Moore’s seeks new restaurant approvals from commission

A brand-new, modern architecture-type waterfront restaurant that keeps its historic charm is heading to Longbeach Village if recommendations and future approvals keep coming for Moore’s Stonecrab Restaurant.

The Longboat Key Town Commission will review requests on first reading tonight at its 7 p.m. regular meeting at Town Hall by Moore’s co-owner Alan Moore to revert the 47-year-old restaurant property at 800 Broadway from residential back to commercial zoning and to modify the Comprehensive Plan to designate the property as a commercial use. If approved next month, on second reading, Moore intends to file a site plan and a special-exception permit to the Planning, Zoning and Building Department

Last month, the Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval of the requests.

“We’re going to tear the whole building down and rebuild,” Moore told the Longboat Observer last month. “It’s going to be gorgeous and modern but it won’t lose its old Florida charm.”

Moore is requesting the conversion of his property back to commercial at the request of his new business partners. Moore has teamed up with investors the Caragiulo Group and Tom Leonard.

The Caragiulo Group owns Caragiulos Italian Restaurant, Nancy’s BBQ and Owen’s Fish Camp, all in Sarasota. Leonard owns The Shore Diner on St. Armands Circle.

New restaurant sketches that show a white, modern-architecture restaurant that’s moved back 7.8 feet off the water. Currently, the grandfathered restaurant juts out over Sarasota Bay and is not in compliance with town codes and state regulations. A new dock that is less intrusive to sea grasses is also in the works.

For more information on the Moore’s application and tonight’s meeting, visit www.yourobserver.com and pick up a copy of this week’s Longboat Observer.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].