ENGLEWOOD – A partnership of local businessmen including Scott Libertore and Keith Farlow plans to build Buchan’s Bayside, a mixed-use development including a destination restaurant and 12 villas on the former Buchan’s Landing resort property.

The site, just south of where Old Englewood Road intersects West Dearborn Street, is part of the Englewood Community Redevelopment Area, steps from the Englewood Veterans Memorial and Freedom Pavilion.

The proposal has not yet been submitted to Sarasota County.

Kimley-Horn and Associates hosted a virtual neighborhood workshop on the concept plan on Nov 29.

Neighborhood workshops are typically the last step required prior to developments being submitted for review.

Even though the restaurant and villas are part of the same project, there will be no vehicle connection between the properties.

The site is an aggregation of six parcels totaling 2.8 acres – including an off-site lot for valet parking on Old Englewood Road.

Kelley Klepper, a senior project manager at Kimley-Horn explained at the workshop that the project conforms to the overall Englewood redevelopment master plan, supports one of the CRA missions (to incorporate mixed-use) and brings new concepts to Englewood, namely the villas and the dockside restaurant.

The site plan calls for the preservation of a grand oak tree and waterfront mangroves.

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Libertore was not available for comment.

Farlow, owner of Farlow’s on the Water, said the concept for the new restaurant had been set but he wanted to keep it a secret for now.

“We’re not letting the concept out right this very second but the concept has already been determined and it’s going to complement Farlow’s on the Water,” Farlow said.

The seating capacity is being worked out later in the process with the architect, though the goal is to have a 10,000-square-foot restaurant.

Patrons can travel to the restaurant by either land or water and dock at one of 24 slips.

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Farlow said the project would not be an active marina.

“It will be for boaters who come up the Intracoastal and they want to tie up and have a wonderful lunch or dinner,” he added. “This is relatively close to my present location so the business plan is to have these two restaurants work in conjunction and give Englewood the best eateries in the entire area.”

While Farlow was excited about the restaurant, he was enthusiastic about the prospect of the water views from the dining room, as well as the grand oak tree.

“We’re going to put gorgeous lights in that oak tree,” Farlow said, then called back to memories of the lush scenery outside the old Summerhouse restaurant on Siesta Key. “It’s going to be stunning.”

The exact square footage of the 12 paired villas – all of which would have had parking underneath – has yet to be established. The overall density will be 4.3 units per acre.

The plan was scheduled to be submitted to Sarasota County for development review later this month.

It will be subject to public hearings before both the Sarasota County Planning Commission and the Sarasota County Commission.

Libertore and Farlow are seeking a change in the commercial zoning required, along with other approvals.

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Earle Kimel primarily covers south Sarasota County for the Herald-Tribune and can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Buchan’s Landing site eyed for restaurant and villas in Englewood