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"Sarasota is at an awkward adolescent stage. It might take 15 to 20 years to progress to a different level, but we are going in the right direction." Above all else, Smith would like to see architecture designed more for the environment. "We should incorporate sustainable and green architecture with products that are good for the environment and energy efficiency. 40 percent of our total energy is spent in the creation and function of buildings," he says.

Contributing to the notable homes shaping our changing skyline and shoreline is custom, high-end home builder Richard Perrone, President of Perrone Construction. Creating a name for luxurious residential abodes stemmed from his philosophy of harmony, in that the builder, architect, interior designer and landscaper all contribute to producing a client's desires. Not surprisingly, that mindset has shaped his view of the changes downtown. "There's so much focus on high-rise condos and mega-homes and how they are impacting the area. The focus should be on good planning and proper design. I'd rather see a well-designed 12-story building than a poorly designed three-story, not worry about whether it should be there or not," he says. The advancement downtown is due to the influx of people that have desired it, who have traveled the world, lived in the grand cities and viewed good architecture. "They have raised the bar and continue to do so," he affirms. "But, I am all for preserving the charm. I love the mix of old Florida with new, as long as it's good architecture. I would hate to see the day when that's all gone."

The population to which Perrone refers is one wholly focused on the arts, for which those Ringling brothers laid the groundwork almost a century ago. Many are artists who arrive on Sarasota's sandy step and act as the proverbial log on the flourishing fire that is our cultural abundance. Others are worldly businesspeople and travelers, who have found revitalizing inspiration from the beauty of the beaches and the grace of the weather. Still others stem from the energetic, younger crowd that don't care for snow shoveling up north and would rather spend their days engulfed in the artisanship of a town on the cusp of something huge. In any form, it is no secret that the arts community is colossal in both its production and its magnetism. The issue in the context of architecture is a "chicken or the egg" type: which came first in creating the link between the arts community and the architecture of Sarasota?

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