Developer withdraws appeal to tear down Mira Mar Plaza in downtown Sarasota

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Tenants of Mira Mar Plaza in downtown Sarasota receiving an email from the owner of the building.

“It says good afternoon, sending you an update that Mira Mar will continue under current ownership,” said Jana Marie Gouwens, owner of Viziato By Jana Marie Esthetics

This after Seaward Development withdrew their appeal. They were appealing a decision after their request was denied by Sarasota’s Historic Preservation Board to tear down the building and rebuild it with a 10-story residential and commercial building.

“That was really important to me to keep a little history, this is just such a beautiful building on Palm Avenue,” said Gouwens. We’re lined with luxury condos down here, there was really nothing that was going to be left if you took this away, so keeping it keeps a little bit of charm to our city.”

There has been a lot of support to save this two-story, 100year-old building which houses several businesses.

The developers say the building is in need of at least 22-million dollars in repairs that includes wood rotting, termite damage and an undersized foundation. It’s repairs the current owner Red Property Management says they can’t afford. Howard Katz of Greiners Fine Men’s Clothing is a tenant of the building. He has mixed feelings about the whole situation.

“In the long run I think this building is not going to be here, I think it’s more a matter of when but not if,” said Katz. “The property itself is extremely valuable, while it does have a certain element of charm associated with, it’s very under utilized space.

City officials say work needs to be done on the building, but engineers says it’s not at risk of collapsing.

The developer says they are not commenting at this time. The current owner of the building could not be reached for a comment.