Lancasters Halt Sarasota Cottage Village Demolition, Preserve 17 Businesses

Alex and Marlene Lancaster sent an email to tenants on October 3, announcing that the contract with Bristol Development Group had fallen through and that they would keep ownership of the 3.44‑acre Historic Downtown Village. The couple’s move stops the planned 324‑unit, five‑story apartment complex that would have replaced the brightly painted cottages.

Bristol’s proposal, dubbed 1899 Fruitville, had cleared the Sarasota Planning Board in August, with two zoning adjustments and a promise to preserve two oak trees and create a public green. Yet the board’s approval did not assuage the 17 shop owners who relied on the cottages as community hubs.

FAM Cuisine owner Laetitia Kepecz said the restaurant’s future had hung in the balance for months, and that the Lancaster decision "gave us breathing room" to decide whether to stay, relocate or try a cottage‑moving scheme. Other tenants, like Wendy Lee Goldberg of The Breakfast House, had already begun scouting sites miles east and even contemplating a new Bungalow Village on Briggs Avenue.

The couple’s reversal means the city can now cancel the pending zoning amendments and remove the apartment design from the official records. Tenants retain their leases and can continue operations without the looming threat of demolition. The next step will be a city council meeting to discuss the updated status and any potential tax incentives for the owners to maintain the historic character.

For the 17 businesses, the decision translates into stability for their loyal customers, who have known these places for generations. The village’s vibrancy—cafés, boutiques, and restaurants—remains intact, preserving a unique downtown Sarasota landmark for the next decade.