A familiar former Checkers site on the eastern edge of downtown Sarasota could soon trade fast food for apartments, a rooftop pool and a full-service restaurant.
The planned mixed-use building that would replace a defunct fast-food restaurant near the Sarasota County courthouse on Ringling Boulevard received partial sign-off Oct. 21 from the Sarasota Development Review Committee.
It was the fourth time the committee had reviewed the project, which is represented by Joel Freedman of Freedman Consulting & Development LLC. This review, however, included a major change in the proposal.
MRM Management LLC, owner of the 0.23-acre parcel at 2101 Ringling Blvd., plans a seven-story building with 26 residences, a rooftop pool and dog walk, as well as a 3,100-square-foot
full-service restaurant and 800 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor.
Donald Murphy, manager of MRM Management, also owns the adjacent property to the east at 2129 Ringling Blvd. through Ringling Centre LLC.
Access to the proposed seven-story building for loading, waste collection, drainage and surface parking will be through the property at 2129 Ringling Blvd.
How has the project evolved?
When the DRC first reviewed a proposed site plan in March 2025, it called for a six-story building with 22 residences, two of which would have been priced as attainable housing, as well as the restaurant and commercial space on the ground floor.
The current project removes the attainable housing component and increases the number of residences by four.
Those additional units represent density that would otherwise be used at 2129 Ringling Blvd. The development rights are being transferred to 2101 Ringling Blvd. through the same joint-use agreement that enables the properties to share drainage, parking and waste collection.
Because of the additional story, the new building is projected to be more than 75 feet tall.
The rooftop deck, which would include a pool, fire pit and dog walk, would be more than 84 feet above the street.
With the elevator shaft factored in, the structure would reach 99 feet.
Earle Kimel primarily covers local governments in Sarasota County as well as land development and environmental issues for the Herald-Tribune. Follow him on Facebook and X. He can be reached by email at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Former downtown Sarasota Checkers site could soon get a new restaurant
