New Tempo Hotel by Hilton planned for Fruitville Road

A new 125-room, select service hotel is being proposed for three buildings on the south side of the 1500 block of Fruitville Road. 

Developer Florida Holdings LLC, which lists an address in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, plans to build a nine-story Tempo Hotel, a Hilton brand, on parcels at 1524, 1534 and 1542 Fruitville Road. Those parcels currently have single-story-businesses with a combined floor area of 9,919 square feet.

The project had its first appearance before the city’s Development Review Committee on Dec. 4. The 0.46-acre site is narrow, located between Fruitville Road and an alley to the rear, presenting multiple challenges that will require approval of adjustments from both the Planning Board and the city’s Director of Development Services. Because the property is in the Downtown Core zone district, it will not require approval of the City Commission.

In his application to the staff project consultant Joel Freedman wrote, “The zoning code acknowledges that narrow conditions exist for many parcels in the downtown. Parcels with a depth of less than 135 feet may request a Planning Board adjustment to allow for the parking to be in the second layer. We are requesting this adjustment.”

The application also requests two administrative adjustments. They include a 25% reduction in the 12-foot setback for the building at nine feet above the third story. The second is a 13% reduction of 3.6 feet in the depth of habitable space on the ground floor along Fruitville Road. Both administrative adjustments are necessary to create a 12-foot wide pedestrian zone along Fruitville.

Freedman and architect Chris Gallagher of Hoyt Architects learned during their presentation further adjustments might be necessary if code conflicts remain unaddressed in later submissions. That includes a 12-foot first-floor limit applied to the rear of the building that will be uninhabitable and out of view of the public.

“For the planning folks here, this would be a great text amendment,” Gallagher said. “We understand the point of a 12-foot floor at the front of the building where the actual stuff is happening, but for mechanical rooms and stuff in the back of the house, it’s pretty absurd to do that. Also in that back space is the pump room and FPL room, so I guess my question is, if you're calling those habitable spaces, could I put them out in the habitable space out front? I assume your answer would be no.”

His satirical assumption was correct.

Leaving that back room space at 12 feet in height would mean another requested adjustment, in addition to a restricted signage height of 14 feet in the front that Gallagher said he had never seen before.

“I don't think this matters in the life of any citizens of Sarasota,” Gallagher said. “Just again, a highly detailed new requirement that we've not seen in previous interpretations. I understand what the comment is, but disagree with it.”

The project, Freedman and Gallagher were advised, will require a resubmittal to the DRC.