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Episode 7: Treehouse for Oligarchs? Obsidian is Over, for now
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Community leader Ron Shapiro joins me to discuss the two years plus effort to defeat a proposed pencil tower in downtown Sarasota. Called a "treehouse for oligarchs" the proposed tower, called Obsidian, would have loomed more than 100 feet taller than other Sarasota highrises. The Obsidian proposal included seven feet of "interstitial space" between its 18 floors, and only 14 proposed residences. Obsidian's excessive height was a clear play to ensure water views by towering over adjacent waterfront buildings. Cramming 337 ft of building on a 1/4 acre lot, the building would have created logistical parking and trash removal problems, and safety issues. The proposal also would have ruined the existing retail uses (seven small businesses operate there).
In the fall of 2022 Ron Shapiro and his neighbors began organizing against this grossly out of scale proposal. How did it ever get this far? Shapiro joins me to discuss the process, how the community worked to defeat the pencil tower plan, and what may come in the future. Tune in!
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