Bonita & Estero Magazine

Explorer

Street Smarts

- BY BETH LUBERECKI

The Greenest Little Main Street in America. The Rodeo Drive of Anna Maria Island. Pine Avenue has been called a lot of things. But the one thing you can’t call it: underutili­zed. That wasn’t always the case, though, says Michael Coleman, buying his first lot on Pine Avenue back in 2003. “It was like tumbleweed­s going down the street,” he says. “There was nothing going on.” Fast forward to today and the scene is much different. Locals and tourists flock to the new center of the island’s Anna Maria community, due west of Bradenton along Florida’s Gulf Coast, less than two hours from Fort Myers. Commercial “Cracker”-style buildings are loaded with boutiques, restaurant­s and other goodies, folks strolling along sandy pathways, pedaling bikes down the avenue, pulling up in golf carts for a cup of coffee and some conversati­on.

Pine Avenue is about Florida charm and character, much of which Coleman helped make happen. After building a house on Pine Avenue, he joked to his wife that they should raise $10 million and “buy Pine Avenue.” But the more he talked about the idea, the more it took shape.

Coleman would partner with Ed Chiles, son of the late Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles and the owner of several local restaurant­s, and the two got busy, in a couple of months buying 21 properties on Pine Avenue. Their early commercial constructi­on in old Florida architectu­re added historic charm and

character. “I call this responsive developmen­t,” says Coleman, “that when it was done, it would look like it had always been there. It just sort of fits in.”

When Chiles wanted green components in those first buildings, Coleman pushed for energy-efficient, insulated concrete blocks, for example. The next buildings incorporat­ed advanced insulation, hot water systems and windows. The pair also included native plants for landscapin­g. “If you plant the plants that are supposed to be here, then you don’t have to give them nutrients or irrigate them much once they’re establishe­d,” says Coleman. “They’re where they’re supposed to be, so they’re happy little campers.”

The end result? Nine of the 11 new structures received platinum LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmen­tal Design, ratings from the Florida Green Building Coalition (the first buildings are rated gold). “I’m blessed with partners that, in a world where folks are often cutting corners to save money, we added corners and spent money because it was the outcome that we were after,” says Coleman.

The new buildings are elegant in pastels, with big front porches, metal roofs, staggered positionin­g along the avenue. Inside them are businesses such as Bella by the Sea, concrete floors and gray walls setting off the women’s clothing, jewelry and handbags. “This is where the action is,” says owner Jo-Ann Lefner. “I wanted to be in an area where there was great traffic and a lot of tourists.”

Boasting turquoise walls, a driftwood-covered counter area and cool shelving made with rope, Salon Salon offers massages, facials, manicures and other beauty services. “We love the openness of our space and we love our location,” says co-owner Annie Petit.

Coleman and Chiles’ project has helped liven Pine Avenue, which is home to the Anna Maria Island Historical Society Museum. Photos and artifacts help tell the story of the island’s

I’M BLESSED WITH PARTNERS THAT, IN A WORLD WHERE FOLKS ARE OFTEN CUTTING CORNERS TO SAVE MONEY, WE ADDED CORNERS AND SPENT MONEY.”

—MICHAEL COLEMAN, PINE AVENUE DEVELOPER

early days― George Emerson Bean in 1892 became Anna Maria’s first official homesteade­r.

On the northeast end of Pine Avenue near the Anna Maria City Pier, the Historic Green Village serves as another example of environmen­tally/socially conscious developmen­t. It’s a collection of early 20th-century structures rehabbed or moved to the site, along with some newer constructi­on. Today those buildings are occupied by a general store, bakery and bookshop. The village boasts LEED platinum status and is a net-zero-energy campus― solar panels, rainwater collection and reuse, and geothermal air-conditioni­ng.

This new life that’s been given to Pine Avenue has provided Anna Maria with a social hub and a charming retail district. “Without a business district, you’re just a bedroom community,” says Coleman.

 ??  ?? Historic Anna Maria Island is due west of Bradenton along Florida’s Gulf Coast, less than two hours from Fort Myers.
Historic Anna Maria Island is due west of Bradenton along Florida’s Gulf Coast, less than two hours from Fort Myers.
 ??  ?? The Anna Maria City Pier today offers a bonus view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay.
The Anna Maria City Pier today offers a bonus view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay.
 ??  ?? 1 4 5 2 Your visit can include the (1) Anna Maria Island Historical Society Museum, boating (2), the Old City Jail (3), charming downtown shops and diners (4 and 5) and a yummy stopover at The Donut Experiment (6). 6 3
1 4 5 2 Your visit can include the (1) Anna Maria Island Historical Society Museum, boating (2), the Old City Jail (3), charming downtown shops and diners (4 and 5) and a yummy stopover at The Donut Experiment (6). 6 3

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