5-star luxury resort to replace Colony on Longboat Key if former owners approve
SARASOTA, Fla.–For Norm Schimmel, the Colony Beach and Tennis Club is steeped in memories. It’s where he vacationed, played tennis, was engaged and married.
But 6 years ago the resort closed its doors, and today it’s uninhabitable. Windows are broken out or boarded up, weeds overgrown, debris everywhere.
The pool looks more like a lake and the tiki hut hardly offers shade from the sun. It’s a living example of how quickly nature can and will reclaim things.
“It’s kind of sad knowing the only thing in there are mice and vermin,” said Schimmel.
Through the rust and grime, it’s hard not to see glimmers of its former glory. It was once a destination for the rich, famous, and powerful. Stars like Audrey Hepburn, Burt Reynolds, and politicians like President George W. Bush, spent several nights at the iconic resort.
From the prime stretch of beach to the iconic Monkey Bar, each inch of it is filled with history and memories.
“Very rarely do you get a situation where you pass a location and all of the sudden a feeling comes totally over your body,” said Schimmel, “and the feeling is based on memories and the things that can’t be duplicated.”
But Orlando-based developer Unicorp says it can duplicate that feeling and then some, with a new 5-star luxury resort in its place. After years of legal battles, they may finally be able to. This week the developer officially began the demolition process
“It’s sad and it’s an eye sore right now obviously, but the new day out here will be a gorgeous resort that will have kids playing on the beach and a great place for families,” said Unicorp National Developments President Chuck Whittall.
But the demolition, at least for now, is only on the commercial aspects of the property. The developer still needs to get 75 percent of the unit owners from the former resort to sign off on demolition before they can tear down the residential properties.
“We’re not completely done yet,” said Whittall. “We have to have the owners sign off on the agreement going out, but we’re making good progress and we’re very hopeful it will get signed off on.”
The developer also needs to get approval for a higher density, that means permission to build more units on the property. Ultimately Unicorp hopes to build 360 condos and hotel rooms.
With only one road running through Longboat Key though, traffic can back up in a hurry, especially during the busy season.
“Increased density always adds increased traffic,” said Longboat Key’s Director of Planning, Building, and Zoning Alaina Ray. She added: “That is the rule and with traffic being the overwhelming concern in the area now. Anything that would increase traffic really needs to be carefully analyzed.”
To mitigate that traffic the developer is proposing a trolley that would transport not just guests, but everyone on the island.
Beyond the issue of traffic though, Ray says the Colony is a unique property that needs to be put to use.
“From a planning perspective it’s kind of a tragedy,” said Ray, “It’s a beautiful property. It’s a large property. There’s a lot of potential there and it is really sad for the community to see it just sit there and not be utilized.”
For colony lovers like Schimmel it’s a mixed emotion: sad to see it go, but glad to see an old gem getting new life.
“The new people who are taking it over, will make a very, very fine resort,” said Schimmel, “but I don’t think that the atmosphere that was created in the 70’s and 80’s can be created in this century.”