Pioneers of Condominiums in Sarasota
Irving Z. "I.Z." Mann arrived from Miami in 1959 and played a pivotal role in the condominium boom in Sarasota. He took advantage of Florida's new Condominium Act of 1963 to construct Sarasota Harbour, the city's first major modern condominium. To assist potential buyers, Mann even spelled out "condominium" phonetically on for-sale signs and coined the term "condo-maximum." Completed in 1963 along the bayfront near the John Ringling Causeway, Sarasota Harbour offered waterfront views, shared amenities, and a lock-and-leave lifestyle, quickly attracting retirees and seasonal residents.
Earlier Multi-Unit Roots
While Mann's Sarasota Harbour was the city's first true modern condominium, multi-unit living in Sarasota began earlier with the Pineapple Apartments, developed by Owen Burns in 1924 and designed by Dwight James Baum. These apartments featured seven units situated above shops in Burns Square. In 1926, the El Vernona Apartments, also designed by Burns and Baum, were built as a three-story Mediterranean Revival structure with 20 furnished units. Later known as the Broadway or Belle Haven Apartments, El Vernona is considered the city's earliest true apartment community (The structure remains today one of the most unique in the city) and a precursor to today's condominiums.
Lasting Impact
Sarasota Harbour sparked a wave of redevelopment, leading to the replacement of older motels and cottages with mid- and high-rise condominiums. From the Pineapple Apartments to the El Vernona, and finally to Mann's Sarasota Harbour, each development has contributed to Sarasota's reputation as one of Florida's premier coastal condominium markets.
