Getting a Building Permit at Marina Jack's?!

Before I went away to college at the University of Florida and subsequently went into the Air Force, I worked with my dad. I got a great education from him. He was a builder in Sarasota in the 1950’s and 60’s. He built one spec house at a time, sold it and began another. At first, I helped with all of the menial tasks that an apprentice in the construction/carpentry trades would encounter in a craft/apprentice environment. The mindset of this arrangement was to ensure a full and comprehensive knowledge in training to be a craftsman. It was a carryover from my grandfather, who was a German trained master cabinet maker. While certainly not fun at first, I did learn the construction trade in depth and this valuable knowledge has aided me in my profession as a Real Estate agent in Sarasota, Florida.

I started learning the building trades the summer of my 12^th year and I clearly remember going with my dad down to the foot of Main Street where The City Pier, which housed Sarasota County Building Department was at that time, to get permits. In those days, believe it or not, the building department was right where Marina Jack’s is now!  And getting a permit was much different in those days. Dad knew everyone in the Building Department and we would just walk in, chat for a few minutes and walk out with our permit.

The City Pier has quite a history. It was one of the first projects undertaken when the colonists arrived in the Sarasota area from Scotland in late December 1885. The only way to travel between Sarasota and points north was by boat, and without a docking facility, the young community would be isolated from its neighbors and the rest of the world. This pier was once home to the Hoover Arcade, the City Fire Department and City Hall. At one time, it also housed Dave Broadway’s Oyster Café, an ice cream parlor, the Lyric Theater and various other offices. In 1948, the building was devoted entirely to City Hall.

Until 1967, the city's business continued to be conducted in the old Hover Arcade at the foot of lower Main Street, with its inviting archway onto the city pier as it had since 1917. The city manager, Ken Thompson, hired in 1950 was still at the helm guiding Sarasota through these transitional years. From 1917 until 1967 when it was razed, the iconic building became an enduring symbol of Sarasota and one of my favorite boyhood memories.

The entire Sarasota Bayfront began taking on an upscale appearance with the construction of Marina Mar at the City Pier site, known today as Marina Jack. It was built to put “Sarasota on the yachtsman's map” along with the addition of Island Park. Within a short period construction began and was completed in 1965. Marina Mar sold to Jack Graham and Jack Anderson, and the name was changed to Marina Jack. The complex had 110 boat slips, and could berth vessels up to 65 feet long. The marina was the only one between St. Petersburg and Boca Grande that was capable of handling the larger vessels. The restaurant afforded diners panoramic view of the downtown skyline westward to Bird Key, which it still does today.

There are many beautiful residences of all kinds near and around our iconic Bayfront, so if you are looking for a home in Sarasota, let’s meet at Marina Jack and I will share some wonderful stories about My Home Town and help you find your dream home.

Credits: The Sarasota Historical Society , The Sarasota Herald Tribune, Jeff LaHurd, Sarasota Magazine, Sarasota History Alive