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Commission fails to approve purchase of 2100 Main Street after appraisals diverge; vote lacked required supermajority
Summary
A proposal to purchase 2100 Main Street for downtown correctional-campus planning failed to reach the four-vote supermajority required for the transaction. County and owner appraisals diverged; the seller asked $4.87 million while the county-contracted appraisals averaged about $3.1 million. Commissioners debated strategic value, resale risk and alternatives such as city-owned parking sites.
A motion to authorize a county purchase of 2100 Main Street for potential correctional campus and related planning failed on April 22 after the commission could not muster the four affirmative votes required for the real-estate transaction. The property had been offered at $4.87 million; two county-contracted appraisals averaged $3.1 million while appraisals provided by the seller averaged about $4.8 million. Staff said county appraisers later met with private appraisers to reconcile differences; county staff reviewed zoning and noted the city'adopted affordable-housing zoning bonus was included in higher private appraisals.
Carolyn Eastwood, director of Capital Projects, walked commissioners through the due-diligence timeline and reminded the board that 2100 Main was one of several downtown options for future expansion of criminal-justice facilities and other uses. Justin Sego, property management manager, said the initial variance between appraisals related to whether appraisers credited a City of Sarasota zoning bonus for affordable housing, which the county evaluators initially did not include.
Commissioners split on the purchase. Supporters said downtown proximity and strategic control of near-courthouse parcels make the site uniquely valuable, and that the county is better served to "have it and not need it" than lose the opportunity. Opponents said the $4.87 million price is high relative to county appraisals and expressed concern about absorbing property that could sit idle if a referendum to fund a larger criminal-justice campus failed. The motion to purchase did not reach the required supermajority; staff said the county would notify the seller and continue city discussions about alternative city-owned parking lots and sites.
What happens next: Staff will continue discussions with city counterparts and report back on alternative downtown parcels and financing options; the failed vote leaves the seller free to pursue other buyers unless the county reopens negotiations.
