Meticulously charming, trend-setting yet timeless, this Lido Key home proves that mid-century modern style, especially that of the Sarasota School of Architecture, is timeless and timeless. I am. Its owner, Sarasota Magazine founder Dan Denton, 71, said he knew there was a name for the style, now called “Sarasota School” or “Sarasota Modern.” Ta.
Denton's four-bedroom, four-bathroom home at 117 S. Polk Drive in Lido Key is home to the young progressive who gained international acclaim for his innovative work here from the mid-1940s to the '60s. It incorporates a style created by a group of architects. . One of them, Gene Reedy, is credited with formally uniting them under the term “Sarasota School of Architecture” at the 1982 American Institute of Architects convention. Denton actually attended the convention while on assignment for Sarasota Magazine. At the time, he was living in “a more traditional house in St. Armands” but was “interested in those architects.” Paul Rudolph and Victor Lundy were his favorites of the original crew.
He bought the house in 1989, when Sarasota Schools was gaining niche interest. “Mediterranean Revival was the dominant style,” Denton recalls. “I knew and loved Paul Rudolph's buildings, but I couldn't find a good one to buy. And I loved St. Armands and wanted to live on Lido.”
The house he lives in now is “full of all my notes,” he says.
Hidden behind a wall of healthy sea grapes, this home sits on 0.39 acres along a deep water canal. Denton was initially drawn to its flat roof, wide overhang, terrazzo floors, and midcentury features.
“It was the Sarasota School of Architecture house in disguise. It was like a ranch version of an umbrella house,” he says. “The challenge was to make it a pure version of the style.”
He did it. Denton won't reveal the cost of the renovations, but each decision was well thought out, and there are many architectural drawings and plans that were ultimately not adopted. (For example, the upstairs idea has been scrapped.)
What he did was that originally the rooms in the house were concentrated at one end of the house, which ultimately required a split floor plan. Currently, the guest building is configured in a U-shape, with a courtyard formed at the back. There is a separate courtyard to the front with plenty of opportunities for outdoor living. There is a pool and spa in the back. The guesthouse is accessed through the kitchen, which is located in a separate wing of the main house. “It was difficult for the architects to make everything match,” Denton admits.
The home features floating overhangs for shade, as well as sweeping windows and glass sliders to maximize ventilation and views. In 1990, the Denton's first renovation, under the direction of the late Sarasota designer Robert Beardsworth, added a new pool and kitchen. Ten years later, Denton consulted Beardsworth partner Robert Neal about the second phase of the project with architect Michael Epstein of Seibert Architects, a firm founded by Tim Seibert, another leader of the Sarasota School. I asked him to do so. Appropriately, Seibert began his career as a draftsman for Paul Rudolph.
The most recent renovation, completed in 2021, added an open pavilion to the garden, further opening the home to an indoor-outdoor lifestyle that is rare in this area. The front wall of the living and dining area was replaced with floor-to-ceiling windows, the beams holding the screen were removed and new windows were installed, opening views from the screened porch to the pool at the rear of the home. I did. Screen from column to column and floor to roof for a seamless view. In 2022, this home won a Florida AIA Design Award.
The home is lovingly decorated and includes Denton's beloved collection of art and mid-century furniture. It all began when a Ringling University design professor sold Denton a rare T.H. Robjohn Givings coffee table for $50, which still sits in his living room. Everything is going with him.
“We want the new location to have the same style,” Denton says.
A variety of sculptures in the backyard bring art outside. The copper one on the front remains. It was created by artist Jack Cartlidge, who also sculpted City Hall in downtown Sarasota. A colorful burst of PVC pipe cylinders by James Renfro are also stored at the back of the house.
Because the home is not historically designated, there are no protections or restrictions on what you can do with it, and there are no terms and conditions. But Denton says, “I'm hoping to find a buyer who is as passionate about this building as I am. I would say no to anyone who wants to tear it down.”
“It's a balancing act, deciding at what point to replace something or keep the beauty of vintage objects,” he says. “But that's the most interesting part of this piece.” For example, part of the aforementioned architectural plan includes updating one of his bathrooms, but Denton said he's not sure what the original She says she never dreamed of touching pink tiles.
So why did Denton leave? He says it's time to downsize, but he'll stay local and perhaps move to the mainland.
Meanwhile, the next owner is looking for a treat.
“This home is one of the few places where you can walk to the beach in the morning, take a boat ride in the afternoon, come home, swim in the pool, and eat out at St. Armand's Circle for dinner.” You don’t have to ride,” says Kim Ogilvie of Michael Saunders & Company, which is listing the property. “A mid-century modern home that has been expertly renovated by a dedicated owner comes only once out of the blue.”
be interested? Contact Kim Ogilvie of Michael Saunders & Company at (941) 376-1717.