A Big Turnaround
Just six months ago there was a good likelihood that North Port City Commissioners would decide to demolish the three historic structures at Warm Mineral Springs Park, given the extensive damage caused to these buildings by Hurricane Ian. Thanks to a number of members of the Alliance, a Plan was put together and presented to the City that ultimately proved to be a pivotal point in helping the Commissioners and Staff understand that “Save Options” were available and affordable. SAHP participated in a number of meetings with Staff and other partners in finding solutions to the issues the City faced.
Significance of the Structures
The three structures at the park were built for Florida’s quadri-centennial celebration in 1959 and are believed to have been designed by Jack West, one of the founders of the Sarasota School of Architecture. One of the buildings was used as a sales office, with the second one as a spa building. The third is a historically significant Cyclorama, which housed murals depicting Ponce de Leon’s discovery of the springs, which he believed at the time to be the Fountain of Youth. All three structures were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019.
Recent Preservation Decision Hailed as a Victory
SAHP took great delight in the decision made by the North Port City Commissioners on September 10th in which two of the structures will be fully restored, while the Cyclorama will undergo some work before being mothballed until funds for a proper restoration are available. Many citizens of North Port also celebrated the decision, given the springs are very popular especially among those that believe its 86 degree waters have healing properties. Read more in this wonderful article by Larry Humes from the Venice Gondolier.
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