Sarasota Livin'

If I won the lottery (which I don't play) I would love to build a "great" town square along the bayfront somewhere... what a great place to enjoy the sunset.. maybe I could put a convention center on one side of it??

Lakewood Ranch is building one ...

"the Lakewood Ranch Arts Centre, a mixed-use project called San Marco Plaza that will be modeled after the Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy.

Project costs are estimated to be more than $15 million. The plaza will total 80,000 square feet and include 20,000 square feet of second-level office space, a 300-seat outdoor amphitheatre and a 250-seat dinner theater. Dubbed an "architectural showplace," it also will feature restaurants, retail gift shops and art galleries. "

Planetizen has an article on "What Makes A Good Town Square?" Author Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard offers an online excerpt and summary of her book, "Genius of the European Town Square."

The direct link points to Making Cities Livable

"The square is the essence of the European city, epitomizing the community's heritage and symbolizing its identity. In fostering the cooperative, entrepreneurial, cultural, and democratically organized urban civilization that was a uniquely European invention the multi-functional market square is a true symbol of unity for the European Community"