Whitfield Estates is a beautiful historic neighborhood just north of the Sarasota-Bradenton airport. First established in the 1920s, it is named after L.B. Whitfield, a wealthy Atlanta industrialist, who was the principal backer during its early development. It was initially conceived as a luxury community with a golf course, country club, yacht club and a hotel overlooking the bay.
The bursting of the real estate bubble and Great Depression put an end to the grandiose master plan. But over the years, Whitfield Estates continued to grow, maintaining its original Florida charm. Today, it occupies nearly 700 acres, on both sides of U.S. 41.
The east side has the original golf course, now the Sara Bay Country Club. The bayside is strictly residential and features a variety of eye-catching homes. Spanish Mediterranean Revival houses from the 1920s sit next to ranch homes from the 1960s and ’70s, two- and three-story domiciles, and a smattering of post-modern dwellings.
A small stone marker announcing “Whitfield Estates” sits at the entrance from U.S. 41 on Westmoreland Drive, the main thoroughfare. Small, dead-end streets branch off from it, providing quiet, secluded access to Sarasota Bay and large, waterfront mansions.
“It feels like a real neighborhood,” said Phyllis Garfinkel, a Realtor with Michael Saunders & Co. “People get out, walk their dogs. You see parents with strollers, retirees and empty nesters. Business people like the convenient access to Sarasota and Manatee County.”
She added, “The bayfront has spectacular sunsets and the breezes off the bay are great.”
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Garfinkel has a listing at 105 North Isle Drive, a three-bedroom, five-bath home with 4,258 square feet under air and a 4-car garage that has a belvedere-like quality and an asking price of $3.95 million. Built in 2003, it was designed with the bayfront in mind, offering fabulous views from the generous-sized second- and third-floor balconies.
A sweeping staircase leads up from the ground to the main entrance, flanked by two large seahorse sculptures. The originals were part of the décor of the famed Lido Beach Casino, one of area’s social hubs from 1940 to the late 1960s. “They were in several locations,” said Garfinkle, who grew up in Sarasota. “I remember climbing all over them.”
When the current owners saw pictures of the sculptures, they thought the seahorses would work well with the sandcastle look of their home. “My husband Richard is a local architect and happened to know an artist who had access to some of the original molds and created the replicas for them,” said Garfinkle.
There are a number of historic buildings in Whitfield Estates, including four homes designed and built by Ralph Twitchell, the co-founder of the Sarasota School of Architecture. One of them, at 7219 Broughton Street is currently for sale. The three-bed, two-and-a-half-bath home known as Casa de Suenos (House of Dreams) was built in 1926 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
A large stained-glass window, arches, Mission tile murals, pecky cypress and hand-painted, domed ceilings are some of the unique features of the main house. There is also a carriage house that can become a mother-in-law suite or home office. The asking price is $1.1 million.
The Ringling House at 7715 Westmoreland Drive, currently pending sale, is another historic domicile. Built between 1918 and 1920 for Alfred Ringling, the older brother of John, the circus magnate, it originally sat on 218 bayfront acres. Alfred died before the home was completed. His son Richard finished it and entertained lavishly there with his wife. When he sold the entire property to the Whitfield Estates developers in 1924, the house was moved to its current location to accommodate the proposed street and lot layout.
With its classical columns and gabled second floor, it looks somewhat like an ordinary 19th century Southern coastal plantation home. But the interior – 4,699 square feet of living space, five bedrooms, and four bathrooms – exude palatial grandeur. The two-story main room, which originally served as a ballroom, has Venetian columns, Renaissance style coffered ceilings, eight sets of French doors and a mezzanine with 18-century English balustrade.
“We had tons of activity – 27 showings – and sold it the second day on the market,” said John McNaught, of Vacasa LLC, who listed the Ringling House with his sister Christina. “Everyone wanted to see the interior, from the neighbors to people actually interested in buying.”
The current owner spent two years renovating the house, including updating electric and plumbing throughout. “She wanted to save it and maintain its integrity and have it go to someone who’d appreciate it,” said McNaught.
That affectionate attitude of people who love the neighborhood is an important aspect of Whitfield Estates. Many other residents have upgraded and renovated their homes.
“People care about their neighbors here,” said Garfinkle. “I call it a ‘borrow a cup of sugar’ neighborhood.’”
Besides, the Twitchell home and her listing, there are two other residences on the market on the bayside of Whitfield Estates, another 1926 building, priced at $800,000, and a waterfront McMansion for $4.3 million. There is also a .33-acre lot for sale for $899,999.