City Commission accepts funding from Florida Department of Environmental Protection
On a unanimous vote this week, with no discussion, the Sarasota city commissioners agreed to amend the current city budget to allow for a $3.5-million payment “to complete preconstruction and construction activities for flood mitigation improvements to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.”
The item was part of the board’s Consent Agenda 2, which includes routine business matters.
As the Agenda Request Form for the Aug. 17 decision explained, “On June 15, 2026, the City of Sarasota entered into a grant agreement
with the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection [FDEP] in the amount of $3,500,000,” with the city having no requirement to provide match funding. The form added that the figure is the maximum for which FDEP will reimburse the city for the project.
A July 24 memo from Mary Bensel, executive director of the city’s arts and entertainment venue, to Kelly Strickland, director of the city’s Financial Administration Department, provided the information that was in the Agenda Request Form, The Sarasota News Leader found.
Technically, in accord with a document included as backup material for the Aug. 17 item, the loan agreement period began on July 1, 2025 and will expire on June 30, 2029.
An attachment to the resolution regarding the grant explained that the Van Wezel, which was constructed in 1969, “lacks modern flood defenses and experiences recurrent coastal flooding, compromised stormwater conveyance, and exposure to wind-driven wave action due to its low elevation and proximity to tidal waters. This project will support resilience-focused improvements to mitigate flooding and reduce vulnerability to future storm events.”
The FDEP funding will pay for elevating utilities equipment, the installation of flood barrier systems, the waterproofing of lower-level mechanical systems, the enhancement of perimeter drainage and tide control features, and the integration of wave-resilient construction elements, the document added.
As the News Leader has reported, a three-person majority of the City Commission as it was constituted in March 2024 voted not to include coverage of the Van Wezel as part of the board’s approval of the city insurance policy that would be in effect from April 1 2024 through the end of March 2025.
Although that decision resulted in a payment of $1,315,000, instead of $2,017,313, the commissioners did agree to allow staff to procure Special Flood Hazard Area insurance for the performing arts hall through Wright Flood, as part of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). That carried maximum limits of $500,000 each on the structure and its contents.
Hurricane Milton — which came ashore the night of Oct. 9, 2024 at Big Sarasota Pass on Siesta Key — ended up causing significant damage to the Van Wezel. Thus, city staff ended up filing a claim with Wright for those damages.
In November 2024, Bensel, the venue’s executive director, told members of the city’s Purple Ribbon Committee — which was appointed in 2023 to make a recommendation to the City Commission about the future use of the structure — that the cost of repairing Hurricane Milton’s effects on the building had been put at a range of $7 million to $10 million.
A Nov. 5, 2025 article in Broadway World said, “The havoc wreaked by Milton spared no corner, causing destruction that spanned from the plush lobby carpeting to the mighty transformer perched atop the venue’s rooftop. In light of this catastrophic event, Vân Wezel had no choice but to temporarily shut its doors to the public, with plans to reopen in January [2025],” given the need for recovery from the storm.
On Nov. 7, 2024, Bensel told reporter Michaela Redmond of ABC7 in Sarasota that the “storm surge from Milton entered through the back door near [Sarasota Bay] and left a path of destruction in its wake. She said many of the hallways and rooms were flooded with anywhere from two to four feet of salt water.
“ ‘We had to take out the carpet in the grand foyer and over on the other side of the building, and then we’ve had to cut the [drywall] all down in our lower level where our dressing rooms are, our production offices are, and then water got into our orchestra pit,’ ” Redmond quoted Bensel.
On Oct. 11, 2024, WFLA, TV Channel 8 in Tampa, reported of the Milton damage, “The orchestra pit, kitchen, dressing rooms, and production offices were all flooded, according to a [city] news release. Electrical wiring was also affected and the roof sustained damage. Other areas outside of the building are also a mess.”
Then, on July 9, 2025, when the city’s ad hoc Purple Ribbon Committee members conducted their last meeting, they focused on a draft of their final report, which would be delivered to the City Commission. One section of that report’s Findings explained, “Located 25 [feet] from the bay in a flood zone, the Van Wezel is extremely vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding from torrential rains which are increasing in frequency and intensity. The potential liability from storm damage and interruption of booked presentations extends to the major local arts groups that regularly book the hall, and, potential future booking opportunities.”
That section continued, “The third hurricane of 2024, Milton, interrupted use for 3 months and required prompt, speedy, and costly remediation. Both the lost revenue, repairs, salaries, and remediation costs added up to nearly $5 million,” with more remediation to be funded by a State of Florida grant.