THE CITY ALLIANCE FORMED

THE CITY ALLIANCE FORMED TO PROMOTE A VIBRANT AND SUSTAINABLE DOWNTOWN

 

SARASOTA, Fla.---- Major downtown Sarasota associations and constituencies representing over 3000 members have joined voices and resources to form The City Alliance. The City Alliance has the common vision of building a vibrant and sustainable downtown Sarasota. At the start of 2008, The City Alliance defined its mission to “Leverage the combined energy and resources of private sector stakeholder associations through collaboration, shared ideas, and group action on targeted initiatives.”

 

The City Alliance is a coalition of four major downtown constituencies:

§       business and civic groups, including cultural and religious institutions

§       commercial property owners

§       residents and their condominium associations

§       The Merchants Alliance of the five major downtown merchants associations.

 

The City Alliance was formed to present a united voice representative of the views and interests of downtown stakeholders in all public dialogue concerning downtown and city affairs. The goal is to work to insure that downtown Sarasota is an attractive and prosperous city center that sustains an attractive and prosperous city. The City Alliance is eager to join in public-private sector collaboration to help Sarasota weather the difficult economic times we face as a community, including the fiscal constraints on local governments.

 

The City Alliance has selected five initiatives for immediate attention:

§       implement the redesign of Fruitville Road from US 301 to US 41 as an attractive gateway to downtown and the bay front

§       establish a downtown improvement district

§       pursue the city’s project to make Tamiami Trail through the downtown corridor pedestrian-friendly for easy access between downtown and the bay front

§       faithfully implement the city’s master plan

§       continue to develop a Downtown Historic District.