Donor gives building to Habitat for Humanity

BUYER: Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County Inc. (principals: Jon Steketee, Golda Radefeld, Andy Simkins, Eric Robinson, Dick Ayers and Lance Sundin), Venice

SELLER: Suzanne and Richard Ayers as trustees of the Suzanne L. Ayers Living Trust

PROPERTY: 1400 Ogden Road, Venice

APPRAISED VALUE: $925,000

PREVIOUS PRICE: $1.1 million, May 2007

TITLE FIRM ON DEED: Chelsea Title Co., Venice

PLANS, DESCRIPTION: Suzanne and Richard Ayers donated a 16,386-square-foot industrial building to Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County Inc.

The building was appraised at $925,000.

For the past three years the building, on Ogden Road north of Center Road, has housed Habitat for Humanity's ReStore, which sells appliances, furniture and building materials. Habitat is a nonprofit housing organization with chapters nationwide.

The donation will save Habitat at least $100,000 a year. “We were paying market rent, which was almost $10,000 a month,” says Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County Executive Director Judy Wilcox.

Habitat will consider renting a portion of the office space on the second floor to other nonprofits, Wilcox says.