Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/114013
RAMPING BACK UP Pallets of pervious pavers await the volunteers' touch at the Florida House. Photo by Stan Zimmerman FLORIDA HOUSE PREPARING TO STAND ALONE WHILE EXPANDING ON ITS ORIGINAL MISSION By Stan Zimmerman City Editor The Florida House is reinventing itself again. As a going-away grant, Sarasota County last year awarded $100,000 to the organization to Born in a drought to demonstrate water conprepare the house and grounds for their new servation, it morphed into a learning center for sustainable construction and living. After role. partnering for two decades with government The original model allowed local and state agencies, the Florida House is making a tran- inventors and businesses to install state-ofsition to a self-supporting enterprise. the-art equipment so the public could look The Sarasota County School Board still owns at emerging technologies that were economthe property, and Sarasota County Govern- ical and ecological. The new model will alment still owns the demonstration house. But low those same inventors and businesses to the Florida House Institute is now moving to demonstrate their wares through classes and standalone status. Internet streaming.