Land that’s been vacant for more than 10 years in the north end of the Rosemary District will soon house a five-story, mixed-use project bringing 254 units, a rooftop amenity space, a restaurant and a small retail market.

The site address is 850 Cocoanut Ave., just north of CitySide Apartments. The almost 3.5-acre land parcel sold in March for $15.5 million, according to the Sarasota County property appraiser, but represents a partnership investment between the previous sole owner, the Sarasota-based Longboat Group and Miami-based development firm Allen Morris, which also has offices in Atlanta.

The Longboat Group brought Sarasota the CitySide Apartments, as well as the recently opened food and beverage compound, Parkside, on Central Avenue. You could say BaySide will be CitySide’s posh cousin: a multifamily project that's similar in scale. Groundbreaking will happen in the next two weeks, and it's slated for completion in about two years.

“We secured the land more than 10 years ago and kept entitlements alive," says Josh Weiner, principal of the Longboat Group. "Morris Allen is responsible for the new design and construction, and we’ll handle property management once it’s finished."

Now the project is picking up where it left off in 2019. “It’s truly at least five years in the making," Weiner says. "You may remember we were pre-selling condos in 2019, before Covid. For a number of reasons, we pivoted. It was about finding a great partner who shared the vision."

In addition to its five stories, BaySide will have a residents-only 15,000 square-foot rooftop amenity level, including a pool, sundeck and grill areas with views of Sarasota Bay. A ground-level retail market, restaurant and bar component will be open to the public.

The restaurant and bar will be spearheaded by Sarasota's Skip Engelbrecht, who has made a name for himself in Atlanta, where he co-owns a casual seafood restaurant called Fishmonger. That's where Spencer Morris, who leads the Allen Morris development group, met him and struck a deal to bring him back home for the project. Fishmonger earned a 2023 Michelin Bib Gourmand rating. 

Meanwhile, the marketplace will carry local goods and wares, "like a bodega," Morris says, "with natural wines, local beers, food and other produce on a small scale.”

The aim is to create an inviting, urban vibe. There are even plans to host farmer's markets, complementing the ultra-walkable neighborhood.

BaySide is Allen Morris’ first development in Sarasota County, but the company has more than 90 others, mostly located in Atlanta and Miami. Spencer Morris calls the project’s style "Florida modern meets Bohemian modern." 

As far as the apartments go, BaySide will be a pet-friendly community, with more than 50,000 square feet of private amenities, including a fitness center, yoga studio, private Zoom booths, a coffee shop, a 24-hour front desk concierge and security.

Units will range from 822 square feet to 1,926 square feet, with 107 one-bedroom units; 128 two-bedroom units; and 19 three-bedroom units. Features include balconies and patios, Italian kitchen finishes and smart appliances. Purely a market-rate long-term rent model, monthly costs will range from $2,500 to $7,500. 

"There will also be two ground-level courtyards, one anchored by a mature banyan tree and a dog park, and an events program manager,” says Morris. “It’ll be more like living in a luxury condo, but [the units are rentals], which is our niche. We aim for a luxury hotel-style user experience."

Thanks to an increased density overlay, the neighborhood has been on a development tear for several years now, with hundreds of units built and multiple projects on the horizon, like the Orange One townhomes and The Gallery condos, plus the groundbreaking of nearby Luxe on Tenth. Great Heights Creamery just opened, and Parkside is in full swing. Nearby 10th Street and Boulevard of the Arts will also soon be getting a makeover to make them more bike and pedestrian-friendly, and talk of a pedestrian overpass connecting the Rosemary District to the Bay project is also part of the plans for the area—but it's still too early to tell when that might break ground.

Completion for BaySide will take roughly two years, but the project probably won't end there—the Longboat Group also owns a vacant acre just to the north of this project.