Sarasota Bayfront Planning Organization has reached its $2.1 million fundraising goal to ensure the delivery of a professionally prepared master plan for the sustainable development of the 42-acre Sarasota Bayfront. The announcement was made after a year-long volunteer fundraising effort led by Drayton Saunders, Veronica Brady and Shaun Merriman. Nearly 60 donors have invested in the planning initiative to reimagine Sarasota’s Bayfront. Many foundations also provided financial support including The Patterson Foundation, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation. The funds will be used to hire the leadership team along with planning and design firm, Sasaki, to create a financially feasible, operationally viable and environmentally sustainable master plan for the City Commission to review in the Fall of 2018. The community is encouraged to meet this leadership planning team next week during a series of events to kick off the beginning phases of the master plan creation, beginning with a meeting at City Hall with the City Commission at 6pm and continuing through the week.

Sarasota Bayfront Planning Organization