Herald-Tribune's move a short one

Talk about staying close. After more than a decade in its iconic downtown Sarasota headquarters, the Herald-Tribune Media Group will relocate less than 50 yards away from its current digs early next year, following a lease signing late last week.

The media company will move from 1741 Main St. to a 10-story SunTrust Bank building next door at 1777 Main St., and occupy three floors there.

The 100,000-square-foot SunTrust building, which is 41 years old, has been undergoing significant renovations.

The newspaper publisher's roughly 28,000-square-foot deal is expected to bring the building to full occupancy and better position it to be sold. SunTrust has been attempting to dispose of the asset over the past year, industry sources say.

The Herald-Tribune's lease also represents the largest new office deal in downtown Sarasota in several years.

The media company moved into 1741 Main St. in early 2005 after then-parent the New York Times Co. built a three-story headquarters for the newspaper and local cable television station SNN News 6.