time capsules

These Historic Local Buildings Were Nominated as Landmarks Worth Saving

The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation highlighted these historic buildings as part of its third annual "Six to Save" initiative.

By Kim Doleatto April 6, 2022

Cuneo Estate

A wide parcel of bayfront land, situated in the Indian Beach-Sapphire Shores neighborhood and home to four historic properties with multiple historic buildings, many of which are locally and nationally designated, is currently on the market for $22 million. Assembled as the estate of John Cuneo Jr., on land that was originally owned in 1890 by Dr. Frederick K. Williams of Bristol, CT, and later parceled out with a group of investors as the ideal location for a winter home during boom time development. Located just north of the Ringling Museum and the Ca D’Zan, this pristine parcel is threatened by potential development and demolition.

Mel-O-Dee Diner

This iconic diner, known as much for its food as a gathering place for civic organizations throughout the city, was opened in 1955 and run by owners Daniel and Betty Pischer until their retirement in 1973. The restaurant closed in 2003, and the building has sat secured but vacant for the last 19 years. The Mel-O-Dee retains its midcentury modern details with a Polynesian influence. The interior has been gutted and the original neon sign adjacent to 41 was destroyed by a vehicle in 2021. The current owner has the property listed on the market for $1 million and has sold the adjacent vacant lots to developers. The high price tag has presented an as-yet insurmountable obstacle to its preservation.

Photography by Courtesy Photo

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

Built in 1968 with funds from a city bond referendum and a bequest from philanthropists Lewis and Eugenia Van Wezel, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall opened its doors in 1970. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation (in association with Taliesin Associated Architects) design came from two seashells from the Sea of Japan which are permanently on display in the Hall. The lavender and purple color scheme, selected by Frank Lloyd Wright's widow, Olgivanna Lloyd Wright, has helped make the iconic structure memorable and is featured in the Saks Fifth Avenue Sarasota snow globe. Though still in use, planned obsolescence as part of The Bay's master plan for the new Sarasota Performing Arts Center creates danger for demolition.

Photography by ESB Basic/Shutterstock.com

Snook Haven

The Snook Haven house dates back to about 1920 when the property was used as a fish camp called the Myakka Lodge. Owned by Dan Evans, in 1938 the property was renowned for its abundant variety of fish and tropical beauty. In 1952, the fish camp donned the moniker Snook Haven. Currently owned by Sarasota County Parks Department, with one structure leased to a popular restaurant, a master plan was drawn up, which failed to include the house structure, putting it at risk of demolition. The fish camp currently holds no historical designation or protections.

Photography by Courtesy Photo

Lindh Building

Designed by structural engineer William Lindh and architect Cyril Tucker as their office, the 1959 midcentury building features a unique folding-plate roof. The unusual fiberglass front facade is offset by darkly painted repeating vertical timbers which call to mind a Japanese shoji screen. Significant not only for its architecture and material selection, Lindh and Tucker are also the engineer and architect behind the famous hyperbolic paraboloid of the 1964 Venice Beach Pavilion. The Lindh building is at risk for demolition due to neglect; the City of Venice currently offers no protection to its midcentury resources.

Photography by Courtesy Photo

Point of Palms

Built in 1923 by Dr. Fred Albee and his wife Louella as their home on Dona Bay in Nokomis, this Mediterranean Revival beauty retains its multiple arched openings and a porte-cochere. Albee is best known for having purchased and established both Nokomis and Venice following a brief visit in 1917. He hired fellow Harvard graduate John Nolen to create the urban plan for the City of Venice and then brought in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers to build it. The home is privately owned and is suffering from neglect. Given the desirable waterfront location and lack of designation, this puts it at high risk of demolition.

Photography by Google Street View

As cranes arch over the Sarasota skyline and new developers expand their footprint into the profit-rich local real estate market, where rents, home and condo prices are soaring, there are those who aim to preserve a slice of history.

"Some of these buildings are sitting ducks," says Erin DiFazio, a restoration designer and realtor specializing in historic homes, who worries that ideal locations, amid high-density building opportunities, may lead to the demolition of cherished sites.

The Van Wezel was featured in a Sarasota-themed Saks Fifth Avenue snow globe.

Image: Courtesy Photo

She’s also president of the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, which collaborates with the History and Preservation Coalition of Sarasota County in an effort to educate and advocate for unprotected historic sites. This year marks its third annual "Six to Save" initiative, and if you've lived here for more than five minutes, you'll probably recognize at least one of this year's nominees.

The nominees are the Cuneo estate, the Mel-O-Dee Restaurant, The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Snook Haven, The Lindh Building, and Dr. Fred Albee's previous home, Point of Palms. (You can see the 2020 nominees here and last year's here.)

How did these buildings get nominated?

Unlike historic gems like the Belle Haven or the Umbrella House, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, these buildings have no such protections. In fact, many of this year's nominees are in dire need of repairs and restoration, and some are for sale, adding more barriers to preservation since owners can cash in, rather than enter a potential economic sinkhole. The solutions are community-driven.

Modeled after the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation’s 11 to Save program, the aim of the citizen-powered Six to Save is to draw attention to the treasure trove of local historic properties and motivate citizens to help save them.

"If a building doesn't have an active, sustainable use, we can have a workshop to draw on people to brainstorm how to fund or make it work and deep dive into potential future uses," DiFazio says. "Sometimes the owners need grants for funding sources and they don't know where to begin. Other times they just need more community awareness, like the Philippi Crest Community Clubhouse, which we nominated last year. The exposure can connect the building to the preservation community and we can work from there."

An old photo of the Mel-O-Dee diner on Tamiami Trail — An old photo of the Mel-O-Dee Restaurant on North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota

Image: Courtesy Photo

Right now, the Lindh building has become a canvas for some local graffiti artists. The Mel-O-Dee Restaurant, on North Tamiami Trail, lost its iconic sign due to a nearby car accident last year, but it's practically an institution—every local still knows its name without it. Vintage, matchboxes and postcards of the old diner are on Ebay for roughly $8.

The Van Wezel is similarly etched in the memory of buildings that define Sarasota. Saks Fifth Avenue's signature Christmas snow globe of Sarasota placed the purple cow under a palm tree.

Residents are encouraged to join the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation and participate in City of Sarasota and Sarasota County meetings that weigh rezoning, planning and development, and demolitions.

Sarasota History, Florida History, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Old Florida

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