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Bird Key
The Bird Key area is a boater's dream, with deep water canals, spectacular bay front homes and a private yacht club. The residents are professionals, CEO's, attorneys, doctors, entrepreneurs, some retirees, affluent families and celebrities that are friendly, yet respect the privacy of their neighbors.
Bird Key Homes
Bird Key is an upscale neighborhood with 510 home sites and an active Homeowner's Association. Many of the original homes that were built during the 1950's have been replaced with elegant estate homes. Security patrols during the day and the gate is guarded at night. The natural beauty of Bird Key, the sparkling bay views, the casual Florida lifestyle of a Bird Key home ranges from the $1,000,000 to $8.5 million.
Typical Waterfront Lot on Bird Key
Bird Key lots are usually obtained by tearing down older outdated homes to make space for new estate homes. Bay front, canal front and interior lots are all popular on Bird Key. All Bird Key residents are invited to be a member of the Bird Key Yacht Club.
Bird Key History
In 1911, Lindsay Worcester of Cincinnati was in Florida to recover from illness and she took a small boat with friends out to Bird Key for a picnic. She fell in love with the natural beauty, beaches, birds and palm trees on the small island. Her husband, Thomas Worcester, purchased Bird Key from the state to build a beautiful modern home for them. Their mansion took three years and cost over $100,000 to complete. Thomas sold it to John Ringling in the early 1920's. John also purchased St. Armands Key and Lido Key.
John's sister, Ida Ringling North, moved into the mansion on Bird Key. Ringling built the Ringling Causeway from the mainland for easy access to Bird Key, St. Armands Circle and Lido Key with great plans for homes, shopping, hotels and entertainment. In 1936 John died and bequeathed the island to Ida, who lived there in the beautiful home until she died in 1950. The island was enlarged, her home was removed and the Bird Key Yacht Club today is on the site of the first home on Bird Key.
Located just before you hop on the Ringling Causeway Bridge to head downtown, Bird Key is a boater's paradise with 506 residences—half of them canal- and bayfront, half of them off the water. Social life revolves around the recently renovated Bird Key Yacht Club, where the residents, a mix of executives, physicians, recently retired baby boomers, and even some famous superstars, gather.
Interesting Facts About Bird Key:
- Bird Key was originally developed by the Arvida Corporation in the late 50's. The original existing piece of land was enlarged by using the dredgings from digging the canals and the bay front.
- The original Bird Key was a narrow sliver of land. It did not extend beyond Bob White Way. It was at least quadrupled from its original size.
- The Bird Key Yacht Club clubhouse was built on the site of a two story white frame house known as Edzell Castle which was built in 1914
- John Ringling bought the Bird Key house and what was then the entire key in 1922
- His sister Ida Ringling North and her family lived in the Bird Key house from the late 1930's until 1950, before it was purchased by Arvida Corporation
- Bird Key Yacht Club was established in 1959 and officially opened October 15, 1960. It was at built at a cost of $250,000.
- Emmet Addy, a well known local name to the old timers here was the first commodore. Arvida turned over title to the club on October 31, 1967.
- Bird Key lot street frontage ranges from 100' to 120' width, depth 120' to 150', average 12,500 sq ft
- Extra wide waterways or canals, all the canals and bay front areas have good deep water for boating, there are no internal bridges that boaters have to go under to get to the bay, direct access to the gulf thru Big Pass w/o going under any bridges.
- Bird Key spent millions initially to have all utilities under ground which was probably one of the original areas of town to do this.
- Bird Key is one of Sarasota original deed restricted communities. We have an elected board of directors who are now very proactive.
- 510 lots, 60% or 303 waterfront (154 bay front, 149 canal), 207 interior
- Original lot prices were approximately $18k for waterfront and less than $10k for interior lots.
- Most homes only have to be built up 4' because Bird Key base elevation is fairly high and most of key is in an A zone
- Bird Key setbacks are more restrictive than the rest of the cities. 35' height restriction compared to the city's 37'
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