The ambitious, often contentious effort to build a world-class performing arts center on Sarasota’s Bayfront has cleared a significant hurdle. Following years of community debate regarding the fate of the city’s iconic, purple-hued landmark, the grandchildren of its original
benefactors have officially thrown their support behind the new project.
The announcement marks a pivotal moment for the Sarasota Performing Arts Center (SPAC), a project that has faced headwinds over costs, environmental resilience, and historical preservation.
Dr. Anthony (Tony) Van Wezel Stone and Katherine Van Wezel Stone, Esq., grandchildren of Lewis and Eugenia Van Wezel, issued a statement this week backing the project following months of private negotiations with the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation. The endorsement effectively neutralizes one of the most potent arguments against the new center—that it would dishonor the family legacy of the original 1969 hall.
“Our Grandfather and his wife, Eugenia, loved Sarasota and believed in the power of the arts to strengthen community,” the family said in a joint statement. “After meeting with the Foundation, we are pleased that the Performing Arts Center project will build on their vision while ensuring our family’s legacy continues to serve our community.”
The “Purple” Controversy and The Compromise
For the last three years, the project has been mired in a “preservation vs. progress” battle. The original Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, designed by William Wesley Peters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, is beloved for its quirky, seashell-inspired architecture.
Critics, including the local “Purple Ribbon Committee,” feared the new center would lead to the demolition of the historic hall. However, the agreement with the Van Wezel family codifies a “dual-venue” strategy.
According to the family, discussions led to an appreciation that the project is now an “evolving concept” where the historic hall “will continue to serve the City as a venue for the arts in harmony with and alongside the new Performing Arts Center.”
Tania Castroverde Moskalenko, CEO of the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, confirmed this pivot toward a “unified cultural campus.” She stated the Foundation is prepared to steward multiple venues, with the original hall hosting specific artistic performances and educational opportunities, while the new center handles large-scale Broadway productions and contemporary acoustics.
“Concept 2.0”
The family’s support comes as the project undergoes a significant structural and financial “right-sizing,” dubbed Concept 2.0.
Following a pivotal and tense City Commission meeting on March 17, 2025, city leaders demanded the project align more closely with financial realities and environmental concerns. The original concepts presented by the Pritzker Prize-winning architecture firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop were criticized by some segments of the public for potential cost overruns and placement vulnerabilities.
Key changes in Concept 2.0 include:
• Relocation: The new center moves to the south side of the Centennial Park canal. This shifts the building away from the most vulnerable flood zones—a critical adjustment following the storm surge anxieties raised during the 2024 and 2025 hurricane seasons.
• Cost & Capacity Alignment: The project has been recalibrated to match the seating capacity and budget constraints of the original 2023 Request for Proposal (RFP). While exact figures for the new concept are pending a spring reveal, the project is targeting a budget in the $275 million to $300 million range, funded through a 50/50 public-private partnership.
• Resiliency: The new design prioritizes “climate-adaptive” architecture, essential for a major capital asset sitting on the Gulf Coast waterfront.
The Financial Outlook
The Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation is tasked with raising the private half of the funding, a massive capital campaign that required the Van Wezel family’s blessing to proceed effectively.
“More than 50 years ago, Lewis and Eugenia Van Wezel gave Sarasota a gift that shaped its cultural identity,” said Moskalenko. “Today, Tony and Katherine are ensuring their family legacy lives on through a new, inclusive, and resilient Performing Arts Center.”
The City of Sarasota’s portion of the funding relies largely on Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenue generated by rising property values in the district surrounding The Bay park. With the family dispute resolved and the location settled, the Foundation and City anticipate releasing updated renderings and financial models later this spring.
Next Steps
The Van Wezel family has committed to participating in upcoming engagement efforts, including the “Center Stage Conversations” series, to rally public support.
For Sarasota’s business community and tourism sector, the stakes are high. A Renzo Piano-designed facility would place Sarasota in an elite tier of global cultural destinations, potentially rivaling the architectural draw of museums and halls in Miami and Los Angeles. However, keeping the budget in check while maintaining two aging waterfront facilities (the new center and the historic hall) will be the City Commission’s next major challenge.
“Their support reflects a shared belief in honoring our legacies while embracing our future,” Moskalenko added, signaling that for the first time in years, the project is moving forward with a unified front.
