Sarasota Plans to Rebuild Hart's Landing Bait Shop
City plans call for a relocated bait shop and restroom building on higher ground after Hurricanes Helene and Milton destroyed the landmark in 2024.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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The City of Sarasota has submitted plans to rebuild Hart's Landing, a fishing landmark destroyed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. The proposal, presented to the city's Development Review Committee on November 4, 2026, would move the bait shop and restrooms farther inland.
Why it matters
The original structure sat within a FEMA-designated coastal high-hazard flood zone, and relocating it is intended to conform with current building codes and better withstand future storms. The project also reflects the long-running role of the site in Sarasota's fishing community.
The proposal calls for a 725-square-foot bait shop and restroom building moved inland from the original site in a FEMA coastal high-hazard zone. Whether the city will need to update its agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation before approval remains unresolved.
The players
Hart's Landing
A Sarasota fishing landmark operating since 1934 that has served the local fishing community for generations.
Baldwin family
The family that assumed operations of Hart's Landing in 2017 and is connected to the site's continued fishing business.
The details
The proposal includes an open-air waterfront pavilion with bait tanks and a six-foot-wide accessible sidewalk and ramp. The city demolished the damaged building in November 2025, and the Baldwin family, who assumed operations in 2017, would be part of the rebuilt operation.
Timeline
2024: Hurricanes Helene and Milton destroy Hart's Landing.
November 2025: The city demolishes the damaged building.
November 4, 2026: Plans are presented to the Development Review Committee.
2029: Dock construction is scheduled to begin.
2031: The entire project is expected to be completed.
Roadmap
The Hart's Landing proposal follows a broader pattern of Florida coastal properties relocating out of FEMA high-hazard zones after recent hurricanes rather than rebuilding in place. It also illustrates how public landmarks on state-controlled land must coordinate with agencies such as the Florida Department of Transportation.
Anglers and visitors who rely on Hart's Landing for bait and fishing access would see the business return to a site farther inland and on higher ground. The relocated facility is designed to better withstand future storms, which could help keep the bait supply and restrooms available after severe weather.
The takeaway
The rebuilt Hart's Landing is designed to sit out of the flood zone that destroyed the original, which means local fishing access may be more resilient to future hurricanes.
What happens next
Dock construction is scheduled to begin in 2029, and the entire project is expected to be completed in 2031.
Further reading
Explore more Sarasota openings and closings news for local business developments like this one.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sarasota Magazine.
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