An official ceremony for historic center
By Cathy Zollo
© Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Published Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.
Beautiful, clean and minimalist, the South Gate Community Center designed by famous architect Victor Lundy was brand-new 52 years ago.
It sat at the edge of Phillippi Creek, a glass pavilion among the trees.
With wide overhangs, simple lines and expanses of glass, the building exemplifies the Sarasota school of architecture's theme of inviting nature in.
Since contractors Rolland King and Frank Smith constructed the building, though, some of that simple beauty has been tarnished. Paint covers natural brick. Acoustic tile conceals the original pine ceiling. An addition obscures one view from the building's main room.
But thanks to the efforts of a handful of South Gate residents, the building now enjoys historical status, meaning any future changes need approval from the county's Historical Preservation Board.
On May 8, county officials, the South Gate community and others will gather to officially bestow historic status on the building. That designation actually happened in April 2007, but the county holds a ceremony only once a year.
Those who worked toward getting the designation say eventually, they want to take the building back to its original design. For now, they are happy it is safe.
"I wanted to make sure that no one in the future was able to alter the architect's intent for the building," said Del Macaulay, one of the South Gate residents who worked on gaining the historic designation.
Lorrie Muldowney, historic preservation specialist for the Sarasota County History Center, said the designation not only protects the building, but it also offers property tax breaks to the owner -- the South Gate Community Association. The value of any improvements to the building are exempt from ad valorem property taxes for 10 years after they are complete.
Muldowney said the Historic Preservation Board uses national guidelines when it considers changes to this or any historically designated building.
"The standards are basically 10 guiding principles that talk about appropriate treatment for historical buildings," she said.
Those include keeping change that affects the historic quality of the building to a minimum, repairing existing features when possible rather than replacing them and avoiding the use of strong chemical or physical treatments such as sandblasting that might affect the structure.
Lundy, who in his 80s and now living in Texas, was unavailable for comment, but Macaulay said the architect helped the team that put together the application for historic status.
Lundy was born in New York and received a bachelor's degree in architecture from Harvard. He set up an architectural firm in Sarasota in 1954 and designed such buildings as the Chamber of Commerce Building, now the Visitor Information Center; Alta Vista Elementary; St. Paul Lutheran Church; and the Heron House.
He is best known for dramatic roof designs, such as the sweeping roof with parabolic lines on St. Paul.
Last modified: April 23, 2008 2:48am