Laurel Park
You may see a beautifully restored historic home, another in the middle of a renovation and something much newer all within a few blocks.
You may see a beautifully restored historic home, another in the middle of a renovation and something much newer all within a few blocks.
Laurel Park sits at the southern end of downtown Sarasota, close enough to walk to restaurants, shops, galleries and Burns Court, yet once you turn onto its narrow residential streets, it feels like a neighborhood rather than an extension of downtown.
This is one of Sarasota's historic neighborhoods, with much of its development beginning in the 1920s and some homes dating even earlier. Laurel Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and that history is still very much part of what you see today.
Laurel Park has character, and I don't mean the manufactured kind.
You'll find old cottages, Craftsman bungalows, Mediterranean Revival architecture, duplexes and small apartment buildings mixed with homes that have been renovated or are somewhere in the middle of becoming their next version. There is newer construction too, but the neighborhood still works hard to hold onto the character that makes it Laurel Park.
The streets are narrow. The homes don't match. Lots aren't enormous. And that's part of the appeal.
This probably isn't the neighborhood for someone who wants everything brand new and perfectly uniform. It's for someone who appreciates older homes, interesting architecture and the little details you simply don't get when an entire neighborhood is built at once.
Laurel Park gives you something that's increasingly difficult to find in Sarasota: an older residential neighborhood where you can walk out your front door and actually go somewhere.
Burns Court, Towles Court and downtown are right there. You can walk to dinner, browse the shops, grab coffee or head toward the bayfront without getting in the car. The neighborhood association even describes Laurel Park as a place where people meet on the sidewalks, walk their dogs and know their neighbors.
The tradeoff is that you're living in an older neighborhood. Homes vary tremendously in age, condition, size and how much updating has been done. You may see a beautifully restored historic home, another in the middle of a renovation and something much newer all within a few blocks.
But if you're looking at Laurel Park, that's probably part of what attracted you in the first place.
One of my favorite things about Laurel Park isn't actually a house. It's the shopping.
I love The Exchange. I've bought stainless steel pots, plates, serving dishes and even the chair at my desk there. I also stop by when I need something for staging because you never quite know what you're going to find. Burns Court is right there too, with its little shops, cafés and restaurants.
That's what I like about this whole part of Sarasota. It feels interesting.
And I think you either understand the appeal of Laurel Park, or you don't. If you look at an older house and immediately start thinking about everything you'd need to change to make it look new, this probably isn't your neighborhood. That’s OK.
If you look at the same house and notice the architecture, the old details, the narrow streets and want to do your best to preserve the character and features, Laurel Park might be exactly what you're looking for.
I focus on Bradenton real estate, helping buyers and sellers navigate the local market with confidence. I also work with clients in nearby areas like Palmetto, Parrish, and Sarasota -when that’s where the right fit is.
