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on both sides of a central aisle]. So we're short 15 feet and have lost one full row. If there is 12-foot recess, we'd lose another row." The city is hoping to find partners for the project. The first floor is designed for retail or restaurant use and will remain unfinished until sold. Then the new owner will build to suit its purpose. The west end of the prop- erty will be left utterly vacant, also for sale. The new owner of that portion could build up to five stories on the 45-foot-deep section. City leaders hope the sale of the two proper- ties will defer the cost of the parking garage, which will have about twice the cost per space as the national average. As part of a legal agreement with Pineapple Square to conduct major redevelopment downtown, the city is obligated to build a parking garage on the State Street site by early next year. After months of dithering by the Sarasota City Commission over a final design for the exterior, the project now needs to rush through the development review pro- cess so construction can be started quickly. Chief City Planner Steve Stancel told the Planning Board members that if they approved the "adjustments," the project would go to the City Commission for final approval on April 21. "We could begin construction as soon as the end of May, and by July, start vertical construction," added Stancel. "We hope to fin- ish in mid-February of 2015." That would be within days of the deadline. "We have painted ourselves in a corner," he said. "We never know what happens with the weather, or what we might find on the site. As it stands today, it looks like we can meet it [the deadline], if we keep our fingers crossed about the weather." The drawing at the top of the screen is the proposed parking garage as seen from State St. The image also demonstrates the higher resolution after installation of new television equipment in the city commission chambers. Photo of the on-screen image taken by Stan Zimmerman Sarasota News Leader March 14, 2014 Page 38