Sarasota developer plans Arlington Park townhomes

As Sarasota Memorial Hospital expands the footprint of its main campus, one local developer is pitching a project to help accommodate that growth.

Leonard Meyer Jr. is planning a six-building, 24-unit gated community in Arlington Park, an up-and-coming neighborhood east of South Tamiami Trail. The townhome project is slated to incorporate all of the larger oak trees on the property, which is currently occupied by 19 units built before 1970 that Meyer bought for $1.1 million in January.

The project is situated on the west side of East Avenue between Hillview Street and Hyde Park Street.

Although at three stories over parking, the proposed neighborhood will be taller than all of the surrounding structures, the zoning for the three lots it encompasses would allow for up to 90-foot-tall buildings, accord to the city’s zoning code. Further, the developer removed one of the buildings from the concept as to not have one of the garages face a main road. 

“We could go in and put a big monster building there, and we could go for a lot more units and a lot more revenue,” Meyer said. “But we’re striving for a nice perfect setting close to the hospital.”

Edward Eible, president of Sarasota-based Architura, said his firm might use a Craftsman style on the buildings or lean toward a more contemporary design. With the influx of developers moving in and tearing down homes west of the South Trail, the project could guide the architectural feel of the neighborhood. 

“We want to do something more ageless than trendy,” Eible said.

Sarasota Memorial recently announced plans to spend up to $4 million to design a comprehensive care center on its campus, and a $46 million, 74,000-square-foot rehab center is currently under construction at the hospital. Meyer hasn’t yet reached out to hospital officials about the demand for such units.

“We always pictured these nice new townhomes for the doctors and nurses,” he said. “It’s going to be a very picturesque property when it’s done for both the city and the community.”