Sarasota’s Van Wezel named to 2023 list of 11 Florida buildings to save

Jay Handelman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·3 min read

Weeks after the Sarasota City Commission named a panel to explore future uses for the city-owned Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the iconic structure has been added to the list of the most threatened historic properties in the state.

Florida’s "11 to Save" list is put together by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Van Wezel was nominated by the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, and other groups. Buildings are nominated by the public.

“These are the historic places that matter to people throughout our state and we’re optimistically enthused that the Van Wezel has been recognized as a vital property to protect,” Erin DiFazio, program director for the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, said in a statement. “We’re also pleased that the city of Sarasota is exploring future use options and storm surge protection measures for this iconic landmark.”

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, which opened in 1970, has been named to a list of 11 Florida buildings to save by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, which opened in 1970, has been named to a list of 11 Florida buildings to save by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.

Buildings on the list gain access to the 11 to Save Grant Fund, which the Florida Trust states “aims to make a tangible impact supporting historic sites on current or previous” lists.

The future of the Van Wezel has been in question since plans were first announced by what is now known as the Sarasota Performing Arts Center Foundation to create a new 2,250-seat performing arts hall on land that is part of the Van Wezel parking lot as part of the development of the Bay Park Conservancy project.

In an initial agreement between the Foundation and the city for development of the new center, there was an understanding that the 53-year-old Van Wezel would not compete for the kind of shows it has long presented. But as discussions began about the future use of the Van Wezel, Foundation leaders have indicated that it is possible for other, smaller local organizations, to present programs in the hall.

In conversations with architectural firms being considered to design the new venue, there were discussions about ways to potentially link the two buildings with paths, landscaping or other methods. In June, a separate panel selected Renzo Piano Building Workshop to be the design firm for the new hall.

The shell-shaped Van Wezel building was designed by William Wesley Peters, the son-in-law of Frank Lloyd Wright, with Taliesin Associated Architects, Wright’s design firm. While it attracted some controversy during construction and after it opened for its distinctive look, over the years it has become a symbol of Sarasota, both for its shape and unique purple color.

Leaders of the Foundation have said the 1,700-seat Van Wezel is too small to attract the biggest Broadway touring productions, like “Wicked” or the long-running “Phantom of the Opera,” because it doesn’t have enough seats to appeal to producers who take their shows to bigger facilities like the Straz Center in Tampa. Next season, however, “Hamilton,” one of Broadway’s major hits, will be presented for two weeks. There also are concerns about the building's physical condition, its location just feet from Sarasota Bay and the need for costly repairs.

The new city-appointed panel is expected to take up to two years to make recommendations on alternative uses for the building and how much it would cost to make it workable for other organizations or businesses.

The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation has been leading efforts with the Historical Society of Sarasota County and individual supporters to preserve the Van Wezel.

The new list posted on the Florida Trust’s website also includes the Hollywood Beach Hotel; the Thelma Boltin Center in Gainesville; Port Charlotte High School; the Mt. Olive AME Church; Plant City High School; Opa-locka Bank; the Central Academy (the first accredited Black high school in Florida) in Palatka; a church in East Palatka; a dilapidated home in Royal; and the Ormand Beach Yacht Club.

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota's Van Wezel named one of 11 Florida buildings to preserve