New event space, The Ora, opens soon at Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee campus

Samantha Gholar, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Updated ·3 min read
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee is nearing completion of a new luxury event venue, The Ora, at 578 McIntosh Rd, in Sarasota, with the first event scheduled for Feb. 21.
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee is nearing completion of a new luxury event venue, The Ora, at 578 McIntosh Rd, in Sarasota, with the first event scheduled for Feb. 21.

A new event space, The Ora, is opening on the campus of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and will soon offer a state-of-the-art luxury venue for Sarasota’s many special events and celebrations.

Featuring a 10,000-square-foot ballroom, The Ora is among the largest event spaces in the region. It was envisioned by the organization’s board of directors, who felt the region lacked a versatile and luxurious space.

The new facility at 578 McIntosh Road offers guests and event attendees multiple spaces that combined cover 30,000 square feet.

The Ora includes top-of-the-line lighting, audio and visual equipment, and custom imported stone. It also has more than 400 parking spaces. It's a major marketing point — The Ora can comfortably host gatherings of up to 1,000 people.

The 10,000 square-foot ballroom at The Ora can be divided into two or three smaller rooms. The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee is nearing completion of a new luxury event venue, The Ora.
The 10,000 square-foot ballroom at The Ora can be divided into two or three smaller rooms. The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee is nearing completion of a new luxury event venue, The Ora.

The Ora is headed by Director of Operations Deanna McGrath, who returned to the region for the job and has 15 years of hospitality and event management experience.

“The Jewish Federation is constantly trying to improve the facility, not just for the Jewish community, but for the community as a whole,” McGrath said during a tour of the space. “There is such a need for a large space in Sarasota and we don’t think we realized that until we went live with our reservations. Most inquiries are looking for something that seats 400 to 600. That is perfect for us because it really eliminates a lot of other venues. There’s just not too many in the area that can seat that amount. We are very excited about being open and hosting.”

Initial designs were created in 2020 and Sarasota-based Tandem Construction broke ground on the 16-acre facility in June 2021.

The Ora boasts a 3,000 square-foot commercial kitchen.
The Ora boasts a 3,000 square-foot commercial kitchen.

Tandem CEO Peter Hayes said the project has been steadily progressing over the past few years, employing over 1,000 vendors and site workers as part of the construction.

Preparing for the Feb. 11 soft opening, Hayes said building on the Jewish Federation grounds and constructing The Ora is a full circle moment for him and his company.

“It takes a lot of commitment, dedication, perseverance to build a structure. For me, it’s very special to work on this building because I built the former theater building here in 1998,” he said.

The former Beatrice Freidman Theatre was the last building on the site before Tandem began construction of The Ora.

Jewish Federation leaders and the project design team kept pieces of tradition incorporated in the luxury space. Just above the entry doors to the oversized lobby, a traditional Chuppah adorns the outdoor ceiling. It was commissioned for the venue, constructed off-site over nine months, then brought to The Ora and reconstructed and installed into the foundation Hayes said.

The gallery at The Ora is located off the lobby and can function as an event space. It will feature rotating art exhibits.
The gallery at The Ora is located off the lobby and can function as an event space. It will feature rotating art exhibits.

Another unique feature is its multifunctional adjoining art gallery. The space can seat 75 comfortably and will feature various local artworks and serve as lobby-area overflow.

An outdoor terrace and plaza that can hold up to 200 guests is just off the lobby and will host cocktail hours and receptions under an oversized rainproof sail shade.

The facility is integrated with projection mapping software, an augmented reality and video projection technique that creates immersive 3D experiences.

The Ora announced in January that longtime Sarasota dining staple Michael’s on East, run by partners Michael Klauber and Phil Mancini, will serve as the venue's exclusive food and beverage caterer.

The terrace room at The Ora will include an outdoor space. The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee is nearing completion of a new luxury event venue, The Ora.
The terrace room at The Ora will include an outdoor space. The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee is nearing completion of a new luxury event venue, The Ora.

“From the start of our conceptualization of The Ora, Phil Mancini and Michael Klauber provided ideas that helped shape the vision of The Ora,” said Larry Haspel, a Jewish Federation board member. “They shared our values and understood what the needs of this community have been and will be going forward. This is a partnership made in heaven.”

The Ora is taking bookings for corporate and philanthropic events in late 2024. The space is set to open to the public in April.

For information visit the website at TheOrasrq.com, or contact Deanna McGrath, Director of Operations, at dmcgrath@theorasrq.com.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Jewish Federation's The Ora features 10,000-square-foot ballroom