Sarasota County will buy waterfront property that was home to a once-popular restaurant near Siesta Key for $18.1 million, with plans to turn it into a public park and potentially a new waterfront dining destination.
The property in question is called “The Boatyard,” a 2.04‑acre parcel that sits along the mainland side of the Intracoastal Waterway on Stickney Point Road, just south of the drawbridge. The parcel includes 700 feet of bay frontage, 5,000 feet of docks, boardwalks, and decks, and 21 commercial condos.
The goal for the purchase is to “enhance public water access,” according to a county memo. Potential features for a park could include motorized and non-motorized boating, fishing, wildlife viewing, and picnicking. However, according to Shawn Yeager, the interim director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, county staff did not have to provide a concept plan for the park until after the purchase was approved…