Will Sarasota Pass The Duany Test?

Six years ago Andres Duany helped craft a new 20 year masterplan for the City of Sarasota, Florida, which prides itself on being a city with a small town feel. This week he returns to gauge the city's progress.

1 minute read

January 10, 2007, 8:00 AM PST

By Mike Lydon


"In an attempt to make Sarasota a more walkable city connected to its bayfront, city commissioners turned to one of the leaders in the New Urbanism movement --- Andres Duany. Duany, an urban planner and co-founder of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co., headquartered in Miami, creates urban redevelopment plans that promote mixed-use downtowns and discourages suburban sprawl.

Since his company was formed in 1980, Duany has developed plans for cities across the country, including Baton Rouge, La.; Naples; Peoria, Ill.; and Providence, R.I.

Six years after city commissioners approved his master plan for Sarasota, Duany is returning to rate the city's success in implementing the vision.

'I'm anxious to see what Mr. Duany thinks of our progress and what we still need to work on,' said John Burg, chief planner for Sarasota's Planning and Development Department. 'I think we've made significant progress, but it is a 20-year plan, so we are far from completed.'"

Friday, January 5, 2007 in Bradenton Herald

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