St. Armands Real Estate – Ringling Estates

St. Armands Key, Sarasota, Florida, 34236

No story on the development of the real estate market in Sarasota, Florida, would be complete without mention of the Ringling Estates. This property was part of the pioneering effort of the circus magnate John Ringling to develop St. Armands Key, a barrier island off Sarasota, into a residential and commercial district. Its development started in the 1920s, and over the years, the project has grown to become among the well-to-do’s most preferred luxury Sarasota waterfront communities.

Ringling’s real estate project was certainly a major endeavor in those times when engineering methods weren’t as advanced as today’s technologies. Creativity though and entrepreneurial savvy enabled the development to take off successfully. It is alleged, for instance, that circus elephants, instead of heavy equipment were the animals drafted for the construction of the causeway that eventually linked St, Armands to the Sarasota mainland, however, this remains as one of Sarasota’s greatest myths. What is true, circus workers and performers were recruited during their off-season in the development of the streets, canals, and other infrastructures on the key.

By and large, Ringling Estates is one of the very well-planned Sarasota luxury real estate communities. Many of its homes either have direct water views some with direct bay access. The road network within St. Armands were laid out in such a way that the principal streets running north and south of the island—Boulevard of the Presidents, Washington Drive, and Adams Drive—either loop or radiate toward the commercial center of St. Armands Circle. This setup enables convenient mobility not only within the area but also in accessing the nearby points of interest in Lido Key toward the north and the Sarasota downtown to the east.

Ringling estates residences found among Sarasota waterfront homes for sale have lot sizes of up to about one quarter of an acre. The smaller lots measure around 7,500 square feet. Price quotes at around the half-a-million dollar mark can be posted for the older St Armands homes for sale. Residences in the community built in the 1950s can have starting prices from $498,000 to $599,900 for their floor plans of between 1,300 and 1,500 square feet, featuring three to two bedrooms and two full baths. The pricier options can be led by a $6 million dollar homes constructed in 2008- 2011 on the larger lots.

Tremendous advantage is enjoyed by the residents of this luxury Sarasota waterfront community. Not only are they walking distance from the chic shops and restaurants of St. Armands Circle but are also minutes away from the fine beaches of Lido and Longboat Keys. In no time at all, too, they can access the downtown delights across the Ringling Causeway which includes the arts and culture centers that further add merit to most waterfront Sarasota homes for sale.

St. Armands Real Estate for Sale

Below are all of the current real estate listings available for sale on St. Armands.

Please contact us if you would like to schedule a tour of any of the listed properties.