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Most cities have landmark buildings that serve as visual place marks due to their distinctive architecture or size. In Sarasota, there are many buildings that contribute to creating a sense of place. Distinctive among these landmarks is Plymouth Harbor, a 25-story building sponsored by the First Congregational Church of Sarasota. The pastor, the Rev. John Whitney MacNeil, wanted to create a retirement community that would foster a sense of community. The name Plymouth Harbor was selected for its association with early Pilgrims, a group through which the Congregational Church trace their historical roots. 

In 1991, Florida Architecture reported on the accomplishments of the architects, Frank Folsom Smith and Louis S. Schneider, by stating that “Realizing that small congregational spaces would be necessary for the social atmosphere which the client desired, the architects developed a colony system which proved to be unique to the project.” To accomplish this, the building’s interior plan was organized into nine “colonies,” each centered on a common shared living area. These nine areas in turn create governing units for the center.  

Located on Coon Key, a small island between Bird Key and Lido Key, the site was originally zoned for a maximum building height of 35 feet. The property was rezoned, however, by a unanimous vote of the City Commission in June of 1962 to a multiple unit apartment designation, which allowed for a building with 25 stories. Proclaiming the event “too important to be passed over just by the reading of an ordinance,” then Sarasota Mayor John O.T. Binns commended the officials of the project for the fine presentation and for providing Sarasota with such a fine development. 

Although completed in 1966, Plymouth Harbor was not dedicated until May 26, 1967, in a celebration attended by community dignitaries and residents. According to an article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reporting on the event, “The dedication marks the full achievement of the spirit of the original Pilgrim colony in whose image and philosophy was conceived and founded.” The article continued by stating that for the special occasion, the residents’ apartment lights in the 25-story building would be arranged so that a large cross of lights appeared on the north and south sides of the building. This special lighting was arranged by Florida Power and Light. 

Plymouth Harbor brought many ‘firsts’ to Sarasota. According to a 1991 article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, it was the first structure in Florida made of architectural (unpainted) concrete and at the time of its completion was the tallest residential structure in the state. Additionally, its $4 million building permit was the largest recorded in the city’s history. A local news article dated November 8, 1964, stated that the concrete pour for the slab was the largest ever in the city; 600 cubic yards or more than 2 million pounds.  

Awarded the American Institute of Architects’ “Test of Time” Award in 1991, Plymouth Harbor remains today a distinctive part of the Sarasota skyline.

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