Blue building back on market

A steady growth in membership and employees to service those members at U.S. Masters Swimming will leave an unusual commercial real estate vacancy in downtown Sarasota.

A nonprofit that promotes swimming opportunities for anyone over 18, U.S. Masters Swimming has worked out of the Pagoda Building since 2008. The city of Sarasota owns the 2,000-square-foot building, on U.S. 41 near the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. One of its claims to fame is its ski slope-like blue roof. “The design is amazing,” Sarasota city real estate and asset manager Robert Schanley tells Coffee Talk. “It's a modern and retro building, both at the same time.”

But with nearly 20 employees, up from three when it first came to town, U.S. Masters Swimming plans to move to another downtown location in early 2016. Commercial real estate broker Ian Black recently won the rights to list the property, through the city. Black says the building is in a “fantastic location with pleasant aesthetic surroundings.”

The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce built the Pagoda Building in 1956. Architect Victor Lundy, a contributor to the Sarasota School of Architecture, designed it. Past tenants include the chamber and a Visit Sarasota information booth. It's styled after a Japanese garden sculpture and includes roof tiles from Japan. There are also multiple large moveable glass walls/windows. U.S. Masters Swimming invested about $60,000 in the building over the last six years.