Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida is a well-known city on the Southwestern coast of Florida. Many know it as their favorite vacation spot, but over 372,000 call the city home. Residents and visitors, alike, are known to love the city’s diversity and developed state. It’s known to be calmer than most big cities. A lot of celebrities—Stephen King, Tom Cruise, Michael Jordan—are known to moved here from bigger cities to avoid the bother of people and paparazzi. Those moving to Sarasota will surely appreciate the low housing market prices and the relaxed style of living with lots of golf, outdoor activities and the lower costs of living.
Economy:
Sarasota is a bustling city with a plethora of major employers in the area. The city’s top employers include: School Board of Sarasota County, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, Sarasota County Government, Publix, PGT Industries and Venice Regional Medical Center. Public education, health care and municipality jobs rule in southwest Florida. Many corporations and community alliances such as the Sarasota County’s Economic Development Corporation are working to expand local businesses as well as build up more.
Sarasota, Florida has been recognized by publications and organizations nationwide as a great place to live and relocate due its wide-variety of opportunities and low rate of unemployment over the years. The unemployment rate has since gone up due to the overall national economic status; however, the housing market has dipped tremendously. There have been many foreclosures leading to a plethora of houses on the market, giving an advantage for interested intrastate and interstate movers to Sarasota.
Tourism:
There are glorious sunrises, sunsets and waves to catch along the coastal region of Sarasota, but there is so much more that the city has to offer. One of the places, visitors and locals love to explore is the region near the Myakka River—one of Florida’s most wild and scenic. The Myakka River State Park is 45 square miles of grasslands, wetlands, floodplains and more. You can go bird watching, or partake in airboat tours, tram tours and campfire programs. At night, the Florida West Coast Symphony is a must-see from September through June. The Jazz Club of Sarasota is another widely talked about performance; good thing they present over 100 events annually with 2,500 members, so you won’t miss a thing. In addition to outdoor activities and music, there is a great nightlife and sports scene.
History:
Sarasota has always been a popular landing ground for explorers and Native Americans that wandered to the Southwest tip of Florida. There, they found that gathering food, fishing and hunting were made easy due to the land’s plentiful resources. In 1843, William Whittaker settled in the area and developed the area with a group of colonists. From then on, construction and development were always booming. Since the 1910s, the area has attracted latter-day socialites to today’s bestsellers authors and movie stars. In the 1920s, John Ringling, one of the seven Ringling brothers, settled down with his wife Mable and continuously fortified the city’s art scene. He built his mansion, modeling it after the Dode Palace in Venice.
Colleges/Universities:
• Keiser College Continuing
• Ringling College of Art and Design
• Argosy University/Sarasota
• New College of Florida
• University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Campus Advancement
Interesting Facts:
• Well-known movies filmed in Sarasota, Florida: “Out of Time” (2002) with Denzel Washington; “Great Expectations” (1998) starring Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow and “The Greatest Show on Earth” (1993) with Betty Hutton and Cornel Wilde.
• Prehistoric people occupied the Southwest of Florida as early as 3,000 B.C. and remained along the waterfront for 4,000 years. Their history and preservations of their culture at be seen at the Historic Spanish Point in Osprey.
• Solomon’s Castle was built entirely by hand by artist Howard S. Solomon. He built the exterior entirely out of printing plates. It can be viewed through the months of July, August and September.
Helpful Links:
• Sarasota Visitors Bureau
• Sarasota Insurance
• Sarasota Moving Guide
• Sarasota Storage Facilities
• Sarasota Real Estate