The Bayfront area of Sarasota, bounded by Tamiami Trail, Boulevard of the Arts (6th Street) and 10th Street, is currently undergoing a major re-think in terms of its facilities, use and configuration.  Existing on the property are historic structures dating from the 1930s to the present, in a variety of styles from Art Deco to Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Organic Architecture” to the local “Sarasota School” Modern.  South of the area also contains a Mediterranean Revival hotel from the 1920s, which will be the centerpiece of a development called “The Quay.”

Join Ringling College of Art + Design professor and Sarasota Architectural Foundation Board Chair Christopher Wilson, PhD, in touring the unique and varied collection of architectural gems found on Sarasota’s Bayfront.

Day and Date: Thursday, November 15th, 10:45 AM, Municipal Auditorium, 801 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236

Special Notes: (walking required (also no place to rest), parking, handicapped accessible, etc.)
The tour will include considerable walking around the site and it is possible that the ground may be uneven. Comfortable walking shoes are a must. We will visit the interior of some of the buildings and that involves steps. Places to rest may not be readily available. There are bathroom facilities in the Municipal Auditorium for public use.

Buildings Visited:
Municipal Auditorium (Thomas Reed Martin, 1938),
Art Center Sarasota (Frank Martin, 1949)
Chidsey Library (Thomas Reed Martin, 1941)
Sarasota Chamber of Commerce (aka “The Blue Pagoda,” Victor Lundy, 1956)
Garden Club of Sarasota (John Crowell, 1959 and Bert Brosmith, 1961)
Van Wezel Performing Arts Center (Taliesin Architects, 1970)
Former Selby Library (Skidmore Owings Merrill, 1976; renovated into GWiz Science Museum, Dale Parks/CCP Architects, 2000)
El Vernona (Belle Haven) Apartments (Dwight James Baum, 1926)

Beginning and End Time: The tour begins promptly at 11 AM. The tour is expected to end at 12:30 PM
Meeting Location: Plan to gather in front of the Municipal Building at 10:45 AM
Cost Per Person/Different Costs for Different People:  Cost: $35.00
Number of Registrants Allowed: 30 (Mailed members may call JoAnn Lovell for reservation.)
RSVP By (Day and Date): Tuesday, November 13th at http://www.cornellclubsarasotamanatee.org/

​Contact Jo Ann Lovell if you are mailing in your check or with questions at cornellclubsarasota@gmail.com or (410) 929-2670.