In fall 2024, Benderson Development had expressed interest in buying county-owned property
On a 4-1 vote this week, the Sarasota County commissioners directed county staff to negotiate with the leaders of the nonprofit Architecture Sarasota to sell that organization the county-owned property located at 261 S. Orange Ave. in downtown Sarasota.
Architecture Sarasota has its offices in the historic Scott Building standing on that parcel, as board members noted again during the discussion that was part of their regular meeting on Jan. 13, held in Venice.
The nonprofit had offered the county $2.5 million for the building, based on an appraisal it had secured, as Architecture Sarasota President Morris “Marty” Hylton III wrote in a Nov. 13, 2025 letter to Assistant County Administrator Brad Johnson. The funds would be “paid in cash at closing,” the letter said.
Both Hylton and Howard Davis, vice chair of the organization’s board of directors, appeared before the commissioners during the Jan.1 3 Open to the Publiccomment period to request that they agree to the sale.
During his remarks, Hylton pointed out that the structure is “a significant example of the [Sarasota School of Architecture].” That is a style for which Sarasota is known worldwide, as county architects have noted over the years.
Moreover, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Hylton continued, and the County Commission voted unanimously to include it “on the Sarasota County Register of Historic Places as a significant historic landmark.”
Hylton also noted that the structure, as the organization’s headquarters, is known as the McCulloch Pavilion.
If the board members that day agreed to sell the building to Architecture Sarasota, Hylton added, “We will work to make sure this significant landmark remains open and accessible to the public and a draw to both people within and outside the county and that it will be preserved in perpetuity.”
He also pointed out that his organization’s predecessor, the Center for Architecture Sarasota, “collaborated with the County Commission at that time to secure a lease for the building and raise approximately $1 million to rehabilitate [and] restore the structure and to open it to the public for both visitation and programming.”
(Architecture Sarasota was launched in July 2021, Hylton said.)
The organization has been renting the property from the county for $10 per year, as noted during earlier board discussions.
Commissioner Teresa Mast cast the “No” vote after the Jan. 13 discussion, contending — as she did during past discussions of the topic — that the South Orange Avenue property should be advertised to the public for offers that would lead to its sale. She has stressed the parcel’s value, given its location in the City of Sarasota’s Downtown Core zoning district.
During a later budget discussion that was part of the Jan. 13 meeting, Mast emphasized that selling county property for the highest amount staff can negotiate is another way the board members can deal with financial constraints.
Indeed, an in-house county appraisal and one produced by an independent firm ended up with higher values than the $2.5 million that Architecture Sarasota proposed to pay for the 261 S. Orange Ave. property. The in-house figure was $3.5 million, while the independent appraisal put the value at $4.8 million.
Roger L. Hettema, a principal of Hettema Saba, which has its office on Clark Road in Sarasota, arrived at the latter appraisal, as shown in a document included in the agenda packet. Hettema has provided appraisal services to county staff for years, The Sarasota News Leader has observed.
However, Matt Osterhoudt, director of the county’s Planning and Development Services Department, pointed out during his Jan. 13 presentation that Hettema’s and the in-house figures were based on what is called the “highest and best use” of the property.
Nonetheless, the majority of the commissioners agreed that the historic value of the Scott Building was a significant consideration.
Moreover, as Hylton pointed out during his public comments, the organization that Architecture Sarasota succeeded — the Sarasota Center for Architecture — undertook a $1-million renovation of the structure after it began renting the property from the county. Thus, Commissioner Mark Smith reminded his colleagues, if that investment were added to Architecture Sarasota’s purchase offer, “they’re closer, perhaps [to the county’s appraisal figure] than it would appear, originally.”
The background and the options
During his Jan. 13 presentation, Osterhoudt of Planning and Development Services reminded the commissioners that, in the fall of 2024, Benderson Development Co. inquired of county staff about the potential purchase of the parcel standing at 261 S. Orange Ave. Staff then suggested to the commission that what is called an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) could be issued, to determine whether other entities were interested in the property.
However, Osterhoudt continued, the board members opted to hold off on an issuance of an ITN until discussions could take place with the leaders of Architecture Sarasota. Then, as noted on a slide Osterhoudt showed the board, the commissioners decided on April 5, 2025 to hold off for 18 months on any decision about the future of the parcel.
Moving on to the options before the board this week, Osterhoudt explained that, because Architecture Sarasota is a nonprofit, “You are able to negotiate solely with them and directly with them.” If the organization were a for-profit entity, he pointed out, the board would have to take a step such as issuing an ITN, given state law governing local government procurement procedures.
If the commissioners opted for the sale of the property, Osterhoudt added, they first would have to take a formal vote to declare it surplus, also as required by state law.
The options other than a sale to Architecture Sarasota were as follows, he said:
- Decline the proposal.
- Revisit the ITN process.
- Defer action pending further evaluation.
Following Osterhoudt’s remarks, Commissioner Smith referenced the appraisals, noting, “The biggest difference for me, being an architect,” is the fact that the building is on both the National Register and the County Register of historic places. “I believe strongly that we need to preserve our history.”
That was why he was in favor of Option 1, he added.
Commissioner Mast then said she was in favor of declaring the property surplus and directing staff to issue an ITN. “What I am concerned about,” she stressed, “is the discrepancy in the appraisals.”
While she called the leaders of Architecture Sarasota “excellent tenants,” she also said, “I just want to be sure we’re being very fair to all of our individuals who might have an interest in [the property], as well.”
Commissioner Joe Neunder told his colleagues, “I happen to agree with Commissioner Smith here on Option 1.”
He added that he lives in Venice, whose residents are “very territorial about preserving their historical landmarks.” Moreover, he continued, “We know a lot of residents in Sarasota County are interested in preserving their history of national landmarks.”
Neunder said Architecture Sarasota “has come to the table with a very fair and balanced offer.” He then referenced the comment that Hylton, president of the organization, made earlier that day, about the nonprofit’s plans to preserve the Scott Building in perpetuity. “I’m in full support for doing that, given the nature of architecture here in Sarasota.”
Addressing the audience in the Commission Chambers of the R.L. Anderson Administration Center in Vencie, Neunder pointed out, “We have some very famous architects that are in Sarasota.”
Noting that he grew up in the county, he added that preserving the history of the community is “something I’m very passionate about.”
Commissioner Tom Knight announced his support, too, for Option 1.
Chair Ron Cutsinger joined Smith, Neunder and Knight. “I had a little bit of concern about the fact that the appraisals were so different,” Cutsinger continued, “but looking at the fact that it’s a historical building, the highest and best use is very improbable, because they’re not going to tear that building down.”
After those remarks, Commissioner Smith made the motion, telling his colleagues, “I think this is a great opportunity to preserve our history.” Moreover, he said, the leaders of Architecture Sarasota share their extensive knowledge about architecture and history with the public. “I’m delighted that we’re going to go forward this way.”
The resulting vote was 4-1, with Mast opposed to it.
Osterhoudt’s presentation and the discussion took only about 10 minutes.