Sarasota,Florida

Patterson Foundation Receives $225 Million Bequest

The Patterson Foundation in Sarasota, Florida has just announced it has received a bequest of $225 million from the estate of Dorothy Clarke Patterson, who died last year. The significant gift makes the Patterson Foundation the 19th largest grant-maker in the state of Florida and the largest in Sarasota.

In addition to the major gift, the former Longboat Key resident left no instructions for how she wanted the bequest managed, providing a unique opportunity for the foundation to chart its own course. In the past, the foundation Patterson founded with $3 million following her husband's death in 1997 has donated to Sarasota groups including Habitat for Humanity and a local high school and food bank. Newly appointed foundation head Debra Jacobs (at right) will certainly be hard at work defining the mission of one woman's unrestricted largesse.

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Casa Elegante, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Some homes in Sarasota, Florida strive for spare and modern design. This is not one of those houses. This is the other kind of Sarasota house, a lavish new construction designed to catch the eye of the high-end shopper. Records show that the property on Sarasota Bay was buy for under $1.5 million back in 2003. The home was developed by Laughlin's Luxury Lifestyles and built by Triangle Construction and is a lavish 14,243 square foot residence. Believe it or not, the listing says this one is a certified green home. There are five bedrooms and the finishes include lots of marble and travertine as well as exotic woods including Brazilian cherry, teak and bamboo.The grounds include a large pool and spa and a dock and boat lift. It's been on the market for a while, check out this press release from August 2006 that says that Sky Sotheby's Realtors Laura Brady and Stuart Mattison "personally commit to spending upwards of $50,000 over the course of the first year, of which 5 percent goes to photography and copywriting, 20 percent goes for the launch event, 15 percent goes for Internet ads, 30 percent goes for direct mail and brochures, 25 percent goes for print advertising, and the balance goes for odd and ends." It looks like the home was previously priced at $10,850,000 but it is currently at $9.950,000. Although it was built in 2006, the extreme extravagance already makes it seem like a relic of an earlier, more optimistic time.

Gallery: Casa Elegante

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Grande Sarasotan Not Such A Grand Idea After All

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Another condo bites the dust in Sarasota, Florida. At least temporarily. The latest project to be shelved is the Grande Sarasotan, a 17-story luxury residential tower overlooking the water. The Grande Sarasotan was to have 144 units costing an average of $1.5 million and over $4 million for the penthouses. According to an article in the Herald-Tribune, Kolter, the developer has decided to redesign the $210 project and wait for an uptick in the market. The Grande Sarasotan had received 40 reservations from buyers who had put 20% down but Kolter would have been required to have contracts for at least 70 units before being able to drawing on a loan to start construction.

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Tags: condominium, florida, luxury development, sarasota

Ritz- Carlton Pampers Pets

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Pets

The AP has an interesting story on the Ritz-Carlton's new move to give pets more pampering. While some people like to leave their pets in increasingly posh boarding hotels and doggie spas, others opt to take the beloved animal along for the journey. The Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota Florida has new options for pets that include a "privileged pup" pet massage which costs $130. The Ritz also offers gourmet dog biscuits, nail care, organic meals and walks for their four-legged customers. The package is only available for dogs under 25 pounds and so far is only in Sarasota but may expand to the entire chain if it takes off.

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Tags: dog massage, florida, pets, ritz-carlton, sarasota

Sarasota Classical, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

What chose me to pick this Sarasota, Florida home as an estate of the day was the the ornate exterior. The classical villa is a 2006 build and located in the Lido shores area. The home has wood paneled walls, antiqued walnut floors and limestone terraces. There are water views all around and the home also has an infinity-edge pool. There is a two-story living room, formal dining room and five bedrooms. The square footage is smaller than many we've seen (only 6,580) and it sits on not even half an acre of low-lying land but the exterior and the location are highly desirable. It is listed at $11 milliion. After the jump, Roman on the outside, standard American on the inside.

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More Condo Projects In Trouble in Florida

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

More bad news for the Florida condo market, this time from Sarasota, Florida. Two high-rise condominium projects have been scrapped. The Herald-Tribune reports that Premiere at Main Plaza, a two-tower condo development may now become a hotel. Tthe plans for turning the BB&T Bank building at 1740 Main St. into condos are also on hold due to the flagging market. The market for the million-dollar condo in the area is fading. There are still another 11 projects on the docket in the town but some developers are holding off on breaking ground until sales are more promising. The sudden rush for condo developments had been squeezing out the hotels but now hotels may be the saving grace for condo projects that aren't selling. Not great news for developers since condos are traditionally much better money makers than hotels.

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Tags: condo development, florida, real estate, sarasota

Venice Farms, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

This large home in Sarasota, Florida sits on over 100 acres. The main house has 23,365 square feet of space with five bedroom, five fireplaces, a library, home theater, billiard room and gym. The property includes a tennis court, guest house, stables, paddocks track, stable apartments and eight-car garage. The home was built in 2003 and is listed at $17.5 million. More pictures, including shots of the impressive home theater and snack bar and the massive living room after the jump.

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