Towles Court… A Hidden Gem in Sarasota
Did you know there’s an incredible art district off Adams Lane in Sarasota? Have you ever been to an Art Walks in Towles Court? Have you ever eaten outside and enjoyed the homemade signature eggplant parmesan at Bodhi Tree?
Towles Court is a well-known secret for some, yet there are many locals are completely unaware of all is has to offer.
It’s hard to imagine, but according to the Towles Court website, “The moss-draped oak trees of Towles Court have shaded this historic enclave of bungalows and cottages for nearly a century.”
For anyone new to Sarasota, it’s hard to imagine anything being around for almost 100 years. The website also states, “The fortunes of this neighborhood have ebbed and flowed but it became unique Sarasota treasure. When you visit the Towles Court Artist Colony you step at once into Sarasota’s "Old Florida" history. It is a place that delights the senses, challenges the mind, and nourishes the soul.”
The most fun fact of Towles Court? While it’s seems impossible to imagine, “In 1905 Sarasota’s first mayor, John Gillespie, was among the first to build not only a home but also a nine-hole golf course on the land that is now Laurel Park.” Can you imagine a nine-hole golf course downtown? “The course, which gave Links Ave. its name, survived well into the 1920’s.”
Towles Court was then transformed by William B. Towles, hence Towles Court, into a small residential neighborhood for professional people and seasonal residents. The Towles Court site also states, “The area flourished for more than three decades before the new shopping malls and gated communities drained downtown Sarasota of vital energy. The historic cottages of Towles Court were carved into cramped apartments and dwellings for migrant laborers. The blighted area was about to succumb to the wrecking ball when it was rescued by the vision of N.J. Olivieri in 1983.”
Also unique to the Towles Court history, “Foreseeing a rebirth for downtown Sarasota, Olivieri began buying up the derelict houses with plans to transform them into a picturesque neighborhood along the lines of Colonial Williamsburg. In the early 1990’s friends approached him with the radical concept for developing a bona-fide artists’ colony instead, and in less than two month’s time over 200 artists from all over the country had written letters endorsing Olivieri’s new plan.”
Finally, “Special zoning provisions were secured from the city, and in December of 1995 the first artist signed a lease. more followed, and today there are artist’s studios, galleries, restaurants, and much more to be discovered when you “Stroll Towles” and wander beneath those same old oak trees that once shaded our first mayor as he played golf, and have since stood guard in the historic place for decades.”
We urge you to visit when it opens in October, we think you’ll be happy you did. Contact Start to Finish Drafting and Design for residential home design, remodelling and renovation in Towles Court, Sarasota.
Original Source - https://towlescourt.com/history
Towles Court is a well-known secret for some, yet there are many locals are completely unaware of all is has to offer.
It’s hard to imagine, but according to the Towles Court website, “The moss-draped oak trees of Towles Court have shaded this historic enclave of bungalows and cottages for nearly a century.”
For anyone new to Sarasota, it’s hard to imagine anything being around for almost 100 years. The website also states, “The fortunes of this neighborhood have ebbed and flowed but it became unique Sarasota treasure. When you visit the Towles Court Artist Colony you step at once into Sarasota’s "Old Florida" history. It is a place that delights the senses, challenges the mind, and nourishes the soul.”
The most fun fact of Towles Court? While it’s seems impossible to imagine, “In 1905 Sarasota’s first mayor, John Gillespie, was among the first to build not only a home but also a nine-hole golf course on the land that is now Laurel Park.” Can you imagine a nine-hole golf course downtown? “The course, which gave Links Ave. its name, survived well into the 1920’s.”
Towles Court was then transformed by William B. Towles, hence Towles Court, into a small residential neighborhood for professional people and seasonal residents. The Towles Court site also states, “The area flourished for more than three decades before the new shopping malls and gated communities drained downtown Sarasota of vital energy. The historic cottages of Towles Court were carved into cramped apartments and dwellings for migrant laborers. The blighted area was about to succumb to the wrecking ball when it was rescued by the vision of N.J. Olivieri in 1983.”
Also unique to the Towles Court history, “Foreseeing a rebirth for downtown Sarasota, Olivieri began buying up the derelict houses with plans to transform them into a picturesque neighborhood along the lines of Colonial Williamsburg. In the early 1990’s friends approached him with the radical concept for developing a bona-fide artists’ colony instead, and in less than two month’s time over 200 artists from all over the country had written letters endorsing Olivieri’s new plan.”
Finally, “Special zoning provisions were secured from the city, and in December of 1995 the first artist signed a lease. more followed, and today there are artist’s studios, galleries, restaurants, and much more to be discovered when you “Stroll Towles” and wander beneath those same old oak trees that once shaded our first mayor as he played golf, and have since stood guard in the historic place for decades.”
We urge you to visit when it opens in October, we think you’ll be happy you did. Contact Start to Finish Drafting and Design for residential home design, remodelling and renovation in Towles Court, Sarasota.
Original Source - https://towlescourt.com/history
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