SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla — A Sarasota group is working to preserve some historic buildings in the county. The initiative called "Six to Save" was started by the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation.
One of those buildings is significant to Sarasota's African-American history
Leaders of the organization said the clock is ticking for at least six historic buildings in the county, including one on 8th Street.
The building used to be The Colson Hotel for Negroes, built in 1925 by developer Owen Burns. It was named after Lewis Colson, Sarasota's first Black resident, who is also credited with driving the first stake to plat the town of Sarasota.
African-Americans who, at the time the hotel was built, were legally barred in the segregated South from lodging at white-only hotels stayed at the Colson Hotel.
"This would've been the main entrance to the building right here, and you see it's slightly raised here. There would've been a center door actually that people would drop off people going into the building and the lobby and those public spaces of the hotel," Dave Baber, vice-president of SAHP, said.
The Colson Hotel was nestled in Overtown, the first Black community established by Mr. Colson, who also became a reverend and built the city's first Black church. Historians said because the 26-room hotel was one of the only ones in the area, it was very successful for many years.
"This was a really booming commercial and residential neighborhood for the African-American community here that was a big part of Sarasota," Erin Di Fazio, the program director at SAHP, said.
"We don't want to take all of our Black history from the city Of Sarasota and move it out of this city. We need it here because these stories are important to the city. These people were integral in building the city," she added.
Five other historic buildings that play an important part in Sarasota's history are:
- McAlpin Home, 1530 Cross Street, Sarasota
- Waldman Building, 533-539 S. Washington Boulevard, Sarasota
- 13 Main Street, 13 Main Street, Osprey
- Colson Hotel For Negroes, 1425 Eighth Street, Sarasota
- I.M. Pei dorms at New College of Florida
- Hotel Venice, 200 N. Nassau Street, Venice
The buildings were all nominated by members of the public who, along with local experts, will join the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation in workshops aimed toward helping to preserve and protect them.
Many of the buildings have been impacted by time, delayed maintenance and storm damage, while some face the threat of demolition.
"The developer did not realize the importance of the building to the community, and we have engaged in conversation with them to find ways for them to be able to do their development while incorporating the building into the development," Baber said.
A representative of the developer said they are reviewing their plans ahead of several meetings and discussions with Sarasota officials. He said the company has not ruled out restoration as part of its development plans for the building and would continue to work with the city on the future of the properties.