Main Street Venice has long been known as picturesque destination in the Sarasota area. With historic buildings, tons of local shops, and a calendar smattered with a variety of events, the area continues to buzz with potential.
The City of Venice has been working tirelessly on the Downtown Venice Beautification Project since last summer, and the project has been making leaps and bonds in progress. Curious about the latest updates and all that the project has to bring? Read on to find out the most recent exclusive info about changes in Downtown Venice!
Initial Goals
When the Downtown Beautification Project started last summer, it set out a variety of goals. As far as accessibility goes, the project pledged to widen the road and include bike lanes, mid-block crosswalks with in-pavement lighting, sidewalk fencing, and general sidewalk repairs. Not only will it bring in more foot traffic, but it’ll also increase the space for community events!
After the damages of Hurricane Irma, Downtown Venice lost a fair amount of trees and landscaping. In addition to improving drainage along the streets, the project also aims to replace all of the lost trees. In the end, over 300 new trees will be planted, and other small additions likes benches and trash cans will be added.
One of the main and final goals of the project is to make Downtown Venice more accessible for guests and residents — with help from the bike lanes and expanded parking. The three-block stretch of Downtown will blend historic and modern, combining the old Italian-style architectural roots with the latest in upgrades and technology.
Progress
The original goal was to have a large portion of the project done by Christmas, and so far plans have been mostly on track. Eastbound W. Venice Avenue just needs a few finishing touches, while Westbound W. Venice Avenue’s sidewalks are near completion and roads are preparing to be paved.
Certain areas of Miami Avenue’s sidewalk are still being removed and replaced, but progress is being quickly made. Work on Tampa Avenue hasn’t started quite yet, but as of the latest update it’s slated to begin in early 2019 — so expect those improvements to start any time now!
All of the work is expected to be done by spring 2019, so it will be complete in time for peak tourist season. The shops and restaurants have remained open during this construction period, and owners are looking forward to the increased traffic that the project will bring!
Make the Move to Venice
Don’t miss out on all of the exciting developments happening in Venice. Thanks to all of this progress, both the price of homes and quality of life here are bound to increase. There’s never been a better time than now to make the move to Venice!
If you have any questions about Venice, would like more information, or want to get started on your home search, contact the Kotaska Team today!