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A ROSEMARY SPRING The Rosemary Square proposal includes a conceptual plan for lower level development. Image courtesy City of Sarasota THE CITY OF SARASOTA HAS RECEIVED A PROPOSAL TO TURN THE OLD COMMUNITY GARDEN ON THE BOULEVARD OF THE ARTS INTO A PUBLIC PLAZA SURROUNDED BY MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT By Stan Zimmerman City Editor While downtown Sarasota has basked in a golden shower of tax dollars for beautification, infrastructure, public-private partnerships, promotion and enhanced police presence, the Rosemary District — a stone's throw to the north — has struggled on its own. And it shows. a go/no-go decision on Dec. 17. The project is called Rosemary Square. City staff is also working on a different developer's proposal to double or even triple the allowable residential density in the Rosemary District. The details of that specific developBut change is in the air. A proposal to turn the ment — even its location — has not been revealed, but the intention is to provide small old community garden on the Boulevard of rental units for the downtown workforce. the Arts (aka Sixth Street) into a public plaza surrounded by mixed-use development is Development consultant Joel Freedman under evaluation by city staff. It will be under tells The Sarasota News Leader the rental