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Tag: Jason Sato

City Pier lease awarded to GSM Partners

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

This story was updated at 2:20 p.m. on June 16 with additional information about the bait shop returning and fishing still being allowed at the T-end of the pier.

ANNA MARIA – GSM Partners LLC and the city of Anna Maria are entering into a new five-year lease that will allow business partners Brian Seymour, Ben Sato and Jason Sato to operate a new open-air establishment called PIERadise. 

The new pier-based business is expected to open when, or soon after, the City Pier reopens, which is expected in November. 

On Thursday, June 11, city commissioners unanimously approved the new pier lease Mayor Mark Short negotiated with Seymour and the Sato brothers. 

The meeting packet includes preliminary conceptual renderings of the proposed PIERadise space. 

Short said all of the T-end seating, with the exception of the PIERadise bar seats, will be available to PIERadise customers and non-customers alike – including the Gulf Island Ferry passengers who visit the pier when ferry service returns to the City Pier in 2027 or 2028. 

PIERadise will feature a covered bar and dining area. – GSM Partners | Submitted

“All the seating out there, except for those seats at the bar, are for anybody. There is no obligation. If you want to sit at a table, you can. You don’t have to buy anything,” Short said.

GSM Partners will pay the city $12,000 per month and cover all of the ongoing maintenance costs for the space they lease at the T-end of the pier. The monthly lease payments will be subject to an annual increase that is based on the Consumer Price Index and is not to exceed 3% per year.

PAST MEETS PRESENT

In 2020, Seymour and his original GSM partners, Vic Mattay and Nick Graham, secured the lease for the smaller city-owned pier building from which they operated the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop until the back-to-back hurricanes in 2024 destroyed the City Pier walkway and rendered the still-standing T-end pier buildings temporarily unusable. 

The Kebony decking will soon be installed atop the City Pier walkway. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Before entering into the new lease, Seymour and GSM Partners held the remaining 15 months of the hurricane-suspended lease of the smaller pier building. In March, Seymour informed the mayor and commissioners that Mattay and Graham were leaving GSM Partners and Ben and Jason Sato were joining GSM Partners. 

Brian Seymour, Jason Sato and Ben Sato are partners in PIERadise. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Seymour is the owner/operator of the Anna Maria General Store, which is located on Pine Avenue, within walking distance of the pier. Seymour has long expressed interest in leasing the larger pier building too. 

Jason Sato co-owns Sato Real Estate, which is located on Pine Avenue, near the pier. Ben Sato owns and operates gRub Tropical BBQ, also located on Pine Avenue. Ben also expects to open his new Mingo’s restaurant in Holmes Beach in 2027 in the former Wells Fargo bank space being developed by Jake Spooner.

COMMISSION DISCUSSION

During the June 11 meeting, Short noted he was tasked with trying to negotiate a lease agreement with GSM Partners that was fair to all parties involved, including the residents of the city. 

“I believe we have negotiated a very fair lease,” he said.

He said the lease is 60 months and provides for an additional 60-month extension. He noted GSM Partners was paying the city approximately $6,500 per month before the 2024 hurricanes struck.

Commissioner John Lynch asked if GSM Partners would resume responsibility for closing the pier each night at the close of business. Short said they would. The lease states the common areas of the pier must be open to the general public seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and the allowed hours for the PIERadise business hours are the same.

GSM Partners will install new tables and seats in the T-end open space. – GSM Partners | Submitted

Commissioner Chris Arendt said, “I think it’s a great thing for Anna Maria to be partnering with a local group like GSM. I look forward to them getting up and running out there and having the City Pier open again.”

Regarding the PIERadise renderings included in the meeting packet, Commissioner Charlie Salem said, “The renderings look great. It’s going to be a huge improvement. Thank you to GSM for the vision and the mayor and his team for executing negotiations.”

Lynch asked Public Works Manager Dean Jones if the pier is still on track to reopen in November.

In response, Jones said, “I left my crystal ball in my other pants, but if everything holds and the weather’s good, I think November is a timeline we can hit.”

With Commissioner Kathy Morgan Johnson participating by phone, the commissioners voted 5-0 in favor of executing the lease agreement with GSM Partners. 

WALLS AND DOORS

Earlier this year, the mayor and commission discussed possibly removing at least two of the larger pier building’s walls and replacing them with sliding glass doors or bay doors that would drop down from above. 

