Bird Key

Five minutes away from downtown of Sarasota is another amazing place to enjoy the sights of the Gulf of Mexico – Bird Key. Strategically situated between the Mainland and St. Armand’s Key, it provides the mixture of diverse vacation wonders from the neighboring islands. Bird Key is connected by bridges to both St. Armand’s and the Lido Keys, and its eastern portion is readily accessible for visitors coming from Sarasota. Truly, experiencing Bird Key from elsewhere in the group of islands prove to be a full adventure.

Considered an upscale waterfront residential neighborhood, Bird Key has 510 home sites and a growing homeowners’ association. Though most of the elegant old homes established in the 1950s have been replaced by modern estate structures, the stylish houses in the area still possess that blissful ambience. Most of all, there are security patrols all hours of the day to ensure peace for residents. Apart from guarded gates, patrols also roam and check the waterfront and marina areas.

Most of the residents in Bird Key are professionals in fields of medicine, law, business and banking and finance. There are also affluent families, celebrities and some retirees who live in the area. The best thing about the area is that no matter what walk of life, the neighborhood observes great respect for privacy, and yet remains friendly to one another.

Bird Key has been known as a boater’s dream because it has deep water canals, spacious bay fronts and a private yacht club. As most sailing enthusiasts have daytime jobs, they are confident their sea toys are well-guarded.

In 2010, the least expensive home in Bird Key is the 2,400 square foot home with a new full bay front estate. Built originally in 1965, it costs $539,000 and the front estate prices to almost seven million.
For its historical background, it is said that one important woman from Cincinnati, Ohio, by the name of Lindsay Worcester was vacationing in Bird Key. The simple picnic she took with friends and a few hours of boat ride led her to a budding romance with the place, particularly the beaches and the peaceful sights. Her husband, Thomas Worcester, then purchased Bird Key from the State and built a home for Lindsay. The home, which amounted to $100,000 and took three years to complete, was later sold to John Ringling in the 1920s where the latter’s sister lived for many years.

It was around the period where Ringling pursued infrastructure developments among the keys so that access into different islands would prove easy for his pursuits. This meant establishments of more homes, shopping centers and hotels, as well as entertainment and leisure buildings to sprout in the area. The island grew and when John’s sister died in 1950, the original Worcester mansion was removed and on the site, the Bird Key Yacht Club site was erected. Today, the site has steady flow of visitors being the first home on Bird Key.