Around 100 guests gathered on Wednesday afternoon for an inside look at the future of Mira Mar Residences, the new luxury residence development in Downtown Sarasota. Project developers Patrick DiPinto, principal of Seaward Development, and Matthew Leake, president of Seaward Development, shared details on the Palm Avenue project and their efforts toward historic rehabilitation of the Mira Mar hotel.

Leake described the event as an opportunity to connect with the community while unveiling months of behind-the-scenes work. “We talked about the history of Mira Mar and its place in the city, and some of our sales team were able to give a little bit more in-depth insight into the building and the amenities,” he said following the event. “We were able to unveil a number of details and renderings for the first time.”

The Mira Mar residences will include 70 bayfront homes across two 18-story towers, rising behind the historic Mira Mar building. For Leake and his team, the project is focused both on the new development and on preserving the historic site. Seaward Development’s early phases of construction will focus on working to restore and stabilize the historic structure.

“It’s a special opportunity to rehabilitate this building that's 100 years old, that contributed to Sarasota’s history, and freshen it up, stabilize the structure for the next 100 years,” Leake says. “We didn't want to create a modern building and put it right behind the historic building. So we really worked closely with our architecture team to make sure that we blended those architectural styles and ensured they were complementary.”

Looking ahead, Leake’s vision for the development, which he described as “one-of-a-kind,” centers around creating a building that benefits both residents and the surrounding Downtown business community. 

Pictured: The Mira Mar Residences development is focused around the historic Mira Mar Hotel site. Photo courtesy of Mira Mar Residences.

The Manatee Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller will host its spring Clerk's Community Shred Day on Saturday, April 18, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Manatee County Fairgrounds, 1402 14th Ave W, Palmetto. This free drive-thru event allows people to safely dispose of personal documents containing sensitive information and destroy hard drives removed from computers or laptops — helping protect against identity theft and fraud. For more information, visit www.ManateeClerk.com or call (941) 749-1800. 

Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) has been named among America’s “Best Hospitals for Maternity Care” for delivering high-quality, patient-centered care to mothers and newborns. The annual rankings by Money magazine highlight 75 top-performing hospitals demonstrating superior outcomes and patient-centered care. Hospitals that made the list are recognized for providing the best outcomes across a full range of maternity care, from low-risk births to complex maternal, fetal and newborn procedures, after a comparative review of approximately 4,000 facilities and thousands of data points. 

To learn more, visit

Lee Wetherington Homes, a top rated, privately owned custom luxury home builder in Sarasota, recently announced it received 10 awards among two of its model homes during the 2026 Parade of Homes Gala, an exclusive event honoring excellence in homebuilding, design and craftsmanship along Florida's Suncoast for 60 years. Held on Thursday, March 19, at The Ora, the gala included an evening of celebrating the achievements that have defined this year’s Parade of Homes. Attendees enjoyed a formal dinner, cocktails, curated hors d'oeuvres and awards presentation. To learn more about Lee Wetherington Homes, visit LWHomes.com. 

Dr. Jojo Dyachim is the new vice president of Mission & Ethics for BayCare Health System. He has held several positions in the health system over the last decade, most recently director of the department he now oversees in the top role. He assumed the position March 1, ahead of the April retirement of Colleen Walters, who has been BayCare’s vice president of Mission & Ethics since 2019. For more information, visit BayCare.org.   

Sarasota Memorial is one of two research sites evaluating the effectiveness of a novel, minimally invasive treatment for papillary thyroid cancer. The study is led locally by Ralph P. Tufano, MD, MBA, FACS, thyroid and parathyroid surgeon with Sarasota Memorial’s Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, in collaboration with SMH’s Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute and principal investigator Victoria Banuchi, M.D., associate professor of Head & Neck Surgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. A total of 30 patients will be enrolled across the two study sites. For information or to determine eligibility, contact the research team at (941) 917-2225 or researchinstitute@smh.com. For information about the national trial, visit: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07218315 

For the second year in a row, BayCare’s Graduate Medical Education program filled 100% of its open residency positions after completing a successful Match Day on March 20, nearly doubling the size of the program. BayCare, the region’s largest academic health system and home to one of the fastest growing Graduate Medical Education programs in the nation, is creating a pipeline of future physicians to care for the region’s growing population. More physicians in the region will help improve patient access to quality care. This July, BayCare will welcome 194 new residents into its program, bringing the total number to more than 400. For more information: BayCare’s Graduate Medical Education program    

Del Webb has commenced construction of the ~35,000 square-foot clubhouse and resort amenities in Del Webb Catalina, its luxury active adult community in Lakewood Ranch. Designed for social engagement, wellness, active and leisurely pursuits, the 15-acre lakefront campus creates a vacation-every-day lifestyle complemented by new-construction single-family homes and attached villas by Del Webb, the nation’s pioneer in active recreational lifestyles and over-55 communities. Interested homebuyers are encouraged to call or text the helpful local team at 941-260-2711 or visit the sales center, open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Also visit www.DelWebb.com/Catalina to join the VIP Interest List and receive the latest community updates. 

As technology continues to redefine the legal landscape, Shumaker has added Partner Mark Lehman to its Litigation & Disputes and Technology, Data Privacy, Cybersecurity & AI Service Lines, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to meeting the demands of a digital-first world. 

HCA Florida Wellen ParkSM Emergency is marking its first anniversary after treating nearly 3,500 patients, expanding access to emergency care in rapidly-growing South Sarasota County. To mark the anniversary, the team will participate in Downtown Wellen Park’s Family Fun Day on April 11 from 4 to 9 p.m. The event will feature a fireworks display sponsored by HCA Florida Wellen Park Emergency, along with education on recognizing stroke symptoms and how to “Stop the Bleed” in an emergency. Learn more about when to visit an emergency room and how to recognize life-threatening symptoms at HCAFloridaHealthcare.com.