A former restaurant property on Fruitville Road has sold, and the nonprofit that purchased the site plans to turn it into an apprenticeship academy for those seeking careers in construction. Suncoast Apprenticeship Academy bought the property at 5921 Fruitville Road, which used to be a Perkins restaurant, for $1.65 million, according to the deed filed in Sarasota County. News of the sale was first reported in January.
The seller is Medallion Home, a Manatee County-based homebuilder that previously bought the Fruitville Road site for $1.65 million in 2024, according to Sarasota County property records. Medallion Home was founded and is run by Carlos Beruff, a prolific developer and philanthropist who has served on and chaired multiple boards in the Sarasota-Manatee region.
Members of the Suncoast Builders Association and assistance from a private donor helped raise the funds needed for the 1.36-acre purchase, which closed Aug. 3. The association, an organization that represents more than 400 builders and developers, established the apprenticeship academy to address the shortage of skilled, licensed trade professionals in Sarasota and Manatee counties…