Bird Key Yacht Club starts countdown to demo day

The countdown has officially begun for the last days of the Bird Key Yacht Club clubhouse, which has stood at the water's edge, looking out toward the downtown Sarasota skyline, for 65 years.

Yet club members' excitement for what is to come overshadowed any sadness on a social evening on March 12.

One could almost hear the whispers of the iconic tune from the show Cheers, "Where everybody knows your name..." emanating from the storied halls, just as Commodore Michael Landis likes. 

Vice Commodore Tony Britt recently walked the grounds and halls of the current clubhouse, painting an image of the planned $20 million facility will undergo a modernization to better suit members' needs and offer a more cohesive, elegant aesthetic.

He said members certainly appreciate the building's historic presence in the Bird Key community, providing a meeting place for residents maintaining lifelong friendships through the club.

However, building updates throughout the years has left the beautiful facility muddled and without a clear flow for catered events and other club activities. The central circular wooden bar, while impressive, offers limited seating and is in need of a redo, Britt said.

What was most important to club leaders was that 99.5 percent of members favored the rebuild.

Britt said leaders believed it to be very important to work with Bird Key neighbors, keeping them in the loop on the construction plans, which he looks forward to seeing executed.

He said even though they will temporarily be a "club without a club," everyone is ready for the change.

Visitors will benefit from the practical, long-term safety measure of raising the clubhouse's elevation by 3 feet. But they should also enjoy better views over the water, allowing them to peer over the marina boats.

The new floor-to-ceiling windows will allow for more stunning views.

Britt estimates the new building construction will take about 16 months. Members needn't despair their club-based friendships will fade in that time, he said. The club already has plans in the works to host events in the Sarasota area and beyond, meeting neighboring yacht clubs and even traveling to Tampa.

Club member Diane Fairey, who brought several friends from the Bird Key Women's Association, said she has always appreciated the way the yacht club brings people together.

"My husband is an ambassador, so we get to meet new people every month who are interested in the club and share our love for it," she said.

She continued, "When they say this club is anchored in friendship, it is so true."

Once construction is complete, members can look forward to enjoying four new tennis courts, a pool, updated bar space in the restaurant and much more. The flexible floor plan will also allow for smaller, more intimate dinners or open up for larger events.

"I'll leave you all with one last thought," Landis told attendees this week. "We do not intend to raise the quantity of our membership. We will remain a 375-member boutique club, where everybody knows everybody's names. We really thrive on friendship here."

Britt said the club is planning a last hurrah on April 26, where members plan to open a buried time capsule at a goodbye party. He said no one knows exactly what may come out of it, but the mystery will undoubtedly add excitement and intrigue on the day.