What It Takes to Preserve Sarasota’s Historic Character

When I started writing this article, I asked myself how and when I began writing about historic buildings and heritage preservation, as I never intended to. Then I remembered living in Asia many years ago, immersed in its rich colonial past. I would travel from one old mansion to another, often bothering the owners by asking questions and listening to stories about their homes and how they had preserved them over the centuries, and feeling a unique energy while being there. That’s how it started.

Through observation in my intensive travels and life itself, I developed a quiet, persistent attachment to historic architecture. I felt an instinctive connection to old buildings and a growing responsibility to help protect them.

Stepping into an old house, I feel a profound energy—a silent witness to countless stories and lives. These buildings, with their unique materials and structures, are like the roots of a tree, anchoring the authenticity of a place. In our rapidly globalizing world, where cities often mirror each other with identical buildings, cars, and fashion, preserving our historical architecture becomes essential. Without it, we risk erasing the subtle layers that give a place its unique character and soul.

I was recently honored to serve as the photographer for the 2025 Sarasota County Heritage Awards, presented by the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation (SAHP) in partnership with the History and Preservation Coalition of Sarasota County (HPCOSC), held on May 1st at the Sarasota Art Museum. The evening was truly inspiring, bringing together architects, preservation advocates, and donors who were all united by their dedication to safeguarding Sarasota's rich heritage. Witnessing such a passionate community deeply committed to preservation moved me profoundly. 

This experience compelled me to meet with Erin DiFazio, the Program Director of the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, and delve deeper into the stories behind Sarasota's historic conservation efforts. Erin previously served as the board president before stepping into the director role three years ago, as the organization began shifting from an all-volunteer model to a staffed, strategic nonprofit.

Living in Sarasota, I’ve come to learn how fragile local character can be. What once gave the streets personality—human scale, greenery, old homes with stories—is disappearing. That understanding led me to connect with Erin DiFazio and the Alliance’s work.

The Alliance was founded in 1985 with a mission to protect the city's architectural heritage, initially sparked by a grassroots effort to save the El Vernona Hotel, later known as the John Ringling Towers. For decades, it operated as a fully volunteer-led nonprofit. In recent years, as development pressure intensified, the organization began transitioning into a professional, strategic force. Today, it provides not only advocacy but also financial tools, education, and technical support for preservation across Sarasota.

"We were always too late," Erin told me. "We’d show up when the demolition permits were already issued. It was heartbreaking. We needed a proactive model."

And that’s what they’ve built. The Alliance created the Historic Properties Redevelopment Program after hiring national preservation consultant Kirk Huffaker to conduct a feasibility study. The study revealed what everyone already felt—there was an urgent need, and the Alliance was uniquely positioned to meet it. Today, the program assists with loans, technical advice, and legal easements that permanently protect historic structures.

"In Florida," Erin said, "easements are one of the only real tools that work."

They also helped the city establish a Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program, which enables property owners to sell unused development rights, allowing them to preserve their buildings while still realizing financial value. "Before, we were asking people to do the right thing and preserve," Erin said, "but that could mean giving up a million dollars. Now there’s a way to do both."

A turning point came with the Miramar building on Palm Avenue. In 2022, the developer sought demolition and proposed a Disney-esque reconstruction. The Alliance opposed it. They began regular meetings, educating the developers on funding options, federal tax credit programs, and more thoughtful approaches to integrating new construction. Despite initial resistance, nearly two years later, the developers returned—this time with a completely revised plan.

"They brought in the best preservation architect in Florida," Erin said. "They completely shifted their approach. The original structure will now be fully restored. The new towers will be set back, allowing Palm Avenue’s historic character to remain intact."

The Miramar, built in 1922, had no proper foundation—just sand. It had also suffered years of neglect, with much of its structure needing complete rehabilitation. It is Sarasota’s largest historic structure at 400 feet in length, and its restoration is not only symbolic but architecturally significant. In the 1980s, a rear portion of the hotel was demolished to make way for a parking garage, which also damaged the back wall. The current plan restores the building up to the remaining rear wall and adds two towers set back on a raised base.

Importantly, the project will preserve the street-level experience of the historic building and incorporate small shops, cafes, and public activity spaces around the entire perimeter, revitalizing a currently underutilized area. The result will be a layered urban space that respects the past while providing for the present.

"Not only are we saving the building," Erin noted, "but we’re also gaining something much more engaging than what was ever there before."

Beyond buildings, Erin envisions an educational program for youth that introduces preservation early through hands-on apprenticeships in trades such as plasterwork, wood window repair, and historic masonry. “These are skills we’re losing,” she said. “And they could lead to meaningful work.”

She also dreams of an accessible curriculum for schools—lessons that turn abstract values, such as cultural continuity, into something students can understand through touch and context. "Community is built over time," she said. "It’s not a product you can manufacture. If we erase that, we lose something irreplaceable."

The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation continues its work quietly and diligently, connecting people, ideas, policies, and places. It’s not glamorous work. But it is meaningful.

I don’t write this as an outsider. I see what’s vanishing. I walk the streets and feel it. But I also see what’s possible. This isn’t just about the past. It’s about the kind of future we want to live in.

To learn more or get involved, visit preservesrq.org

Photos: iruphotos.com