Koski family donates $1 million to Selby remake

A $1 million gift from Tom and Sherry Koski has helped fund Marie Selby Botanical Gardens' master plan, which is expected to produce the world's first botanical garden complex with a net positive energy rating.

The master plan for Selby Gardens' downtown Sarasota campus will begin with phase one, scheduled to open in August 2023. Phase one will include a Plant Research Center and Living Energy Access Facility, which will house parking, a gift and plant shop, and a garden-level restaurant equipped with a 50,000-square-foot solar array that will provide one megawatt of power.

“We are overjoyed that Sherry and Tom are investing so generously in Selby Gardens’ transformation,” said Jennifer Rominiecki, the president and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, in a statement. “The Koski family are philanthropic leaders in our community, and this thoughtful gift says that our project is worth supporting.”

Selby Gardens has raised $45 million for construction on phase one. For the Koskis, the investment in Selby Gardens is also an extension of their family legacy. Tom’s father, Robert E. Koski, served on the Board of Trustees of Selby Gardens from 1991 to 200. Tom’s mother, Beverly Koski, is a member of Selby Gardens’ Advisory Committee and a Leadership donor to the master plan campaign herself.