Sarasota Times Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sarasota Times Building
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Sarasota, Florida |
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| Architect | Dwight James Baum |
| MPS | Sarasota MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003845 |
| Added to NRHP | March 22, 1984 |
The Sarasota Times Building is a special old building in Sarasota, Florida. You can find it at 1214–1216 1st Street. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on March 22, 1984. This means it's an important historical place.
The building has three stories. It is made of stucco and cast stone. A famous architect named Dwight James Baum designed it. The building is important to Sarasota's history. It was once home to a newspaper that started in 1899. It is also admired for its beautiful design.
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History of the Building
This three-story building is located at 1214, 1216, and 1218 First Street. Architect Dwight James Baum designed it in 1925. It was built to be the main office for the Sarasota Times newspaper. Construction began in November 1925. The building's style is called Mediterranean Revival Style. This style fit well with other buildings Baum designed nearby. These included the Burns Realty Company and the El Vernona Hotel. The newspaper's owner, L.D. Reagin, lived next door.
The Sarasota Times Newspaper
The Sarasota Times newspaper was very important for Sarasota's growth. It started in 1899. Mr. Reagin bought the newspaper in March 1924. Before this building, the newspaper was at 241 Main Street. Moving to the new location showed how Sarasota's business area was changing.
Dwight James Baum: The Architect
Dwight James Baum designed many important buildings in Sarasota in the 1920s. These include John Ringling's amazing home, the Ca' d'Zan. He also designed the Sarasota County Courthouse. Baum had traveled to Southern California. There, he studied different building styles. These included the Mission Revival Style and the Spanish Colonial Revival Style.
Spanish Colonial Revival Style
The Spanish Colonial Revival Style was inspired by buildings in Mexico. In 1915, at the Panama–California Exposition in San Diego, architects Bertram Grovesnor Goodhue and Carleton Winslow Sr. designed many buildings. These buildings showed off the rich styles from old Latin America. This event made other architects look to Spain for ideas. Many of the styles Baum saw in California influenced his designs in Sarasota.
In Florida, the Spanish eclectic style was very popular in the 1920s and 1930s. It was used for many types of buildings. These ranged from large hotels to small homes. Many older buildings were even updated to look like this style.
Features of the Times Building Design
The Times Building is one of Baum's best designs. It has many interesting parts. For example, the ground floor has three different types of doors. This makes the building look very special, even though it's not huge.
Changes Over Time
After a tough economic time, the Sarasota Times newspaper faced problems. The Times Building was then used by "Tree-Ripe Citrus Products, Inc." This company was owned by Mr. Owen Burns.
Later, BFM Enterprises Inc. owned the building starting in 2004. A restaurant called Ceviche Tapas Bar opened there in 2008. It served Spanish-themed food. Ceviche moved out a few years later. The building was then for sale again in 2012.
In 2014, a company called Ataraxia LLC bought the building. Sharon Carole managed this company. She started making changes for a new restaurant. This restaurant, called "Sage," opened in 2019. Sage aims to offer a global food experience. They use fresh ingredients to make dishes that taste like they come from different countries.
Chef Christopher Covelli is the chef at Sage. He studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. He learned from famous chefs. He can speak five languages. He specializes in French, Italian, and Spanish cooking, as well as American fine dining.
The City of Sarasota officially recognized the Sarasota Times Building as a local historic site in 1985.
