A sprawling athletic complex for the Atlanta Braves in North Port could end up as the biggest spring training campus for any of the Major League Baseball clubs in the area. Renderings of a plan, provided by the West Villages Improvement District and drawn by Lakewood Ranch-based firm Fawley-Bryant Architects, shows a new facility with space for sports uses beyond just baseball.

Renderings show how the athletic complex fit into the largely undeveloped improvement district, which today houses the Gran Paradiso neighborhoods and Islandwalk neighborhoods. West Villages planners will set aside 70 to 80 acres on site. 

Fawley-Bryant is a notable architecture choice both because the firm is based locally and because it developed sports venues including the renovated Pittsburgh Pirates stadium in Bradenton. The plans drawn up by the firm show a stadium with wrap-around boardwalk seating, an amenity familiar to those who have attended events at the Pirates facility. But beyond the stadium, there is room for five to seven practice fields, along with a number of smaller diamonds, and both a clubhouse and an academy for injured players undergoing rehabilitation. Grass parking areas also provide room for multi-purpose fields, with renderings showing capacity for six full-size soccer fields at the complex. West Villages spokeswoman Sondra Guffey stresses that the plans remain fluid and could change substantially before any construction were to take place.

Right now, the Baltimore Orioles play at Ed Smith Stadium in the City of Sarasota, their home since 2010 after a deal was reached for a $31-million renovation of that facility, and also use facilities at Twin Lakes Park south of the city. The Pirates signed a 30-year lease with Bradenton in 2008 after a $20-million renovation at McKechnie Field and Pirate City. The Pirates have trained in Bradenton since 1969.

Sarasota County commissioners will hear an update today on negotiations with the Braves, less than a week after the ball club announced it had entered into exclusive negotiations with the county about moving training from the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista to this area within two years. “There is a concerted effort to advance a project that would facilitate spring training in Sarasota County for the 2019 season,” County Administrator Thomas Harmer wrote in a memo to county commissioners. Jason Bartolotta, a Sarasota County spokesperson, says administration officials believe they are within three to six months of finalizing a deal with the team, and more specifics of any arrangement will be discussed at a meeting today. Representatives from the Braves are expected to be present. 

Costs for a stadium are estimated at $75-80 million right now and will be paid for in part with approximately $21 million in county funding from the tourist development tax. West Villages will provide the land at no public cost, and the City of North Port will also be asked to contribute along with state funding in the mix. Florida in recent years has awarded grants for spring training venues in an attempt to stop a migration of teams from the Grapefruit League to the Cactus League in Arizona. 

Rendering courtesy of West Villages Improvement District.

The perfect gift for your friends up north (most of whom are probably shaking from the cold), these adorable, scenic and fragrant Primal Element soap bars will have them wishing on shooting stars for a trip to the Sunshine State. Hand-made in Huntington Beach, CA, these vegetable glycerin soaps not only look the part, but also smell of cool notes of sea-spray and salt, lathering luxuriously after a day at the beach. The variety of fragrances, shapes and colors make it impossible to just choose one; with mermaids, seahorses, flowers, palm trees and starfish, the possibilities are endless. Located one block from the Gulf of Mexico adorned with driftwood and seashell garlands, Sand Dollar embodies the spirit and essence of Anna Maria Island, much like the sweet soaps found within. 

Sand Dollar Gift Shop, 5302 Marina Dr., Bradenton Beach, 941-778-2024.

Swap your jacket for a poncho for this transitional season. The combination of delicate lace and sheer fabric make a poncho perfect for moving into spring while keeping your look updated and trendy. Available in both black and white, this bohemian chic style from Spider Lily Finery can easily elevate your look from day to night. Keep it casual for the farmers market on Saturday, wear it as a beach cover-up when you hit Siesta Key or dress it up for a fancy dinner downtown.

Add a long sleeve tee underneath when a random cold front rolls through or a tank top during mild spring days—the sheer lace and versatility of this poncho is ideal for the erratic weather Sarasota often experiences. Keep this poncho at the back of your closet so your daughter and friends don’t take it for their own! 

Spider Lily Finery, 2135 Siesta Dr., Sarasota, 941-296-1500.

Sarasota Memorial Hospital has appointed Dr. Samuel P. Grissom, a national leader in physiatry and spinal cord injury treatment to guide and expand care in its new Rehabilitation Pavilion, scheduled to open this spring. Grissom also brings a new specialty to the area as the only physician certified in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in southwest Florida, according to the national credentialing organization. As Medical Director of Rehabilitation Services, Grissom will oversee a full spectrum of services to meet the complex medical, rehabilitation and mobility needs of people recovering from brain and spinal cord injuries, stroke and neurological disorders, and orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions and work closely with Associate Medical Director David Siegel, MD, and Sarasota Memorial’s multi-disciplinary team of physicians and rehabilitation specialists. 

Sarasota Memorial Hospital

California Pizza Kitchen has opened its first store in Sarasota at 192 North Cattlemen Rd. The approximately 6,000 sq. foot restaurant seats 200+ guests and features a dedicated indoor/outdoor bar with televisions, as well as an open kitchen centered around the open-hearth pizza oven where guests can watch their meals prepared from scratch. Natural elements like reclaimed wood seating, a fresh herb garden, colorful décor, reclaimed skateboard tile and Florida-inspired artwork add to the restaurant’s modern design and neighborhood feel. 

California Pizza Kitchen

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has renewed its accreditation with the nation’s highest standard for philanthropic excellence, the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, which establishes legal, ethical, effective practices for community foundations everywhere.The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations program requires community foundations to document their policies for donor services, investments, grant making and administration every five years. With more than 500 community foundations already accredited nationwide, the program is designed to provide quality assurance to donors, as well as to their legal and financial advisors. National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations is the first program of its kind for charitable foundations in the United States. 

Community Foundation of Sarasota County