Hold public workshop on proposed skyscraper
I am deeply concerned about the skyscraper that is proposed for 1260 N. Palm Ave.
At about 340 feet, the Obsidian will be the tallest building in Sarasota, taller than the Statue of Liberty, on a tiny .28-acre lot. It will eliminate almost all of the small retail businesses on the block, completely changing the character of Palm Avenue.
The project ignores the Sarasota Master Plan, which calls for a walkable downtown lined with shops and restaurants.
Although it is not required in the downtown corridor, I am asking for a public workshop about this massive structure. I am not alone.
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We have submitted a petition to the city with more than 3,000 signatures expressing our opposition to a building that violates numerous codes – and also creates potential safety issues for our neighborhood.
Will this building open the door to other skyscrapers and change the nature of our cultural mecca into another overbuilt downtown like Miami? Will Main Street be next?
Progress is inevitable, but this is the wrong building in the wrong place. If we can have a public workshop, at least we can receive answers to our specific questions – and our voices will be heard.
Carole Kleinberg, Sarasota
Don’t change how Venice votes on council
Mayor Nick Pachota argues that Venice should follow the election cycle of the Sarasota County commissioners by eliminating our 98-year tradition of annual elections for City Council (“Venice council to ask city voters to lengthen terms to four years, end odd-year elections,” April 25).
Anyone paying attention to how the county routinely ignores its constituents and does the bidding of developers will agree that there is very little about the county commission that Venice government ought to emulate.
Our mayor should be the principal standard-bearer for Venice as its own entity with its own way of operating. Let’s focus on what works best for Venice, and that includes the ability to vote new people onto the council each year.
Debbie Gericke, Venice
Defending liberty v. deploying violence
Nicole Russell’s May 7 column was another example of misrepresentation and false equivalency by the right.
Russell’s “both sides” argument falsely equated the progressive left with the authoritarian, anti-democratic right.
Her column painted those on the left pushing for reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, a higher minimum wage and free speech as some sort of radical anti-American fringe. These are mainstream policy positions held by the majority of Americans.
Defending human rights, economic justice and civil liberties is core to American values.
Russell wrongly minimized the threat posed by the MAGA movement and former President Donald Trump’s Republican Party. This movement embraced the lie that the 2020 election was stolen, helped incite the Jan. 6 insurrection and continues to delegitimize American democracy with authoritarian demagoguery.
It’s dangerous to equate college protests with a strategic effort to overthrow the constitutional order. One side champions progressive policies through legitimate political participation. The other side deploys violence, conspiracies, disinformation and racist hate to undemocratically seize power.
American democracy is in crisis and the blame lies squarely with one side’s descent into authoritarian extremism − not both. We must make that distinction clear.
Lisa and Rob Usher, Lakewood Ranch
Buchanan should co-sponsor Alzheimer’s bill
Nearly 7 million Americans aged 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s; 580,000 of them are Floridians. Florida has the second-highest number of seniors living with Alzheimer’s in the United States.
The impact on caregivers is great: 66% of dementia caregivers report a chronic health condition, 14% report poor physical health and 29% report depression.
With these alarming figures the Alzheimer’s Association is racing against time with continuous research.
It is imperative that U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, of Longboat Key, co-sponsor the bipartisan BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Reauthorization Act of 2024 (S. 3775/H.R. 7218).
It would renew a nationwide commitment to strengthen Alzheimer’s public health efforts by promoting early detection and diagnosis, reducing the risk of the disease and supporting the needs of caregivers.
Thanks to Buchanan for meeting with Alzheimer’s advocates for the AIM Advocacy Forum. I look forward to his continued support.
Andrea LoPiccolo, Alzheimer’s advocate, Bradenton
Denying climate change a political ploy
Your article May 6 titled “DeSantis’ climate messaging deepens” was spot-on.
Gov. Ron DeSantis is no fool: He knows full well the effect that climate change is already having on our state.
So one can only conclude that DeSantis is so selfish and power hungry that he will do whatever it takes to pander to his base, regardless of the consequences to his current − and future − constituents.
How sad, and worrisome.
Donald Ullmann, Longboat Key
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Opponents of planned Sarasota skyscraper demand to be heard