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SRQ DAILY Aug 4, 2014

Monday Business Edition

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Monday Business Edition

"Our style was such a great fit in general with Versace. Even our names sound good together - Perla Lichi and Versace."

- Perla Lichi, Perla Lichi Design
 

-Gibbs Planning Group
[Retail]  Trade Area Demographic Comparisons

Sarasota's existing retail centers can survive the construction of new malls and renovations of existing ones largely thanks to an affluent primary customer base that frequents establishments, according to retail analyst Robert Gibbs. Gibbs Planning Group just concluded a market study that showed the average household income in primary trade areas for Downtown Sarasota, St. Armands Circle, The Rosemary District and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Corridor was higher than the existing national average (about $45,000). Graphic by Gibbs Planning Group 

[Branding]  Design District Image for Rosemary?
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

Can Sarasota's Rosemary District be branded as a destination for shoppers with an eye on home design? A new effort is underway to highlight the existing concentration of furniture, architecture and home contracting companies already located around Central Avenue.

"If you go and brand this as the Sarasota Design District, that becomes self-perpetuating," said Michael Bush, president of the Rosemary District and owner of Home Resource. "And any design district has got to be hip and trendy."

A new website launched Friday at SarasotaDesignDistrict.com that hopes to showcase the area's assets, including a directory that shows the area is already home to architects (Halflants and Pichette, Seibert Architects, Jonathan Parks Architect), interior designers (Pam Holladay, Lancaster Interior Deisgn), remodeling companies (Yoder Homes, Ball Construction) and furniture shops (Sarasota Collection, Home Resource), among other contracting services that contribute to the design resources such as Cabinet Scapes and Sarasota Superfloors.

"It's just trying to create awareness," Bush said. "It will give visibility to all these people who are here."

And the effort comes at a time when the district expects significant growth in the near future. New density approvals by city officials have led to 400 new apartments currently under construction in the area. “If that project goes through, it will bring 24-7 residents and represent a significant boost for new retail and restaurants on Central Avenue," said Ian Black, founder of Ian Black Real Estate. "We see the emergence of like kinds of design businesses gravitating to Central Avenue. The new design district association will ensure that the trend gains momentum."

Bush also said branding the district fits well with Sarasota's broader identity as a whole. Home to Ringling College of Art and Design and already attracting home design professionals and consumers from Tampa to Naples, this effort could be the next step in raising the region's profile as a place for art and aesthetic superiority. "In a broader sense, it makes sense that Sarasota should have a design district," he said. 

[Fashion]  Perla Lichi, Perla Lichi Design
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

Florida designer Perla Lichi has developed an international reputation decorating interiors from Siesta Key to Milan. Now she is working with high-end modern Italian furniture specialist Nicola Belletti, of Abitare and Versace Home, Miami, to bring the look of the business to the next level. 

How did you connect with the Versace brand?

There was an award ceremony earlier this year where we won about 30 awards, including the Florida Atlantic Building Association's Best of Show award. Versace Homes saw what we got, and they had been following our work for several years. Our style was such a great fit in general with Versace. Even our names sound good together—Perla Lichi and Versace. 

Does the relationship with Versace mean you will change your own designs to look more seamless with the Versace product or does the work already blend together well?

I've already used Versace in my designs all over the work. Now this can bring a great feature in my showroom in Coral Springs. I view it like a piece of jewelry you add to a look. I may add a Versace chair here or a Versace pillow there, or I will use a Versace fabric. But I'm still not going to do a room that is purely Versace. It's like adding a Versace necklace to a designer dress. 

[Exec Moves]  Reed Joins 360 Degrees PR

360 Degrees PR, a Sarasota-based public relations agency, announced the addition of Yen Reed as director of Public Relations. With over a decade of public relations and communications experience, Reed is a seasoned business-to-business communications professional with extensive knowledge in corporate communications, media, community relations and new media. In her new role, Reed is responsible for public relations and account management activities, including business development, media relations and social media management for the agency’s clients. 

360 Florida Real Estate

[Recognition]  Belanger Earns GRI Designation

Rachelle Belanger, a Sales Associate in the Sarasota office of RE/MAX Alliance Group, has earned the Graduate Realtor Institute designation. The GRI symbol is the mark of a real estate professional who has made the commitment to provide a high level of professional services by securing a strong educational foundation. 

RE/MAX Alliance Group

[Exec Moves]  CS&L CPAs Expands Staff in Sarasota

CS&L CPAs, a certified public accounting firm located in Bradenton and Sarasota, added three new staff accountants to thitsir team as part of a recent recruiting initiative to attract and retain talent in the community. The following staff accountants have joined CS&L CPAs: James Ryan Parrish, from Oviedo; Johnathan Genao, originally from Miami; and Devin Archer, a Sarasota resident. 

CS&L CPAs

[Recognition]  Jonathan Parks Architect Wins Aurora Awards

Three projects designed by Jonathan Parks Architect of Sarasota received 15 Aurora Awards in the 2014 Aurora Awards Design Competition presented at the 36th annual Southeast Building Conference in Orlando. The TipTopHaus on Lido Key received the Golden Aurora (Best in Show) and Best of State. TipTopHaus also won two Grand Auroras (Best in Category) for Interior Detailing and Best Energy Efficient Home, along with seven Aurora Awards. JPA’s Palm Avenue Parking Garage won a Grand Aurora (Best in Category) and an Aurora Award in the category of Public Works/Environmental Projects. JPA’s Light Box House, also on Lido Key, received a Grand Aurora and an Aurora Award in the category of Custom Home (One of a Kind) for Architecture and Interior Design. 

Jonathan Parks Architect



[LUNCH SYMPOSIUM AT IMG]  SB2: Education and Business Partnerships
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In two days, on Wednesday, August 6 from 11:30AM-1PM join, SRQ | The Magazine for our SB2 event at the IMG Academy Golf Club. Leaders in local education, Allen Carlson, President and CEO of Sun Hydraulics, Mary Glass, Executive Director of the Manatee Education Foundation, Jeff Hazelton, President and Chief Technology Officer of BioLucid, Jan Pullen, Saint Stephen’s Head of School, and Susan Scott, Executive Director of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, will share their insights on the private and public challenges associated with the region’s business community. Symposium tickets are $35/person and include plated lunch. 

Get Tickets

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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