With the sharp rap of the gavel by Chairman Joe Neunder and a smattering of applause, the final meeting of the Sarasota County Commission at 1660 Ringling Blvd. in downtown Sarasota came to an abrupt conclusion.
It was the last of 30 years of daylong meetings dating back to 1995 held in the former GTE building, after the county moved its administration center a few blocks west from the Terrace Building at the corner of Ringling Boulevard and South Washington Avenue.
Meeting complications, even on the last day, characterized why the county is vacating the building and surrounding property — which it sold to east Manatee County-based Benderson Development for $25 million in 2021. Technical glitches with the live stream caused the recording to be shortened, indicative of the mounting maintenance needs, estimated at $32.5 million over 20 years in 2021, that rendered remaining there non-viable.
Old times…