Sarasota Orchestra Will Build New Home On Fruitville Road

SARASOTA, FL — Sarasota Orchestra will purchase a 32-acre site on Fruitville Road between Honore Avenue and Cattlemen Road, near Interstate 75, to build its new performance venue, the organization said in a news release.

The 1,800-seat, state-of-the-art acoustical concert hall at 5701 Fruitville Road is part of the orchestra’s expansion plans. The venue will be the first of its kind designed specifically for acoustic music in the region, the organization added.

“The site will also house new and increased performance, education, event and outdoor space for the community,” including a 700-seat recital hall for chamber music and other flexible uses, Sarasota Orchestra said.

According to the Sarasota County Property Appraiser’s Office, the 1.38 million-square-feet property is owned by Wal-Mart Stores East LP based in Bentonville, Arkansas. Zoned for planned commerce development, the land, which is undeveloped, is valued at $7,335,600.

The orchestra didn’t disclose the property’s sale price but said the funds have already been fully raised.

“We’re honored to be part of the growing momentum to elevate the area’s artistic and musical experiences, and to play an even greater role in contributing to the cultural, economic, educational and quality of life conditions of the greater Sarasota-Manatee area,” said Sarasota Orchestra President and CEO Joseph McKenna in a statement. “Our plans for this dynamic musical destination will bring to the community something it’s never had – a concert hall with outstanding acoustics that will transform the experience for patrons of our orchestra and the many local performing arts groups that will share our stage. This treasured asset will expand our region’s cultural capacity for the next century.”

As plans for the new venue move forward, orchestra leaders will meet with civic leaders, arts organizations and neighborhoods as they develop a masterplan for the site.

“This is a pivotal moment in the Orchestra’s 73-year history, representing a bold, civic-minded vision about our future and our potential to enrich lives throughout the greater Sarasota area and beyond,” said Tom Ryan, chair of the Sarasota Orchestra’s board of directors. “Schedule limitations at existing venues place extraordinary burdens on cultural organizations both now and into the future. The opportunity to ease this pressure with well-designed acoustic space for music organizations will enhance and improve our region’s reputation as a premier destination for arts and culture in Florida.”