MAY 2019 | SARASOTA SCENE 47
BUILDING
If you had to pick one project in a booming Sarasota
that has the potential to impact the entire Cultural
Coast, it is the bayfront redevelopment initiative
known as The Bay. At the heart of the 53-acre
redevelopment project is the venerable 50-year-
performing arts center as the The Bay’s anchor.
than 25 years of experience across education,
get off the ground after exhaustive community
discussion for much of the current decade. And while
construction of the performing arts center is planned
$250 million for building the center is an objective she
helm. That, of course, is in addition to keeping up
with current philanthropic needs for programming,
educational outreach and capital needs.
Challenging. But it is a challenge with which
Mendelson is very familiar having been the key
Sarasota’s performing arts center project. “So much
in my career mirrors the fantastic aspiration of the
master plan and the civic and cultural vitality here in
redevelop a forgotten part of downtown Chicago.
The vision was to revitalize a public asset for the
community into a thriving park near Lake Michigan. I
was invited to help them think about how to build a
future. It was a public/private partnership with the city
of Chicago with the theater as anchor. I helped them
build a vision with that project, and that made this
Mendelson’s career experience dovetails nicely with
world-class performing arts center that enriches the
community, supports arts education and inspires
the community and its people along with establishing
three key goals for the project.
arts center a reality to meet the community’s desire for
enjoying renowned performers and performances. The
new center is envisioned to have 2,250 seats–about