Local Leaders Strike Deal to Save the Colson Hotel for Good

Recently slated for demolition to make way for new townhomes, the historic hotel in the Rosemary District has officially been saved.

Nestled among new developments in the Rosemary District stands the historic Colson Hotel. Built in 1926, it was once a sanctuary for Black travelers during segregation. Decades later, it was used as a rooming house that fell into disrepair. Now, the building at 1425 Eighth St. is poised for a new chapter.

DreamLarge (Sarasota Magazine’s parent company), along with the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, has secured ownership of the Colson after more than a year of negotiations. The hotel had been at risk of being demolished amid the neighborhood’s rapid growth, but thanks to a partnership between DreamLarge, the Alliance, the City of Sarasota, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and a newly established community development corporation, it will be spared the wrecking ball. The new community development corporation is made up of local leaders—including Dave Baber, Tony Souza, Erin DiFazio, Tom McArdle, Lorrie Muldowney, Barry Preston and DreamLarge’s Anand Pallegar—and it intends to secure a historic preservation easement on the property to ensure that it remains a historic structure in perpetuity.

In its heyday, the Colson served as both a refuge and a cultural hub for Black travelers at a time when Sarasota was segregated. Named for Rev. Lewis Colson, a formerly enslaved man who helped plat the city, it once housed prominent figures like baseball legend Buck O’Neil and performers on the Chitlin’ Circuit. The Colson is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was included in the Alliance for Historic Preservation’s “Six to Save” list last year.

Over the ensuing decades, the neighborhood around the Colson, once known as Overtown, was radically transformed and rebranded as the Rosemary District. A density overlay policy approved by the city prompted the construction of numerous pricey condo and townhome developments. Last year, as part of that trend, Tampa developer Maximilian Vollmer of JDMax Developments purchased the Colson property for $550,000 and announced plans to demolish the hotel and construct 27 three-story townhomes priced between $800,000 and $900,000.

Vollmer argued that restoring the neglected structure would cost at least $2 million and that problems with its foundation, extensive water damage and structural instability made such renovations economically unfeasible. He went on to highlight a structural analysis that deemed the building unsafe—meaning it would need extensive bracing, masonry reinforcement and more to make it habitable.

City commissioners, however, unanimously denied Vollmer’s demolition permit, citing the building’s historical importance, which prompted the negotiations that led to the property’s recent sale for $700,000.

Joseph Lovett, Vollmer’s partner in the proposed development, says he’s “ecstatic” that a deal was brokered. He and Vollmer plan to pursue building new townhomes near the Colson.

Pallegar, DreamLarge’s president and chief executive officer, sees the project as a model for future preservation efforts. “What we learned from this is that by collectively playing our positions towards a winning outcome, the Historic Alliance and other community stakeholders can rally together to save culturally significant buildings,” he says. “This could set a precedent for the future.”

Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation program director Erin DiFazio agrees.

“Securing this property from a developer intending to tear it down is truly a win for the community,” she says. “It represents a growing respect for preservation and the significance these buildings hold for us as a society.”

“This is a piece of Sarasota’s cultural heritage we simply couldn’t afford to lose,” DiFazio continues. “Built in 1926 by Owen Burns, it was a groundbreaking space for African Americans in a time when creating such a place in Sarasota was a bold and forward-thinking act. A century later, we have a responsibility to honor that legacy and not let it be destroyed for the sake of potential profit. If we could only win one preservation battle, this was the right one. Sarasota will be better off for it and can take pride in what has been saved for future generations.”

Next steps include hosting meetings to solicit community input on the building’s future. “We’re working to outline what this restoration would look like,” says Pallegar. “It’s about maintaining the integrity of the structure while preparing it for future use.” Restoration efforts would likely involve stabilizing the building as a “shell” to preserve its historic footprint, much like what was done with the historic Belle Haven near the Sarasota waterfront.

The project’s implications extend beyond preserving a single building. “As a community, we build on the shoulders of others,” says Pallegar. “This is about honoring our history and ensuring it isn’t erased by development. It’s a responsibility we share as a city.”

Click here to learn more about the Colson Hotel’s history, its restoration and how you can help. To make a donation click here.