Historic status suggested for Van Wezel

An ongoing bid to seek historic building status for the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, and perhaps preserve it as the city's primary performance venue, came before the Sarasota City Commission at its March 3 meeting.

At the request of Commissioner Kathy Kelley Ohlrich, local historic preservationist Lorrie Muldowney pitched commissioners to consider applying the Van Wezel to the National Register of Historic Places, designation of which, chief among other benefits, would exempt the building from the 50% FEMA rule that limits renovations to flood-prone properties to half of their appraised value.

That would help the city’s Purple Ribbon Committee, which is facing an early summer deadline to make its recommendations to repurpose — or not — the Van Wezel should the city move forward with a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center.

In introducing Muldowney, Olrich said the city is obligated to at least keep the Van Wezel operational if and until the SPAC is built, adding the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation has been exploring potential viable solutions. 

“They have identified ways to preserve the Van Wezel’s historic significance while also offering fiscally responsible options for the city, whether in the short term or for its continued use in the long term,” Ohlrich said.

In other words, should the City Commission decline to enter into an implementation agreement with the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation to build a new facility, the Van Wezel could be rehabbed at any cost — and be eligible for state and federal grants — should it be registered as historic.

Timing, however, is an issue. The commission is due to vote on the implementation agreement on March 17. Meanwhile, the Purple Ribbon Committee is scheduled to sunset in July and the process just to determine if the Van Wezel is eligible for the National Register, according to Muldowney, can take about nine months.

Mayor Liz Alpert agreed with commissioners Kyle Battie and Debbie Trice that there is no rush to start the application process and the missions of the Alliance and the Purple Ribbon Committee can proceed on parallel tracks. Consideration of historic status can come after the Purple Ribbon Committee’s work is done.

That, and in member Marty Hylton, president of Architecture Sarasota, the committee already possesses expertise in historic preservation.

“Certainly with Marty Hylton's expertise, they understand what designation of historic building entails that they understand that there are tax credits, that you don't have to comply by the 50% rule,” Alpert said. “That adds to their knowledge in terms of making their determination.”

Muldowney has spoken before the committee on multiple occasions and told commissioners she is scheduled to present to the group as it continues its deliberations. 

The next meeting of the Purple Ribbon Committee is 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 13, at Sarasota City Hall.