Apartments, pizza restaurant coming to former Sarasota Checkers site

A former fast-food restaurant on Ringling Boulevard in downtown Sarasota is being transformed into a five-story building that will include residences and a popular upstate New York eatery.

MRM Management, which has owned the property since 2002, says when complete, the project will feature rental apartments, retail space and a restaurant venue.

The property is at 2101 Ringling Blvd., across from the Judge Lynn N. Silvertooth Judicial Center. Until about a year ago it was occupied by Checkers. The Checkers, on a much-trafficked site a block down from the Sarasota County jail, sat empty for months; it was protected by a wrap-around fence. The building was recently demolished.

MRM says in an email that what’s replacing the fast-food establishment is Tony Harper’s Pizza & Clam Shack. The family-owned chain of four restaurants was founded in 1992 and is a New York mainstay known for its homemade pizza, fresh seafood and a family-friendly atmosphere.

This will be its first location outside of New York. The others are in Old Forge, Inlet and Lowville.

MRM paid $325,000 for the property in 2002. It has hired CM Murphy Constructors as the general contractor for the project. 

Lisa Murphy of MRM says in an email that the company expects the building to have about 24 apartments including studio, one- and two-bedroom units. Some of the units will be dedicated to staff rentals as well as short- and long-term rentals.

And in addition to Tony Harper's, the hope is to have at least one retail store and a coffee shop.

As far as timing, "that will depend on how fast we can get through permitting," says Murphy.

"We are currently in for site review with the city. Once we break ground, we anticipate 7-8 months for completion."

This article originally appeared on sister site BusinessObserverFL.com.