Bayside Pet Resort & Spa buys U.S. 41 bowling alley

BUYER: Bayside Pet Resort & Spa Inc. (principals: Robert and Lynne Huff), Sarasota

SELLER: 8154 LLC

PROPERTY: 8154 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

PRICE: $2.6 million

PREVIOUS PRICE: $1.38 million (sale included a separate mortgage note sale with a different total purchase price), January 2008

LAW FIRM ON DEED: Icard Merrill Cullis Timm Furen & Ginsburg PA, Sarasota

PLANS, DESCRIPTION: Bayside Pet Resort & Spa Inc. purchased the 22,000-square-foot former Rip Van Winkle Lanes bowling alley on U.S. 41 for $2.6 million.

The price equated to $119 per square foot.

The buyer plans to renovate the property into a luxury pet resort.

“We are really trying to be the Ritz-Carlton of the pet resort business,” says Diane Diamond Thompson, director of marketing and special events for Bayside Pet Resort & Spa. “Sarasota and Manatee counties have never seen anything like this. We are going to have executive suites for the dogs [and cats] with flat screen TVs and Web cams so families can log on and view their pets from their vacation.”

The property's new owner is working to consolidate the zoning of the site and plans to renovate the building, change the signage, and improve the landscaping. The pet lodging/daycare business is scheduled to open May 1.

“Most of the other pet lodging facilities are located east of I-75,” Thompson says. “This location is great; right at the border of Sarasota and Manatee counties. People can drop their pets off and go right to the airport.”

The business plans to offer pet pickup and delivery throughout much of the two-county area. It also expects to employ 20 to 30 full- and part-time employees.

Lois Seropian, Andrea Smith and Frank Zeckel of Coldwell Banker Siesta Key represented the buyer and Lee DeLieto Sr. and Lee DeLieto Jr. of Michael Saunders and Co. represented the seller.