Illustration by John Pirman

John Pirman says the first time he drove by downtown’s post office, “It stopped me in my tracks.” He speculates that the big scalloped awning on the building, which was constructed in 1965, might have been inspired by lace edging. “It creates a beautiful shadow on the monolithic mid-century facade,” he says. He likes the “playful” juxtaposition of the entrance and the tall, vertically striped building behind it. The building “makes a friendly, inviting visual experience,” he says. “And that’s what Sarasota is all about.”