Wednesday Notes, April 30, 2025
Lorrie Muldowney is passionate about historic preservation in Sarasota, Florida
Guest Post by Lorrie Muldowney, Immediate past president, Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation.
My name is Lorrie Muldowney and I want to thank my friend Lucy Tobias for providing me with this opportunity to write about something that I am passionate about. Historic preservation!
I was fortunate enough to work in the field of historic preservation for several decades and over that time I met many dedicated people and have seen many interesting historic structures. My career was inspired by these people and places and the idea that Sarasota has a rich historical and architectural heritage that should not be lost.
Imagine Burns Court stripped of its bungalows. Palm Avenue without the Mira Mar. Main Street without the brick façade of the Gator Club, downtown without the Sarasota Opera House, or the Bay Park without the Van Wezel. These places define Sarasota.
Right now, Sarasota is losing l7% of its historic resources per year. That’s a home, a business, a landmark—every two days—vanishing forever. The very buildings and spaces that give our city its character, its soul, are being erased at an alarming pace.
But this isn’t just about saving buildings—it’s about saving our story.
Preserving history means preserving our culture, our economy, and our environment.
* It means keeping the architectural styles and craftsmanship that can never be replicated.
*It means driving tourism, creating jobs, and strengthening our local economy.
It means sustainability—choosing to restore, not demolish, and reducing the environmental impact of unnecessary destruction.
Most of all, it means giving our children and grandchildren a Sarasota that still feels like Sarasota.
Tomorrow, May 1, the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation will present their annual Sarasota County Heritage Awards to celebrate those individuals who have dedicated their time, money and careers to preserving Sarasota’s unique and irreplaceable history. Awardees in the categories of historical rehabilitation and adaptive use include:
Douglas and Susan Moore - Honored with 2025 Sarasota County Heritage
Award for Historic Preservation for their exceptional rehabilitation of the Van
Wezel Estate on Lido Key.
Denise Kowal - Honored with 2025 Sarasota County Heritage Award for
Historic Preservation her extraordinary efforts in restoring and preserving the
historic Herald Square Building in Sarasota.
Susan and Jim Davis are being honored with a 2025 Sarasota County Heritage
Award for their outstanding Adaptive Reuse of three historic bungalows in the Burns
Court Historic District.
Pictured below are two of the three historic bungalows in the Burns Court Historic District:
We must act—as advocates, as donors, as community leaders. We must try to fight for every building, every district, every piece of history before it’s too late. Because Sarasota’s history is not just worth remembering—it’s worth fighting for. If you are interested in learning more www.preservesrq.org
©2025 Lucy Tobias. Guest blogger: Lorrie Muldowney
Coming next week in Wednesday Notes: Missing my Mom
Sarasotans doing important work!