Stakeholders break ground on downtown Sarasota development

Another name has ceremoniously joined the burgeoning list of downtown developments.

Stakeholders and city staff gathered on Aug. 9 near the corner of Lemon Avenue and State Street to break ground on The Mark — a mixed-use development slated for a June 2019 opening.

“It’s been a long process to get us where we are today,” said Bob Vail, president of Kolter Urban, the project's developer. “It didn’t just happen overnight, obviously.”

Kolter Urban bought the property in 2015 with plans of creating a mixed-use property to complement the Main Street commercial corridor. The 12-level, 153-foot tall building includes 157 residential units, 35,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, parking and 11,000 square feet of office space.

“We took the old design and with the city’s help we went in and tried to figure out what we could do within the zoning regulations,” Vail said. “We knew before we bought what we wanted to do, it just took a year and half to draw it and bring it back.”

Now with plans and permits in hand, there was only one thing left for Vail to tell guests before ceremoniously breaking ground on the project.

“Come back for our grand opening celebration in two years,” he said.