DID buys into Vengroff affordable housing project

Citing a pressing need for affordable housing near the heart of the city, the Downtown Improvement District is unanimously backing a proposal to construct a 393-unit apartment complex at Fruitville Road and Lime Avenue.

In advance of Wednesday's hearing with the city Planning Board, entrepreneur Harvey Vengroff discussed his plans with the DID Tuesday. Vengroff is requesting zoning changes to his 8-acre property at 2211 Fruitville Road to allow for the density necessary to build the apartment complex, called VW Village.

Vengroff is pitching the project as one that would address the city’s lack of affordable housing.

“We have a choice here,” Vengroff said. “We can build 200 nice condos or build 400 affordable apartments. Obviously, I feel that the apartments are more necessary than condominiums.”

“We have a choice here.We can build 200 nice condos or build 400 affordable apartments.” — Harvey Vengroff

DID board members said the scarcity of affordable housing is about to get even more severe in the downtown area. The amount of development underway — in particular, with six hotels planned — could lead to an uptick in the service workforce.

“We estimate, at the hotel I’m working with alone, 350 employees — in one hotel,” said DID board member Steve Seidensticker, owner of Louies Modern and The Francis. “There’s nowhere for that staff to live currently.”

Board member Daniel Volz said the price of “affordable housing” can vary widely in Sarasota, but Vengroff’s targeted rental rates between $600 and $950 actually fit the description. Ultimately, Vengroff’s proposal needs to gain approval from a supermajority of the City Commission; the DID agreed to send a letter to commissioners endorsing the plans.

“I think this is providing support for a neglected demographic,” Volz said.

One of the most significant requests in Vengroff’s proposal is a reduction in the required number of parking spaces from 404 to 242. The plans for VW Village include a car-share program for residents, but DID Operations Manager John Moran believes improved downtown transit options could reduce the need for parking at apartment complexes.

Moran is pursuing a circulator service that would transport people around the downtown area. If a transit program comes together, it could help offset the demand for parking spaces at other affordable housing projects, he said.

“A downtown transit system can reasonably replace the need for parking,” Moran said. “Hopefully, in some months, we’ll have some clarity on that.”

UPDATE: On Wednesday, the planning board voted unanimously in favor of a proposed comprehensive plan amendment related to Vengroff's proposal.