I wasn't expecting to find one of downtown Sarasota's most iconic buildings sitting empty again during a Sunday morning walk.
The ivy-adorned I.R. Burns & H.H. Bell Building, at 1296 First St. next to the Sarasota Opera House in the heart of Sarasota's theater district, is a downtown landmark dating to 1925.
Over the decades, it has housed everything from the city collections office to a furniture store, but it is best known for its revolving door of restaurants. Most recently, the upscale Rose & Ivy occupied the prime two-story space with its tropical patio for the past two years.
Through the front windows and over the patio gate, I could see much of the dining room had been cleared out. Chairs and tables were gone, exposing the brick floors,
support columns and bar.
The sign on the window reads: "Revisit. Refresh. October 2026. Rose & Ivy 2.0."
Turns out, Rose & Ivy isn't gone. It's undergoing a major renovation.
The restaurant will be temporarily closed through Oct. 1 "as we transform our space into something truly special," according to a July 16 social media post. "From the restoration of our beloved speakeasy to the debut of our new Ringling Room inspired by John Ringling's 1920s rail car, we can't wait to welcome you back. Thank you for your patience and continued support. Stay tuned as we share the journey."
On Aug. 1, the day before my impromptu visit, Rose & Ivy shared another update on social media.
The restaurant said workers uncovered original 1920s ceramic tiles during renovations and plan to preserve them as part of the updated space. It also promised more renovation updates, ending the post with: "We miss our guests."
Here's hoping Rose & Ivy returns in October as planned. It would be nice to see one of downtown Sarasota's most beautiful historic buildings bustling once again.
Wade Tatangelo is the executive editor of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Florida dining and entertainment editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Why this iconic downtown Sarasota building is empty once again
