Long wait over for Sarasota apartment project

An Atlanta-based development firm, Carter, plans to begin construction next week on 180 apartments in downtown Sarasota, in a project that dates back at least three years.

Carter's plans follow its acquisition of the second of two tracts last week in the 1400 block of Second Street downtown, land that includes the former site of the United Way of Sarasota County Inc. building. In all, Carter paid $7 million for the two parcels.

Its 10-story rental building, with ground-floor retail space and two floors of parking, is slated for completion sometime in 2017.