America’s 100 Favorite Public Spaces

...and Sarasota's nowhere on the list! What about Island Park? No Arlington Park? Payne Park got snubbed? Well, it should probably be noted that this ranking was assembled by Planetizen and Project for Public Spaces largely through crowdsourcing, meaning that the...

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Hawkins Court: A Diamond in the Rough

Some places just feel right. The buildings, the street, the proportions, the trees, the aesthetics, the uses—in some places they all converge to create little nuggets of urban perfection. Certain medieval Italian vias and French boulevards come to mind, but so do many...

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Follow-up: Keeping Payne Park Skate Park Open

photo source Found this article from the Pelican Press on Dan Giguere, who we mentioned in the last post, and the future of the Payne Park Skate Park. We at Laurel Park Management think that Payne Park as a whole and the Skate Park in particular have been...

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New Police HQ Honors Environment, Local Architecture, and Heroes of 9/11

If you live in Laurel Park, chances are good you’ve seen downtown Sarasota’s new police headquarters being built between Ringling Boulevard and the north end of Payne Park. What could have been another monstrosity inspired by strip malls has fortunately turned into something quite special. The architectural firm in charge of the project incorporated both elements of the celebrated Sarasota School of Architecture and enough green features to seek LEED certification. To top it off, final negotiations are underway to install a 40-foot remnant from floors 90-92 of the World Trade Center—a fitting tribute to and stark reminder of the dangers policemen and women can encounter.

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Dr. Gary Reinhardt: Laurel Park’s Very Own Doctor Doolittle

“Our dog hates going to the vet, always has,” says Laurel Park resident Josh Grigsby. “But sometimes when we’re out for a walk she’ll insist on going to see Dr. Gary.” Dr. Gary Reinhardt of Vet Center Sarasota isn’t your run of the mill veterinarian. I swear he can speak dog, cat, bird, ferret, whatever. A multilingual pet whisperer and healer rolled into one. And for 25 years, Sarasota’s pet population has been the beneficiary.

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Featured Property: Mrs. Gray’s Place

Named after the beloved wife of colorful local artist Arlie Gray, Mrs. Gray’s Place is a large two-story 1920s historic building with a beautiful 2BR/1BA apartment on the first floor and a large 1BR/1BA apartment with separate entrance on the second floor. Behind the main house is a quaint detached studio apartment.

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Band Concerts in Payne Park—Walk From Laurel Park!

Enjoy a Sunday afternoon of great music and good people when the Suncoast Concert Band or Jazz Ambassadors Big Band play at Payne Park. Concerts cost five bucks, payable at the door, with refreshments provided for a dollar each. All concerts are presented in a casual atmosphere, with open seating. Two performances remain in the spring schedule: April 25th and May 9th, both at 3pm. Laurel Park Management encourages all residents to get out there and enjoy everything Payne Park has to offer.

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Historic Apartments Now Available for Rent in Downtown Sarasota

Looking for a place to call home? Want to be able to walk to Main Street and Downtown Sarasota? Curious about this whole Urban Village thing? Laurel Park Management welcomes you.

We have studios, 1BD and 2BD apartments, cottages, and bungalows for rent throughout Sarasota’s Historic Laurel Park neighborhood. All units are close to bus lines, within walking distance of Main Street, Burns Square, Payne Park, the Bayfront, and everything Downtown Sarasota has to offer. New College, Ringling College, USF, Asolo, and East-West College are all within a ten-minute drive or a twenty-minute bike ride.

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