Fourth hotel proposal submitted for Siesta Key

A boutique hotel has been proposed for Siesta Key, bringing the total number of hotel proposals seeking changes to county regulations to four. 

The new proposal, filed by Weiqi Lin of Port Coastal Consultants on behalf of the company ABC SUB2, LLC, is for a 100-room hotel on approximately 2.15 acres at 5810 Midnight Pass Road. 

The lot, which formerly housed a Wells Fargo Bank, is 1,200 feet from the main Siesta Key Beach access, the proposal states. It is about 1.25 miles from Siesta Village and currently serves as paid beach parking. 

The property recently was sold to ABC SUB2, LLC, which filed its articles of incorporation with the state in January. 

The proposal, submitted to the county March 19, outlines a boutique hotel that would include 100 rooms, a restaurant and a hotel lounge and bar. A pool and hot tub also are planned. 

“The uniqueness of its size makes it an ideal parcel for a boutique hotel on Siesta Key and its location is perfect for a hotel/restaurant/bar to serve the many visitors and residents to Siesta Key every year,” the document notes. 

Two levels of parking with 394 spaces are proposed underneath the hotel. About 97 parking spaces will be allowed for extra beach parking and overflow spaces and seven handicap spaces will be included.

The total height of the building would be 35 feet above parking. The proposal is asking for a change in county zoning and land-use regulations that would allow the 35-foot height maximum for commercial construction on the key to be calculated for the building above the garage, not from ground level. 

The property is zoned Commercial General under the Siesta Key Overlay District and would remain that way under the proposal. It is the only parcel on the island zoned Commercial General within the overlay district that is surrounded by multi-family properties. 

Similar to three other hotel proposals  on the key, the boutique hotel submission proposes changes to county regulations that affect density and transient use.

The density allowed in the Siesta Key Overlay District is 13 units with kitchens per acre or 26 units without kitchens per acre on Commercial General properties. The requested density of the boutique hotel would equal 52 units per acre.

The new proposal matches another for a 120-room hotel on Old Stickney Point Road that calls for a change that would double the residential density allowed. 

A redevelopment proposal for Siesta Key Beach Resort and Suites seeks a countywide change to the Unified Development Code that would allow any existing transient accommodations with 40 or more unites before 1989 to be redeveloped without having to comply with current density standards. 

Finally, a proposal for a 170-room hotel at the edge of Siesta Village wants to eliminate residential density calculations for hotels altogether. 

Siesta Key Coalition, a grassroots efforts against the hotels, said that if approved, the proposals would open the floodgates to similar projects in the future, which could threaten the nature of the barrier island lifestyle. 

However, the proposal for the Midnight Pass property notes that the land owner is a Siesta Key local who owns real estate and business interests on the key. 

“As a member of the community, he understand the concerns involving he environment, the beaches, the waters, the lack of parking and the impacts of development on Siesta Key,” the application states. “As such, the new owner is interested in developing the parcel in a way that will help preserve the community and neighborhood values of Siesta Key.” 

The document notes the owner is willing to work with condo associations, the Siesta Key Association and the Chamber of Commerce to develop the property with the community’s interest at heart. 

The existing one-story Wells Fargo building was built 1971 and closed in November 2020. The property was purchased for $4.4 million and the existing structure would be demolished to make way for the hotel. 

If approved, the proposed start date is early 2022 with anticipated build-out date 18-24 months after the project is started.