Private building deserves consideration for preservation

Someday, perhaps, an architect will find a way to design a building that preserves itself -- or can at least fight back against a wrecking ball. Until then, demolitions of notable structures are likely to remain as they are today: all too frequent.

In Sarasota, preservation is a mix of hits and misses. Some remarkable public buildings (the courthouse and the opera house, for example) have been saved, but other landmarks (the Lido Casino, the downtown train station, the Ringling hotel) have been knocked down. Sarasota High School's 82-year-old brick edifice will be preserved, but the 50-year-old, architecturally notable Riverview High is set to come down.

Now comes the news that another unique building -- this one a privately held, former bank on U.S. 41 at Bahia Vista Street -- might give way to a chain drugstore.

Fortunately, demolition of the Jack West-designed bulding is not a sure thing. No permit has been granted, the clock is not yet ticking, and there is still time to pursue alternatives that could preserve the architecturally significant structure.

But does the public have the will power and grass-roots support to do so? Does local government have the regulatory tools to enable it? Does the private sector have the financial incentive to preserve it?

Unless the answers are "yes, yes and yes," this building could be at risk.

A significant structure

West's 34-year-old bank building does not have historic designation, but it is included in state and city inventories of significant structures. The handsome brick-and-concrete bank is considered a late-phase example of the noted Sarasota School of Architecture.

The three-story building, commissioned in 1973 as a branch office for First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Manatee County, is quite a step up from the look-alike franchises that have grown up around it. Instead of the dime-a-dozen signs that front U.S. 41's commercial milieu, the bank is graced with a sculpture by the late Sarasota artist Jack Cartlidge.

Replacing all this with a new building for a chain drugstore (within throwing distance of two other pharmacies) -- well, it's hard to see how that would improve the community.

The structure, now owned by BB&T Bank, is believed to be in good condition but has been vacant for some time. It needs an occupant -- ideally, one who would keep it essentially intact.

Preserving private buildings

Saving public landmarks can get controversial, but preserving buildings in the private sector can be even more contentious. An owner may resist preservation dictates because they often add costs and diminish property rights. Strict anti-demolition mandates in some states have withstood court scrutiny, but many governments find it easier to encourage, rather than require, the preservation of structures in private hands.

In Sarasota, historic designation is voluntary. Rules don't necessarily prevent demolition but they can delay it, providing extra time (though often not enough) to find a savior.

Some preservation incentives are available, ranging from modest tax breaks to zoning and code relief. Nonprofits can qualify for limited state grants to help with the cost. Also, federally recognized historic districts -- a designation being sought for downtown Sarasota -- can gain lucrative federal tax credits.

Public funding

Some of the finest historic renovation efforts in Sarasota have been done by private citizens. But that's a challenge in commercial zoning, because the land tends to be expensive and preservation can erode its development potential. Greater availability of public funding could help offset that disadvantage, improving the survival odds for landmark buildings.

In the recent past, voters have been willing to chip in tax revenues to preserve beloved public places. Extra-cent sales tax revenue, for example, went toward the renovation of the Sarasota County Courthouse.

But the West building is not yet "historic," and it's not clear that it enjoys grass-roots devotion. The Sarasota School style is sometimes more esteemed by design experts than by the public.

There does seem to be consensus, though, that the distinctive structure is infinitely preferable to another cookie-cutter drugstore in a town that already has so many of them.

For what it's worth, the Editorial Board values the West building and is convinced that Sarasota would sorely miss this structure -- and the class it brings to U.S. 41 -- if it were knocked down.

That hasn't happened yet, and it doesn't have to. With some creativity and a lot of public support, a feasible plan to reuse this building can be devised.

In a growing community, not every building can or should be saved. But this one's worth a try.