The intent was to create an open-air space that is more flexible in terms of how that space is utilized. The open-air concept was desired in part to accommodate the ferry service that is expected to include the Manatee County’s new and larger Manatee Belle ferry boat that currently operates between downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier.

During press comments and questions at the end of the June 11 meeting, it was noted the PIERadise preliminary conceptual renderings show large, garage door-like openings in three of the larger building’s walls. 

Short was asked if the commission must still make a formal decision regarding the wall removals and door installations.

“Based on the proposals we got back, we have concluded that it is financially feasible and within the realm of funding that we have available, so we are anticipating that those walls are going to be gone,” Short said.

The mayor said a request for proposals will be issued seeking bids from contractors interested in making the city-funded wall removal and door enhancements before that space is occupied by GSM Partners. The exact style and appearance of the new doors and windows will be detailed in the RFP and/or the bid proposals received. 

POST-MEETING COMMENTS

When speaking to the Sun immediately after the meeting, Ben Sato addressed the new lease and said, “I think it’s fair for the city, it’s fair for us and I think it’s a great win for the city of Anna Maria. I’ve been working on this for months. Now I can start buying equipment, furniture and the other things we’ll need. I wouldn’t have done this without Brian. Brian’s a good business owner and a hard worker and I couldn’t ask for anyone better.”

Seymour said, “I’m very excited. I think we have a good plan to move forward and it’s a win-win – not only for our group, but for the city of Anna Maria. I’m looking forward to getting this project up and running and seeing the pier open again.” 

PIERadise will occupy the pier building on the right previously occupied by Mote Marine and the smaller building on the left previously occupied by the City Pier Grill. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

When asked if the PIERadise menu will be different than the City Pier Grill menu, Seymour said, “Yes, there will be some changes, but it’s still going to be family-friendly and as economical as possible.” 

Seymour said he and Ben are currently in the process of developing the PIERadise breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that will also include beer and wine.

Seymour has long been a proponent of a single tenant occupying both pier buildings, as was the case when longtime tenant Mario Schoenfelder leased both pier buildings before Hurricane Irma struck in 2017. The damage the pier sustained during Hurricane Irma necessitated a three-year pier closure and reconstruction process that included the construction of the current pier buildings that survived the 2024 hurricanes and the pier walkway that did not. 

“It’s almost impossible to run two businesses out there with the limited amount of storage space, the functionality of the T-end of the pier and the restrictions to leave some of that space as open space for the public. With Mote not coming back, it’s a good opportunity for our organization, the city, the residents and the visitors,” Seymour said.

Regarding the anticipated, county-funded installation of a ferry landing alongside the pier in 2027 or 2028, Seymour said, “There’s still ongoing conversation between the city and the county about the ferry service and we try not to get involved in that part of it. But whatever’s decided between the city and the county will directly impact our operations.”

Regarding the new partnership, Seymour said, “I’m very excited to work with Ben and Jason. They’re both proven business people in Anna Maria and between us we have a lot of knowledge, expertise and ideas on how to keep it local and family-friendly.”

When contacted later and asked about the return of the bait shop, and about fishing still being allowed at the T-end of the City Pier, Seymour said, “Yes, we will have bait and tackle options like we did before, and the footprint where people can fish all around the pier will remain the same.”

Mingo’s restaurant coming to Holmes Beach

Mingo’s restaurant coming to Holmes Beach

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Business, Restaurants | Bars.

HOLMES BEACH – Three years ago, Ben Sato opened his gRub tropical barbeque restau­rant in Anna Maria. He now plans to open Mingo’s Rooftop Restau­rant and Sports Bar in Holmes Beach with his brother, Jason Sato, as his business partner.

Mingo’s name is derived from the word flamingo and a flamingo holding a tropical drink is featured in the restaurant logo.

Mingo’s restaurant coming to Holmes Beach
The Mingo’s logo includes a flamingo enjoying a tropical drink in a tropical setting. – Ben Sato | Submitted

The 125-seat, family-friendly restaurant and bar will occupy the second floor of the former Wells Fargo bank building at the corner of Gulf Drive and Marina Drive, at 5327 and 5325 Gulf Drive.

