Affordable housing project takes center stage for the arts community

In Sarasota, service workers need affordable housing close to their jobs. So do police officers, teachers, health care workers, first responders, paralegals and more.

And so do members of the arts community — from struggling actors, playwrights and musicians to set designers, costume makers and office workers.

With a 1.75-acre property at 2309 and 2329 N. Tamiami Trail sorely in need of redevelopment, affordable housing developer and operator One Stop Housing has partnered with the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County to plan Artscape, a 75-unit affordable housing project reserved exclusivity for the arts community.

Artscape had its pre-development conference with the city’s Development Review Committee in early February. One Stop Housing — a Sarasota-based vertical from site prep to property management — plans to formally submit the project soon with a plan to begin construction in eight to 12 months.

Photo by Ian Swaby

The concept of Artscape was born during a conversation between One Stop Housing CEO and Managing Partner Mark Vengroff and Matthew Sauer of the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation.

"We had been working with the Barancik Foundation on the DeSoto County School District's housing project, and I told Matt that I have this land and I’m going to do something with it and who should we build this for?” Vengroff said. “Do you want to build it for teachers? Do you want to build it for police officers or first responders? He said we would really like to build this for our arts community. 

"I said I’m in 100%.”

In late 2024, Sauer introduced Vengroff to Brian Hersh, who became CEO of the Arts and Cultural Alliance 18 months prior. 

The blank canvas then began to take form.

“When I came in I was meeting with all of our foundations, all of our stakeholders, our community members, our artists, our arts organizations — and I will tell you arts issues are community issues, and community issues are arts issues,” Hersh said. “We know that one of the most important things to consider in this community is affordable housing, and that's also going to impact our artists. That was the confluence that brought all of us to the table.”

Photo by Andrew Warfield

The location on the west side of the 2300 block of North Tamiami Grail is equidistant to the arts enclaves between the Ringling Museum campus to the north and downtown Sarasota to the south. And, just across Tamiami Trail from the property is Ringling College of Art and Design.

“Imagine you are a dancer who has just moved here and joined the Sarasota Ballet,” Hersh said. “Where are you going to live? You could live right here, and you could practically bike to rehearsals, bike to your performances, or take public transportation or carpool together because a few of you are living there. And you're just a stone's throw from downtown as well. The intended residents are also our artists who are unaffiliated, but it also might be the employees, the people who are making the costumes in the costume shop for the Asolo as well.”

Creative spaces

More than convenient, affordable residences, Artscape plans include 2,700 square feet of new office space for the Arts and Cultural Alliance and shared space for stages on one level plus 2,500 square feet of exhibit and event gallery hall on another. There is also a rooftop with an additional 2,500 square feet, totaling in excess of 7,500 flexible square footage.

“You can do a lot with that open creative space,” Vengroff said.

All of that plus the 75 affordable apartments in a stylish, two-story design positioned in the spirit of New Urbanism, characteristic of new development in the North Trail Overlay District with the building set adjacent to North Tamiami Trail and parking in the rear.

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Because One Stop Housing is a comprehensive development company including all the trades, Vengroff said Artscape can be built for less than $14 million. That’s for concrete block and steel construction and higher-end finishes. Rent is targeted at households making 60%-70% of the area median income — including utilities — for studio, studio with den, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. That equates to rents ranging from $1,130 to $1,453 per month.

With construction costs at nearly 40% below market, the model accommodates affordability. 

“It really gives (tenants) the opportunity to thrive and hopefully maybe even save a little bit of money for a rainy day,” said Vengroff. “One Stop Housing will not only build it, but we'll manage the residential portion and the Alliance will manage the exhibit space. They’ll do what they do best, and we’ll do what we do best.”

Toward that goal, the Barancik Foundation has granted $1.2 million for Artscape. In order to sidestep income restrictions that would force a tenant to move out — Hersh told Vengroff an artist may hit a home run one year and struggle the next — the project will not seek public dollars.

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“The affordable housing crisis is affecting tens of thousands of our neighbors, and artists are no exception,” said Sauer, collaboration and impact officer at Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. “The arts are a critical part of our economy, and this partnership seeks to address the need there. The term ‘starving artist’ may sound like a cliché, but it reflects a real challenge. There are thousands of artists who work day jobs to support their craft, yet they’re still being squeezed by housing costs.”

Vengroff said he and Hersh are seeking partnerships with other local arts organizations to contribute to the project in exchange for reserving units on a priority basis commensurate to their contribution.

“If their donors come to the table and help, it will not only provide various naming rights, but also a number of these units set aside for artists coming from that particular organization,” Vengroff said.

Whatever gap remains between philanthropy and final cost will be covered by a conventional bank loan.

Pending the speed of the city approval process, Vengroff said he hopes to begin construction of Artscape in 10 to 12 months. Residents who currently live on the property are at the lowest end of One Stop Housing’s rent structure and will be relocated to other affordable properties it manages.

For more information about Artscape or how to contribute to the project, is available at OneStopHousing.com/artscape.