Sarasota County Survey Report | Sarasota County Community Profile
Preconstructionprograms offers new homes in the following areas of Sarasota County: Englewood real estate, Laurel real estate, North Port real estate, Osprey preconstruction homes, Sarasota real estate, Siesta Key real estate and Venice preconstruction homes.
In the Sarasota area, you can enjoy the breathtaking sunsets, educational museums, operas, ballets, plays, golf tournaments, and boat races. You can join in tennis, lawn bowling, water skiing, shell collecting, bird watching, growing exotic tropical plants, university classes, golf, or boating.
Quality service is available from knowledgeable physicians, bankers, lawyers, investment brokers, lenders and insurance agents, who can help answer your questions about living and conducting business in Florida.
Sarasota, together with its neighbors to the north and south, Manatee County and Charlotte County, form the 7th-largest market in Florida. It is also Florida's third-fastest growing major market. With over 600,000 people, the Sarasota/Manatee/Charlotte area is one of the largest, most affluent markets in Florida. In the last 5 years, it has grown 4 times faster than the national average. The per capita retail sales are almost 20% above the national average. It has a strong base of retirement age people, about a third of the population, but the fastest-growing segment of the market is middle-aged adults and their children. It has approximately 1/4 the population of the Tampa/St. Petersburg area.
Sarasota is also a wonderful place to reserve a preconstruction home or condominium.
The beauty of Sarasota will get your attention on your first visit. If you see Sarasota first from the window of an airplane, the colors of the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay, contrasting with the brilliant white sand of Longboat, Lido, and Siesta beaches, will make you anxious to see more. A rainbow of colors comes from the tall condominiums shining in the sun, the warm tile on the roof and patio of the mansion built by circus magnate John Ringling, the various green hues from the lush jungle-like vegetation, the flowers that are blooming any month of the year, and the lavender seashell-design Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
Sarasota boasts some of the oldest and newest homes in the area. Some homes were built over 50 years ago as winter vacation cottages. Others are new gated bayfront estates with manicured grounds, marble foyers, soaring ceilings, the newest fixtures and technological advances, and spectacular views.
Residents from any neighborhood can enjoy the wide range of activities available throughout Sarasota. Whether your taste in art leans more toward circus posters, Rubens and Poussin, seashell creations, sand sculptures, or the new art of the Ringling School of Art students, it's here. Your hunger for theatre can be filled by the Foreign Film Festival, the Asolo Theatre Company, Florida Studio Theatre, Island Players, Lemon Bay Playhouse, or Theatre Works, for a start.
If you want to add music to your diet, you could begin with the Florida West Coast Symphony, Key Chorale, Gloria Musicae, the Jazz Club of Sarasota, Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Sarasota Blues Society, Sarasota Opera Association, or the Sarasota Concert Band.
You also have a large number of choices when you look for educational opportunities, spectator or participant sports, boating and other water activities, restaurant styles, museums, state parks, or fresh citrus. Traveling to areas around Sarasota is easy, with quick access to Interstate-75. Tampa and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Florida Aquarium, Dali Museum and other attractions, is only an hour north of Sarasota. Disney World's many attractions, near Orlando, are only 125 miles away, about a 2.5 hour drive.
Sarasota County offers companies a strategic edge in today’s increasingly competitive global economy.
The low cost of doing business, workforce-development support and solution-oriented local governments contribute to a friendly business environment that helps companies flourish. The subtropical weather, 35 miles of beachfront and coveted lifestyle make working here a pleasure.
This Florida Gulf Coast community is the state’s “cultural capital,” with its own ballet, symphonies, opera, state museum, chamber chorus and world-class performing arts hall. From 60 golf courses to an abundance of water sports and eco-activities, the area offers every recreational opportunity under the sun. Its cultural richness, great school system and enviable way of life make it easy to attract top talent.
Forbes named Sarasota County one of the “Best Places for Business and Careers.”
No longer simply a resort destination, Sarasota County is developing a deepening diversity that helps insulate it from national economic downturns. An expanding employee base, diversity of business locations and state-of-the-art infrastructure contribute to a business ecosystem that modern companies seek. In this nourishing environment, technology has experienced brisk growth, manufacturing is diversifying and maturing, financial services continue to be vigorous, and creative services remain strong in this longtime artist colony.
Economic development is nurtured by a public-private partnership of government, education, business and the arts. To assist targeted businesses, Sarasota County has contracted with the Committee for Economic Development (CED), a division of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. The CED works with state and local governments, the various Chambers of Commerce, workforce development officials, business owners, civic groups and other organizations to help business relocate and thrive here. The CED is part of the Tampa Bay Partnership, a seven-county regional economic development organization. Businesses can travel the fast track here. Tax refunds, expedited permitting and impact fee mitigation are just a few incentives, programs and services developed to support and encourage a diverse and growing economy.
Population
Once considered primarily a vacation and retirement destination, Sarasota County has experienced rapid growth among baby boomers and upwardly mobile professionals who want to earn an above-average income in a community that is so well suited for raising their young families.
A great year-round climate, excellent schools, abundant recreational opportunities, expanding employment and state-of-the-art healthcare facilities have attracted successful professionals, executives and entrepreneurs from larger urban areas throughout the country and other parts of the world, making significant contributions to our economy, culture and quality of life.
