Sarasota Livin'

This is the real future (yes "development" & businesses are important but not as much as kids) ... we have lots of kids in the neighborhood thanks to the young couples that have been buying and renovating in Arlington Park.

It was great to see babies at our APNA picnic today!!!

and yes it was very nice to see the mayor and his wife also. Click on the picture to see more.

SHT Article about my neighborhood Arlington Park...

Neighbors praise condo plan they once opposed

By KEVIN MCQUAID
kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA -- When Kalu Watanabe and his partners pitched their Residences at Hyde Park condo project last year, residents living close by were less than enthused.

Neighbors objected to designs that showed the 39-unit project practically looming over the street, ignoring required setbacks.

They disliked the way the condos were positioned on the land bounded by Hyde Park and Hillview streets and East Avenue, across from Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Some members of the Arlington Park Neighborhood Association frowned on the Residences' planned 65-foot height. Others grumbled about trash Dumpsters that would jut obtrusively onto the sidewalk.

"The neighborhood absolutely hated it," Watanabe acknowledges.

With some of my neighbors we began marking the storm drains in the Arlington Park neighborhood. It was pretty easy and I think will make people not be so quick to throw things in the street. Do you know that storm drains go directly into our local waterways?

Most all of the city including Arlington park drains into Hudson Bayou or Sarasota Bay. Think about that cigarette butt you throw out the window of your car... the next time it rains your butt will be floating in Hudson Bayou on its way out to the bay.... and I thought cigarettes where only gross while they were being smoked...

That's the new tile in my office in the background ...

The Arlington Park sewer sign gluing crew...

We even had a dog helping..

Our neighborhood adopted East Ave (from Bahia Vista to Webber) so once every few months we get out and pick up the garbage. Lots of stuff thrown out of car windows ... do you litter? We got about 25 lbs. between 4 of us.


It really only takes about an hour ... when was the last time you worked to beautify your neighborhood beyond your yard??

That's me listening to The Gillmor Gang Podcast while I work.... next is cleaning the gutters and then mow the yard... Looking forward to fun Sunday

Since my last several posts about the Arlington Park Neighborhood were somewhat negative rants... I feel the need this Sunday to make ammends... It really is a great place to live. We are near everything - great shopping, restaurants, nightlife, the beach - its only a 15 minute bike ride to downtown.

The neighborhood also has many older homes such as these on Hillview Street which were all built in the 1920's.








One of the things we value about our neighborhood is the diversity of home styles.

OK I am usually a cheerleader for how great Sarasota is but these dumpsters are really getting me mad. This is the view coming into my neighborhood from Hillview St. and US41. This is across the street from Sarasota Memorial Hospital. I took these pictures today walking home from the Giving Hunger the Blues Benefit.


Just in case you wanted a close-up of the garbage which has been piled up there for weeks. They may pick it up sometimes but I have seen a huge pile for a least the past month.

Just to show I am not picking on just one trashy apartment complex there are two more dumpsters right around the corner belonging to the Hillview Apartments. PS that is East Ave. -- I mean literally East Ave. -- I think it is hanging over into the street.

Today they were not overflowing but I got close enough to see the flies swarming around.

If the city of Sarasota doesn't have a rule about screening dumpsters on a public roadway WE NEED ONE NOW!!!!
I don't really blame the residents as they just live there but the owners / management companies are screwing over my neighborhood. Hillview St. is one of the main entrances to Arlington Park and we are tired of this "garbage"

Arlington Park Neighborhood had another NAS meeting today. The focus was public works and services. Meeting was pretty well attended as usual -- about 30 people. The main speaker was Duane Mountain he has worked for the City of Sarasota for over 30 years.. he really is a good guy that works to get things done - I was on the Parks board serving with him... good to see someone that loves what they do.

We started off with everyone introducing themselves and what they like about the neighborhood. I always enjoy hearing that... mostly location, location, location - old homes with character / tree cover / safe / the park itself -- and ... rising property values (no one said that out loud...)

Sarasota really is a great place to live.