... one of a series of planning charrettes being conducted by the Burns Square Property Owners Association. We encourage you to attend if you have suggestions for improving the Burns Square community and its pedestrian experience. We are looking for ideas that will give us our own sense of place and enhance the qualities we already love about the area.
We have invited the Burns Square neighborhood, which includes all the business owners, tenants, merchants, employees and anyone who is in the Burns Square area on a fairly regular basis to attend a workshop from 8:30am to 10am November 4th, Friday morning. Since you work or live in the area we know you have incredible knowledge about the things that work, the things that do not and how things could be improved. We want to know what those things are!
We have invited the surrounding neighborhoods, and any neighbor that travels through or visits Burns Square. We highly encouraged our neighbors to participate in the workshop from 4pm to 6pm November 4th, Friday afternoon. How can we improve our area for you?
The charrettes will be held in the Garden Building on the second floor located at the corner of Laurel Street and Pineapple Avenue. If you would like to attend and have not been formally invited, we apologize and hope you participate in one way or another. Please let us know if you are interested in attending because space is limited but we will accomodate everyeone who has something to give. If you have an idea we want to hear about it.
PARKING NEEDED
Burns Square has parking challenges that are unique and different from the rest of our downtown.
For the people that live, work and visit this area there is a negative reality that our area has very little parking and what we do have does not support the volume needed. We have learned that our customers do not frequent our area as many times as they want simply because they do not want to struggle looking for a parking space. Ultimately we have fewer customers and over time this minimizes our business growth and stability. We want to help the businesses in our area thrive instead of losing them to areas that have more parking.
Burns Square has a shortage of available land with no options for growth beyond our area because we are surrounded by residential areas. Currently there are no properties available for purchase and even if available there are very few feasible for a parking structure. Per the City of Sarasota Downtown Parking Master Plan the Burns Square area is third in priority after Palm Avenue and State Street. Currently the city owns land in both of those areas for parking but nothing in Burns Square.
The Burns Square area was very excited at the purchase of the Dolphin Street location simply because it was the best possible location for the benefit of all. Positioned in the middle of the area someone could park in the parking garage and only need to cross one major street (Pineapple) to get the theater instead of having to cross two major streets (Pineapple & Orange). Another bonus was the structure for the garage could have been built and available relatively quickly for neighborhood parking.
Some ask, “why not the Michael Saunders lot?” At this time there is no contract with the city to provide parking for the area. The conversation is not closed and all parties are reviewing this option. The city is also looking into the land on the East side of Orange owned by the County but that is too small. Or why not behind the US Garage Building, owners willing or the Women’s Exchange? Possibly further down south on Orange Avenue? The residential Laurel Park and Palm Avenue do not want our overflow anymore. So where?
We will discuss the smaller properties being developed and their need to purchase off-site parking to encourage ground floor retail.
For the people that live, work and visit this area there is a negative reality that our area has very little parking and what we do have does not support the volume needed. We have learned that our customers do not frequent our area as many times as they want simply because they do not want to struggle looking for a parking space. Ultimately we have fewer customers and over time this minimizes our business growth and stability. We want to help the businesses in our area thrive instead of losing them to areas that have more parking.
Burns Square has a shortage of available land with no options for growth beyond our area because we are surrounded by residential areas. Currently there are no properties available for purchase and even if available there are very few feasible for a parking structure. Per the City of Sarasota Downtown Parking Master Plan the Burns Square area is third in priority after Palm Avenue and State Street. Currently the city owns land in both of those areas for parking but nothing in Burns Square.
The Burns Square area was very excited at the purchase of the Dolphin Street location simply because it was the best possible location for the benefit of all. Positioned in the middle of the area someone could park in the parking garage and only need to cross one major street (Pineapple) to get the theater instead of having to cross two major streets (Pineapple & Orange). Another bonus was the structure for the garage could have been built and available relatively quickly for neighborhood parking.
Some ask, “why not the Michael Saunders lot?” At this time there is no contract with the city to provide parking for the area. The conversation is not closed and all parties are reviewing this option. The city is also looking into the land on the East side of Orange owned by the County but that is too small. Or why not behind the US Garage Building, owners willing or the Women’s Exchange? Possibly further down south on Orange Avenue? The residential Laurel Park and Palm Avenue do not want our overflow anymore. So where?
We will discuss the smaller properties being developed and their need to purchase off-site parking to encourage ground floor retail.
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