Performing Arts Center 'Concept 2.0' set for public debut

Although news of progress on the proposed Sarasota Performing Arts Center has been scarce over the past 12 months, much has occurred behind the scenes.

Since the March 2025 meeting between the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation and the City Commission, considerable changes have been made since a slightly relocated and pared down facility was proposed, albeit still estimated at more than $400 million to build.

That price point, plus remaining uncertainty over parking once the current Van Wezel parking lot is converted to green space as part of The Bay park, prompted commissioners to send the SPAF and architect Renzo Piano Building Workshop back to the drawing board before they will consider an implementation agreement for the project.

Image courtesy of Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation

Since then, the foundation, the city and the Bay Park Conservancy have worked collaboratively to garner the support of the Van Wezel heirs for the project, to relocate the facility south of the 10th Street boat basin, bring the building to ground level to maintain a deeded view corridor for condominiums across North Tamiami Trail, reduce seating from 2,700 to the originally planned 2,200 and add two parking structures plus 70 to 100 below-grade parking spaces to replace most of the current Van Wezel surface parking.

And the cost? The estimated range is $260 million to $295 million, well below the $425 million price tag of the initial presented concept. That estimate does not include the cost of the parking structures.

Dubbed “Concept 2.0,” that plan will be presented to the City Commission at its March 2 meeting as a prelude toward securing the long-overdue implementation agreement between the two parties. That will allow architects to begin work on a schematic design in collaboration with the city and the Bay Park Conservancy as that organization plans the final stages of The Bay park, in which the new center would be located.

Foundation CEO Tania Castroverde Moskalenko said rather than elevating the structure 20 feet, resiliency is achieved by the BPC’s plan to gradually elevate the grade from the bayfront eastward. 

And besides, “Municipal Auditorium has never flooded,” she said of the building located in the same general area as the new facility.

“(Renzo Piano) spent a long time looking and determined that that they could put the building on the south side of the canal and stay within the view corridor if they placed it further away from the water,” Castroverde Moskalenko said. “It works in terms of resiliency, and it works in terms of staying below the view corridor.”

A portion of the cost savings comes from building the new center at grade rather than elevated, in addition to the reduction in seating to the originally planned 2,200. Also proposed are a 250- to 300-seat flex theater space and a learning lab. 

Courtesy image

For now, the estimated cost range is just that. Castroverde Moskalenko said she expects that figure to be refined by the March 2 meeting. The city’s contribution of $88 million will come from revenues derived from the tax increment financing district on properties surrounding The Bay park, primarily The Quay and the Rosemary District. The partnership agreement between the city, Sarasota County and the BPC dedicates tax revenues to The Bay and all improvements within on the increased value of properties within the district set against the baseline established in 2019.

Those TIF funds are intended to cover half the cost of the $200 million The Bay park and anything built within the city-owned 53-acre property.

How proposals to reform property taxes may impact TIF districts is as yet unknown. Also, the Sarasota County Commission has been reticent to participate in using TIF district funds on a new performing arts center, perhaps leaving the public share up to the city. 

According to the plan, the remainder of the cost, upwards of $207 million, will be borne by the SPAF, which has already secured a commitment of $50 million.

“What you are seeing is a real collaboration between the city, The Bay park and the foundation. There had to be a coming together of the three parties,” said Castroverde Moskalenko. “The financial pressure, the site, location, the scope, the height — all of those pressures that have been put on the project have, in my opinion, made it a better project.”