St. Armands New Med-Revs

By Larry Reinebach

I enjoyed reading Bob Garvin’s recent article titled The Sarasota School of Architecture…Not. (Click for article) However, Bob should have pressed a point that goes beyond the issue of contemporary versus Med-Rev design. With their desirable location and rising property values, St. Armands, Lido and Longboat Keys are particularly vulnerable to extremes of redevelopment. 

The three St. Armands houses that are featured in Garvin’s article push the limits of current building codes and ordinances while disregarding their surroundings. These buildings restrict sunlight and air circulation while compromising the privacy of adjacent properties. They also destroy the visual and aesthetic character of their neighborhood. 

North Washington

Let us hope that future building projects on Lido and St. Armands Keys will engage homeowners, buyers, designers and developers to find a better balance between redevelopment and the character of existing neighborhoods. 

The Greeks, the Romans and even Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut would approve.


(From Wikipedia: Hatshepsut was one of the most prolific builders in ancient Egypt, commissioning hundreds of construction projects throughout both Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. Arguably, her buildings were grander and more numerous than those of any of her Middle Kingdom predecessors'. Later pharaohs attempted to claim some of her projects as theirs.)

North Adams

Queen Hatshepsut's Tomb in Egypt