The Sarasota Herald-Tribune's headquarters will soon face competition as the one of most architecturally controversial buildings in the city of Sarasota. Luxury condominium developer The Leonard Garner Group is introducing an octagonal, mixed-use tower that will rise 18 stories into the sky above a rectangular base building surrounded by arcades.
"We broke the mold when we designed this building," said architect W. Thorning Little. "There is nothing else like it." Back To Wall Toilets
![GOING UP: The Atrium on Ringling, Sarasota](http://kehu02.grofrom.com/www.sswwbathmaker.com/f56824941356b8a3c675a72f71f6065e.jpg)
The condo tower, to be called The Atrium on Ringling, will feature residential, commercial and retail space on more than two acres at 1750 Ringling Blvd.
It will offer 88 condominiums, 40,000 square feet of office space, a lavish, two-story lobby with retail establishments, and three floors of parking.
Architectural plans present an elaborate atrium soaring 11 stories. Commercial and retail units will occupy the first three floors, parking the next three, and residences will be located on the seventh through the 18th floors.
Rivo at Ringling (1771 Ringling Blvd.) and the condominium 1350 Main on lower Main Street are two of the other buildings in downtown Sarasota that are as tall as the Atrium would be upon completion.
The residences, which start in the low $800,000s, range from 2,339 to 3,052 square feet of interior space. Three open floor plans will be available, featuring several rooms with balcony access. The plans run from two to four bedrooms and two and a half to four bathrooms, while some have a den. Three penthouse plans are also available on the 18th floor. They have three or four bedrooms and three or four baths, and two have a den.
Interior features will include gourmet kitchens with European style sinks and faucets. Each bedroom will be en suite, and the master baths will have a six-foot acrylic tub, including whirlpool features and a glass-enclosed shower with steam feature.
Each unit will have its own laundry room, and almost all of the closets are walk-in.
"We put together a unique building that is functional and attractive. The biggest feature is the configuration, which makes each residence an end unit," said Atrium developer Leonard Garner, principal of the project's development company. The seven-story, oval-shaped atrium will bathe the elevator landings for all residential floors in natural light. "So you walk out of your front door, you're outside, yet protected," Garner said.
Residents will enjoy a fully-staffed fitness center with a steam room/sauna and private massage facilities, a resort-quality heated pool, spa and oversized recreational deck, a catering kitchen, an elegant boardroom with TV theater, and a staffed and well-equipped office/business center. The Atrium will also include 24-hour concierge/security staff and air-conditioned storage units.
The quarterly association fee is budgeted for $2,100, and includes water, sewer, cable, parking, building and grounds maintenance and property insurance.
Construction is scheduled to begin March 29, with occupancy in fall 2008.
Desktop models are now available to view at the sales center, 127 South Pineapple Ave.
![GOING UP: The Atrium on Ringling, Sarasota](http://kehu02.grofrom.com/www.sswwbathmaker.com/14c5ca964d42e92c590731b83469d4ed.jpg)
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