Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/86226
Sarasota News Leader October 5, 2012 Siesta Seen nance. A note on the permitting website says Eat Here proposes to use 52 existing parking spaces in Davidson Plaza on Ocean Boule- vard. The comment adds that the restaurant would open at 5 p.m., after other businesses have closed. A couple of years ago, when Village business owners worked closely with county staff to craft that revised parking ordinance, the re- sulting document was very specific about the number of parking spaces that had to be available, based on the number of seats a new restaurant would have. All existing restaurants were grandfathered in under the ordinance. OFFICIAL OPENING Best Western International formally has an- nounced the opening of the Best Western Plus Siesta Key Hotel at 6600 S. Tamiami Trail. "This property gives guests a quality lodging option when traveling to the southwestern coast of Florida," Mark Williams, vice presi- dent of North American development for Best Western International, announced in a news release. Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce members are well-acquainted with the property's gen- eral manager, Maria Bankemper, a principle of MPL Lodgings, which owns as well as op- erates the hotel. Bankemper long has been involved with chamber activities on Siesta. This year, she is co-chairing the Siesta Key Crystal Classic Master Sandsculpting Competition Nov. 8-12. (Cheryl Gaddie is the other co-chair.) "We believe we have done an excellent job re-positioning this hotel property," Bankem- per wrote in the news release, with MPL Lodg- ings having invested more than $1 million in renovations and upgrades. Of course, as she adds, the location is unbeat- able — just off the Stickney Point Road access to Siesta Key. For more information and grand opening rates, call 924-4900. ONLY THE BEGINNING "All's well and going according to plan/sched- ule." That was the Sept. 28 report from Brian Bol- las, planning and environmental manager with Parsons Brinckerhoff, the consultant working with the Florida Department of Transporta- tion on the installation of six crosswalks along Midnight Pass Road between the Beach Road and Stickney Point Road intersections. The crosswalks are designed to improve pedestri- an safety. The project officially began Sept. 24, a week after FDOT hosted an open house at St. Mi- chael the Archangel Catholic Church to pro- vide island residents one more opportunity to get a look at the plans. This week, Bollas said, workers are expected to complete the installation of the sign pads and the signs themselves. Next week, he said, Page 91