Belle Haven Poll

It's had a good life. Now it is in the middle of new developement and it will not fit in with the new buildings. The rooms are small and cut up.

Here again is an example of our history being threatened by developers. Please do not tear this down. It is a beautiful old building and certainly could be used for many things, if not a museum. Sarasota needs to keep our historic buildings. We allowed the old Verona Hotel/Ringling Hotel to be torn down and what a travisty that was. Our city fathers need to know they have an obligation to our future to keep Sarasota history alive.

Municipal development departments prioritize mixed use. The building is big enough to accomodate all the options listed in your question above.Further, this is a good fit for the state's Florida Community Trust grants. It's a great fit for the developing historic Tamiami Trial historic corridor, and is close to Historic Pioneer Park.

Sarasota is a great tourist area. Why not turn this architectural gem into a museum that will attract tourists!? I would hate to see it meet the same fate as the El Vernona Hotel.

The city could own and maintain the building and lease it out to individual user(s) for what ever purpose they see fit. Why does it always have to be a give away by the city for a use that must be supported by the city.

Please please don't let it be torn down - let's get together and clean it up.

Prettiest building in town.

all or any of the above , including a public venue like Phillippi Estate.

commercial uses consistent with preservation standards (offices, galleries, etc) but it should generate income!

In many other countries buildings are preseved and protected for hundreds of years and add to the beauty and culture of their area! Why does the USA always seem to want to tear down and thus destroy beautiful old buildings and hence remove their heritage?

I'm sure it could be utilized for some worthwhile purpose. Once again, we must fight to save our Sarasota History...

For gosh sakes lets keep Sarasota special and protect it's history.

Somehow we MUST advocate to preserve the few pieces left of our young history! Thank you for all you do to educate and inspire us to hang on to these precious icons of days gone by.

This is a beautiful building with excellent office space. Besides non profits renting the spaces, other for profit businesses with like mindedness could rent the spaces.

SAVE THE BELLE HAVEN NOW!

Without question, Preserve it !! It is a jewel!

As a resident as of the mid 1990's, I think that "we" have lost to much of our history. What were "we" thinking??? In our rush to modernization, "we" have given away one of our most valuable assets. I am hopeful that "we" will think twice about parting with our history.

I've been told and told that there's nothing that can be done about this situation because this property is "privately" owned. Well, it seems to me that city codes could have a great deal of input...We need to push the city to push the owners to take care of that beautiful building. Personally, it's my favorite historic site.

The Alliance for Historic Preservation should take the lead in the effort to sacve the Belle Haven.

This might make a great home for the local genealogical society & local history organization. It could have rooms for both museum type displays of Sarasota's past as well as rooms, materials, & staff for educating people regarding how to study the past - both personal genealogical study and local history study. It could be a non-profit or an extension of the public library system which currently seems to serve as a focal point for helping the public in these areas. Perhaps a small restuarant to allow visitors to take advantage of the bayside view would be profitable.

As long as the building is maintained/restored, and stays in public access, it doesn't matter to me which of the future use options you choose - we must save this jewel and allow public access to it!

We have lost too many of our historical buildings, It is imperative that we keep on saving the ones that we can.

I think enough beautiful old buildings have been torn down. I think we should fight to keep this one.

History is too easily forgotten. Save what we have! I need to know more to decide how to use the Belle Haven but, if it is gone, there will be no choice.

My family dates back to the late 1800's in Sarasota, I am a 3rd generation native of Sarasota. I have watched as greedy developers with the aid of the city have distroyed the history of what Sarasota was. I have seen the town I grew up in become a place I don't care to live in any more, I now live in Asheville, NC, and I warn them about the same developers who have distroyed Sarasota who now want to clear cut all the trees on the mountains of WNC to build new communities. Who remembers Smacks, Tony Sopritos fruit stand, and so much more? The answer, only a hand full of us.

Such a beauty. Let future generations appreciate this jewel - where architecture and artistic style are a collaborative effort. Afterall Sarasota has a reputation to uphold as a center for the arts, this is a jem not to waste.

As President of the Historical Society, I have to put in my two cents that we should never allow this gorgeous building to go the way of the John Ringling Towers or the Lido Casino, or the old Train Station, or..etc. I would love to see the former Quay site be set up for World Cup Soccer watching next month tho! What a wonderful field that has turned into, for the time being. Should be used for community events while its future is sorted out.

Anything that would economically make feasible saving this building should be considered.

I have not seen the inside of the structure, so I don't feel qualified to make a decision about its future use. But, what about a historical hotel (such as Hotel Ranola?)

This is a wonderful old building, that should restored !!!