Sarasota Planning Board denies request to close alley for multi-family project

Key Information

• Project Name: Saravela
• Units: 271, with 30 affordable units
• Location: Between Fourth and Fifth streets from North Tamiami Trail to Cocoanut Avenue
• Building Structure: Two towers (one 18 stories and one 11 stories) over a podium with structured parking
• Planning Board Vote: 3-2 to recommend denial of alley vacation
• Developer: GSP Sarasota
• Public Green Space: Proposed 3,000-square-foot area

The proposed Saravela multifamily development requires the Sarasota City Commission to reject the Planning Board’s recommendation to deny the vacation of the western section of Fourth Way, an alley between Fourth and Fifth streets from North Tamiami Trail to Cocoanut Avenue.

This 271-unit project plans to include 30 units priced as affordable, following the city’s density bonus guidelines. The 1.7-acre site straddles the city’s Downtown Bayfront and Downtown Core zones, and features two towers—one 18 stories and the other 11—over a single podium comprising structured parking.

GSP Sarasota, the developer, is seeking approval to vacate the alley, which primarily served for delivery and sanitation collection for previously vacant properties. However, the lack of a site plan was a significant concern for the majority of the Planning Board, which voted 3-2 against the recommendation, with Daniel Deleo, Terrill Salem, and alternate member Alexander Neihaus opposing while Dan Clermont and Shane LaMay supported the alley vacation.

Salem argued that the 30 affordable units were insufficient to justify the relinquishing of public property. Deleo expressed concern that developers often seek concessions but fail to deliver on site plans, and Neihaus doubted that the final design would align with existing renderings.

Project consultant Bill Waddill of Kimley-Horne stated that Saravela is already deep in the Development Review Committee process, initiated last fall, and significant alterations at this stage are unlikely. He added that while site plan approval provides a level of assurance, such plans can also be amended.

“Getting a site plan approved is the next level of assurance, but that could be modified. The next step is getting a building permit and building something, and even that can be modified,” Waddill said.

Regardless, the question remains.

“How can we know if vacating this alley is a good idea without a site plan?” Deleo asked. “I think we can’t know. It’s unreasonable to ask us to make this decision without sufficient information.”

Currently, the Saravela project proposes vehicle access from Fifth Street, with townhomes replacing the high wall along Fourth Street. The development promises to offer 3,000 square feet of publicly accessible green space in return for vacating the alley. The remaining section of Fourth Way would continue to allow access mid-block at Fourth Street, accompanied by 11,402 square feet of street-level space.

Renderings from SKA Architecture depict an outdoor amenity, including a pool atop the 11-story section, with an amenity deck on the 18-story portion. The developer plans to distribute affordable units throughout the buildings, although Salem remains unsatisfied due to the lack of guarantees on bay views.

The ongoing debate around the absence of a site plan raised questions about the Planning Board’s role in assessing whether vacating the alley serves the public interest. Urban Planner Rebecca Webster noted the staff’s belief that the project provides public benefits, especially through attainable housing and enhanced public spaces.

Salem emphasized the need for clearer visibility into a developer’s plans in the future. “I want to know what the mix is and that type of stuff,” he asserted.

Clermont warned that excessive caution may discourage developers from pursuing projects in Sarasota. “Developers could see this as a signal to take their business elsewhere if they feel their proposals aren’t given a fair evaluation.”

Correction: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Alexander Neihaus.