Developed in 1916 by two sisters, Katherine & Daisietta McClellan, McClellan Park was originally called Sarasota’s “Garden Spot.” According to Sarasota History Alive, a very neat website I recommend perusing at some point, the sisters “hired landscape architects to design the park, with the result that roadways curved over the gently sloping land and every lot had a view of the bay.”
Historically, this neighborhood was ahead of its time, with every lot having telephone and electricity access, and every two sharing a septic tank. McClellan Park, at its inception, was billed as a “high class residential section” of Sarasota, and opened with a clubhouse and room for tennis and croquet on the grounds. A yacht basin was dredged for the use of the park's residents and their guests exclusively, and a small section of beach was reserved for swimming.
Over the years, McClellan Park expanded beyond its original footprint and added many lots without the coveted bay view. The neighborhood still to this day features a wide variety of architectural styles, reflecting the slow expansion of the neighborhood as taste and trends changed over the years.
When driving the streets of McClellan Park today, you can certainly feel that original intent of curving roads and sloping land—in fact, this neighborhood feels significantly less like a “traditional Florida neighborhood” and considerably more like one you’d find in Cape Cod or another northern coastal refuge. Mature trees provide ample shade, the houses vary as much as the flowers in the gardens, and the meandering streets feel akin to much older towns in the Northeast. There are a scant 108 homes in the neighborhood today, which still remains one of the more exclusive neighborhoods in town.
Location: A west-of-trail enclave located on the southern end of Orange Avenue, just south of Downtown Sarasota. A short stroll or bike ride from Morton’s Gourmet Market and various local shops and restaurants in Southside Village, and less than 5 minutes from downtown proper, residents enjoy the old-world neighborhood in proximity to all Sarasota has to offer.
Price Range: $1,000,000 - $4,000,000
