Downtown Sarasota historic restoration project earns construction permit

Construction may now begin on Mira Mar Residences, the revenue-generating condominium development planned to fund the restoration of the historic Mira Mar building along 400 feet of frontage on South Palm Avenue in downtown Sarasota. The City of Sarasota issued the construction permit this week on the twin 18-story towers that will house 70 luxury condominiums.

All tenants of the Mira Mar building have moved out of the more than 100-year-old structure and initial construction will focus primarily on the rehabilitation of the historic portions of the existing buildings. Work will then shift to preliminary construction of the residential towers before returning to finish the rehabilitation project.

“This is an incredibly important milestone that has been years in the making,” Patrick DiPinto, owner of Seaward Development and developer of Mira Mar Residences says in a release. “It officially kicks off the rehabilitation portion of the project, and to be stewards of the history and legacy at this site is an incredibly humbling position that we take very seriously.”

Historic restoration expert Rick Gonzalez, president of REG Architects, will oversee the rehabilitation project. Most of the interior work will take place within the walls of the building and underground. 

Gonzalez has recently been appointed to the National Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Photo by Andrew Warfield

“Everything being done in the beginning will be to stabilize the current structure and to not jeopardize the strength of the building,” Gonzalez says in the statement. “This is an exciting process that has to be done right, and that starts with the interior. The first things we will start on will include placing a construction fence around the property, as well as stabilizing and reinforcing the foundation of the existing historic building.”

Built in six months in 1922 on a foundation of beach sand, Mira Mar was the city’s first hotel and first luxury residences. 

The general contractor is Suffolk Construction, which, according to the release, has extensive historic rehabilitation experience. The company recently completed the billion-dollar restoration of the iconic Waldorf Astoria New York City.

According to the release, Seaward Development is in discussions with several first-to-market dining groups and shopping retailers to occupy the commercial space along Palm Avenue. 

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2028 and reservations for the condominiums are now being accepted. The sales gallery is located at 1258 N. Palm Ave. 

A version of this article originally appeared on sister site YourObserver.com.