According to the 2000 census, Sarasota County’s population was 325,957, and is expected to exceed 378,000 by the year 2010.
Expansion Management chose the Sarasota/Bradenton area as the only community in Florida worthy of its Five-Star Community ranking, scoring high for its “Quality of Life Quotient.”
Business Locations
From vibrant downtown settings to the interstate corridor to suburban markets, Sarasota County offers a wealth of commercial space for new and expanding businesses. Numerous business parks suitable for office or industrial use are located throughout the county. Most offer fully developed sites served by water and sewer; some also include rail sidings and natural gas. Many existing industrial and office buildings are also available for immediate occupancy in sizes ranging from 2,000 to more than 300,000 square feet, in both urban and suburban locations.
North County
The combination of residential neighborhoods and a technology-capable commerce park has attracted top employers and a new technology training center to Lakewood Ranch. In the City of Sarasota, an Enterprise Zone and redevelopment strategies for downtown and Newtown provide unprecedented opportunities for savvy investors and employers.
Downtown Locations
Downtown Sarasota offers Class A, B and C space in a variety of locations from dazzling high-rises with panoramic bay views to charming storefront spaces. With a wide variety of world-class restaurants and shops just a few steps away, the city is an ideal location for a corporate headquarters.
Historic downtown Venice features charming Mediterranean-style single-level and low-rise buildings, offering an affordable mix of office and retail space. Downtown Venice is easily accessible from I-75 and U.S. 41. I-75 Corridor
From the Lakewood Ranch Corporate Park in the northern part of the county to the North Port Park of Commerce in the south, the county offers a number of campus-style business parks along the I-75 corridor for businesses reaching a regional market.
Suburban Locations
Companies will find a range of office and industrial space and land in locations throughout the county. Whether you’re looking for Class “A” office, assembly, light industrial, warehouse, distribution or flex space, you’ll find a location that matches your company’s needs. The business park locator map on page 16 will help you with your search.
Enterprise Zone
Sarasota has a designated Enterprise Zone east of U.S. 41 from the northern part of the city to parts of downtown. Businesses located within the zone are eligible for various tax incentives, including a jobs tax credit on sales tax and corporate income tax, sales tax refunds on business equipment and building materials, a property tax credit on corporate income tax, and an electrical energy sales tax exemption.
Among the companies to benefit from the Enterprise Zone Program is South Sun Energy Conservations, manufacturer of the Winsulator interior storm window, used by NASA at the Kennedy Space Center to remedy an overheating problem on the fourth floor.
South Sun Energy Conservations was assisted by the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of South Florida and the Energy Conservation Assistance Program, which tested the product for energy efficiency and for commercial use.
Transportation
Situated along Interstate 75, the major trucking corridor for the Southeastern United States, the Sarasota County area is served by three international airports and two deep-water ports. Business travelers can easily reach any international destination, and cargo can be shipped economically to all points via ground, air and rail.
Airports
The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (designated as SRQ) serves more than 1 million passengers each year via major and commuter airlines. Charter and general aviation services and air cargo processing are also available. The airport has Port of Entry status, allowing federal customs inspection of baggage, air cargo and private aircraft.
A Federal Inspection Station houses customs, public health, immigration, agriculture and quarantine services. The Venice Municipal Airport, located in the city of Venice, is easily accessible via U.S. 41. Aircraft pay no landing fees, and overnight parking ranges between $4 and $26 a day depending upon the size of the aircraft. Aircraft charter, air taxi, and flight instruction are all available at the Venice Municipal Airport.
Additional scheduled commercial flights are available through the Tampa International Airport, located only 53 miles north of Sarasota County via 1-75 or 1-275.
Lifestyle, Arts & Culture
Award-winning white-sand beaches, excellent weather, and a range of recreational and cultural options combine to make Sarasota County a great place to live and work. Sarasota County’s cost of living compares favorably to the rest of the nation and in many cases is below the national average. That means that healthcare, housing, food and transportation costs translate into a high standard of living at a reasonable cost. The Arts A wealth of cultural opportunities makes Sarasota County “the nation’s per capita arts capital” according to Southern Living magazine. Few communities of this size can boast their own symphony, opera, ballet and state museum. As Florida’s cultural capital, the community has built on its legacy as an artists’ colony, boasting a plethora of music, theater, art, dance, galleries and museums. The Florida State University (FSU) Center for Performing Arts houses the renowned Asolo Theatre Company and the Sarasota Ballet. Other professional and community theaters include Florida Studio Theatre, Theatre Works, Golden Apple Dinner Theatre, Venice Little Theatre and the Players of Sarasota. Sarasota County has a world-class performing arts hall, the Van Wezel, as well as its own opera, symphonies, chamber chorus and jazz club. The community plays host to jazz and blues festivals, the Cine-World International Film Festival and the Sarasota Film Festival, among others. It is home to the state-operated John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, which houses Ruben’s masterpieces, one of the world’s most important collections of baroque art. This rich cultural climate is a feather in a corporate recruiter’s cap when attracting and retaining a high-caliber workforce.
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