Sarasota’s Most Walkable Neighborhoods
These neighborhoods have charms of their own and amenities that downtown can only dream of.
In the beginning, all neighborhoods were walkable. They had to be. Without the automobile to get us places, everything had to be close at hand. Shops, schools, the bank, the post office, the trolley stop when you had to go downtown. A five-minute walk was ideal, but a 10-minute one was perfectly acceptable.
Then came the automobile. By the 1950s it had taken over. Cities were now built with two things in mind: moving traffic and parking it. The strip mall became the look of America as cities became fragmented, along with the lives of the residents. You lived in one place, you worked in another, you shopped in a third. A sense of community was lost.
So it’s no wonder that walkable neighborhoods—both new and old—are setting the standard for how people want to live now. Ask any realtor. Even people who have no intention of walking to the store want to live in a walkable neighborhood. It’s the hip place at the moment, with sprawling suburbs and developments and gated communities no longer quite so cool.
A great walkable community will have several critical features. It will have mixed uses—residential, commercial, retail and the all-important “food services.” It will have public transportation connections to other places. It will be a safe and attractive public realm that honors its history. It will have green space, parks and, usually, sidewalks. And it may even be economically and racially diverse.
Sarasota’s walkable neighborhoods begin with Pinecraft, where the Amish have perfected the art of living without cars and go all the way to downtown, which is attracting longtime locals to newcomers from all over the country. They stroll to the opera, theaters, Whole Foods, the farmers market, the bayfront and all those outdoor cafes from which to watch the world walk by.
But downtown and Pinecraft are not for everyone. Luckily, Sarasota has other walkable neighborhoods with charms of their own and amenities that downtown can only dream of. Let’s take a look at the top four.
Southside Village Is the Perfect Sarasota Neighborhood
Homes from various decades exist side by side, and practically all have been spruced up and beautifully landscaped.
Siesta Village Is One of Sarasota’s Best-Kept Secrets
The best journey, though, remains the classic stroll down to the beach to watch the sunset. It never fails to stir the soul.
St. Armands Key Is a Glamorous Place to Live a Resort Lifestyle—With a Showman’s Spirit
The restaurants are among the best in town, and the shops specialize in high-end casual clothing, art, home accessories, and jewelry.
Gillespie Park Is Proof That Walkability Can Turn a Neighborhood Around
Check out the block of brightly colored cottages on Seventh Street between Goodrich and Orange avenues and you’ll see a neighborhood literally coming back to life.
This release was originally published By Robert Plunket
Interested in getting advice from an experienced and professional Real Estate Consultant? Email me today and see what I can do for you.
Chaim Gleitmann CIPS
Real Estate Consultant
Allison James Estates & Homes
1990 Main Street Sarasota Fl 34236
In the beginning, all neighborhoods were walkable. They had to be. Without the automobile to get us places, everything had to be close at hand. Shops, schools, the bank, the post office, the trolley stop when you had to go downtown. A five-minute walk was ideal, but a 10-minute one was perfectly acceptable.
Then came the automobile. By the 1950s it had taken over. Cities were now built with two things in mind: moving traffic and parking it. The strip mall became the look of America as cities became fragmented, along with the lives of the residents. You lived in one place, you worked in another, you shopped in a third. A sense of community was lost.
So it’s no wonder that walkable neighborhoods—both new and old—are setting the standard for how people want to live now. Ask any realtor. Even people who have no intention of walking to the store want to live in a walkable neighborhood. It’s the hip place at the moment, with sprawling suburbs and developments and gated communities no longer quite so cool.
A great walkable community will have several critical features. It will have mixed uses—residential, commercial, retail and the all-important “food services.” It will have public transportation connections to other places. It will be a safe and attractive public realm that honors its history. It will have green space, parks and, usually, sidewalks. And it may even be economically and racially diverse.
Sarasota’s walkable neighborhoods begin with Pinecraft, where the Amish have perfected the art of living without cars and go all the way to downtown, which is attracting longtime locals to newcomers from all over the country. They stroll to the opera, theaters, Whole Foods, the farmers market, the bayfront and all those outdoor cafes from which to watch the world walk by.
But downtown and Pinecraft are not for everyone. Luckily, Sarasota has other walkable neighborhoods with charms of their own and amenities that downtown can only dream of. Let’s take a look at the top four.
Southside Village Is the Perfect Sarasota Neighborhood
Homes from various decades exist side by side, and practically all have been spruced up and beautifully landscaped.
Siesta Village Is One of Sarasota’s Best-Kept Secrets
The best journey, though, remains the classic stroll down to the beach to watch the sunset. It never fails to stir the soul.
St. Armands Key Is a Glamorous Place to Live a Resort Lifestyle—With a Showman’s Spirit
The restaurants are among the best in town, and the shops specialize in high-end casual clothing, art, home accessories, and jewelry.
Gillespie Park Is Proof That Walkability Can Turn a Neighborhood Around
Check out the block of brightly colored cottages on Seventh Street between Goodrich and Orange avenues and you’ll see a neighborhood literally coming back to life.
This release was originally published By Robert Plunket
Interested in getting advice from an experienced and professional Real Estate Consultant? Email me today and see what I can do for you.
Chaim Gleitmann CIPS
Real Estate Consultant
Allison James Estates & Homes
1990 Main Street Sarasota Fl 34236
