners unanimously approved the naming-rights agreement, the donor had not been publicly identified until Longboat Key's announcement.

“Without giving anything away, I will say that what I’ve heard. … The person being considered contributed tremendously to our area and to Longboat Key,’’ Commissioner Mark Smith, who represents the Sarasota County portion of the island town on the commission, said at the commission meeting.

Since 2021, the town and the county have been working together on building a public library on the south end of the Town Center Green. The county is funding the $11 million construction of the library — similar to other community libraries around Sarasota. The town, through private donations of $3.5 million, is funding additional space intended to be used as community space.

That’s where the donors come in. In a letter to the County Commission, Town Manager Howard Tipton wrote the donations come with a series of understandings:

• $1 million (of which there is one donor): would come with the opportunity to name the building for the building’s useful life.
• $500,000 (of which there is one donor): would name both the indoor and outdoor community spaces, referred to as the community hall, also for the space’s useful lives.
• There would be space to recognize other project donors.

Because these requests are atypical of the county’s naming-rights conventions, county commission approval was required.

“Congressman Buchanan has through his public service brought home to our Town and this region hundreds of millions of federal dollars,'' Mayor Ken Schneier said. "Now heand his wife Sandy are leading our Community Hall campaign with our largest single gift and we received approval today from the Sarasota County Commission to have this wonderful facility named in their honor.''

Tipton said the private donations in the bank now total about $1 million, with between $1.2 million to $1.5 million expected to be deposited by the end of the year. The remainder of the $3.1 million now committed is expected over the next five years, potentially along with the last $400,000 to reach the target of $3.5 million.

“That finish line is right within sight,’’ he said, adding the fundraising campaign that started last August was interrupted by 2024’s devastating hurricanes and didn’t resume until February.

Still, he said, the town is committed to backing the remaining pledges to ensure the project can continue. 

“It’s been an interesting journey so far.’’

Tipton said he expects the remaining donated funds are to be banked following the construction progress, beginning with a groundbreaking in spring 2026, through completion in late 2027 and the million-dollar donor’s final installments by the end of 2029.

Donations up to $24,999 would be due by the end of 2025. From $25,000 to $249,999 donations can span over 2 years; $250,000 to $999,999 over 3 years and $1 million and higher donations had the leeway to pay over 5 years.

“I think the revenues are going to be there for you,’’ Tipton said.

The vision for the library is for an educational and leisure resource and also as a gathering spot for classes, events and other activities for which there is no current central location.

“It’s been a long time coming. It’s going to be a wonderful facility,’’ Commissioner Tom Knight said.