The former bank building and properties are being redeveloped by Island businessman Jake Spooner. The space leased to Mingo’s will sit atop Spooner’s ground-level Island Bazaar retail store and the space leased to The Fudge Factory candy and ice cream shop. Spooner’s business operations will also include a miniature golf course on the east side of the property and a small, stand-alone arcade.

Mingo’s restaurant coming to Holmes Beach
The diagram illustrates how the Island Bazaar property will be developed. – Smith Architects | Submitted

Ben will oversee the pending interior buildout of the restaurant space and the day-to-day business operations when Mingo’s opens in late 2025 or early 2026. He recently gave The Sun a tour of the vacant space to be trans­formed into Mingo’s.

“I’ve known Jake forever. We grew up on the Island together. It’s a great location and being up top here will give us great visibility,” he said.

Mingo’s restaurant coming to Holmes Beach
The wall behind Ben Sato will be removed and a new wall will be built about where he stands. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The exterior wall at the south end of the Mingo’s space will be removed so the interior restaurant space can be extended further south towards Gulf Drive, leaving enough space for a covered deck at the south end of the building. In the center of the deck area will be an artificial turf-covered play area where cornhole and other games can be played.

Mingo’s restaurant coming to Holmes Beach
The cinder blocks indicate where the covered deck will be. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“The footprint of the building’s going to be the same. We’ll have a fun vibe with a turf area outside for the kids to play,” Sato said. “The restaurant concept is elevated bar food – bar food with a little twist on it.”

The Mingo’s menu will include “Tachos” (nachos made with tater tots), other types of nachos, chicken wings, seafood tacos, flatbreads, salads and more. gRub sells beer and wine but not liquor, so liquor service will be a new experience for Sato; and he’s already developing some signature frozen cocktails with a focus on tequila-based drinks.

“We’ll have full liquor but it’s not going to be a party atmo­sphere. This concept will be more focused on kids because of the miniature golf course and that’s how I approached the menu, the layout and the vibe,” he said.

Mingo’s will open at 11 a.m. and close at 10 p.m., when the miniature golf course closes.

“We won’t have late-night hours,” he said.

Mingo’s restaurant coming to Holmes Beach
The former Wells Fargo bank building will be transformed into the Island Bazaar, The Fudge Factory and Mingo’s. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The south end of the expanded interior space will feature an accordion-style door that can be opened to create an open-air feel inside the restaurant.

“We’ll open it up so it’s basically indoor-outdoor seating with a breeze,” Sato said.

Mingo’s will have a tropical appearance and feel that high­lights the pink and teal colors often associated with Florida. The exposed “wave ceiling” will have cloth hanging from it that creates a wave effect when the breeze moves it.

“I learned a lot opening gRub and I’m excited to open Mingo’s,” Sato said.

 

2020 a banner year for real estate sales on AMI

2020 a banner year for real estate sales on AMI

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Business, Real estate | Development.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – In the midst of a global pandemic, 2020 was a stellar year for Anna Maria Island real estate agents.

For the sixth consecutive year, Sato Real Estate Realtor, broker and co-owner Jason Sato led all Manatee County and Anna Maria Island Realtors in total sales and listing volume.

According to the 2020 Agent Market Share Report for Manatee County, Sato sold 48 properties, listed 58 properties and generated roughly $153 million in total combined volume. Forty-seven of the properties Sato sold were on Anna Maria Island, where he does most of his business.

Judy Kepecz-Hays ranked second on the Island with $52.4 million in combined total volume, followed by Gregg Bayer at $43.6 million.

Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan ranked eighth in Manatee County with 18 properties sold, 34 properties listed and a total combined volume of $46.6 million. She ranked fourth on the Island with nine properties sold and 23 listed for a combined volume of $37.3 million.

Rounding out the top 10 on the Island were George DeSear at $35.5 million, Liz Blandford at $29.2 million, Hannah Hillyard at $25.6 million, Shellie Young at $22.9 million, Trevor Bayer at $22.6 million and Ryan Sheck at $22 million.

Alan Galletto, from Island Real Estate, ranked 11th with four properties sold, 17 listings and a total volume of $17.5 million.

Market insight

Sato, Duncan and Galletto shared their thoughts on the year that was.

“My total was $153.9 million. It was double what I did last year. Last year was a good year, this year was just incredible,” Sato said.

“There was so much demand to be on the Island. I think part of it was the fact was that Florida was open and people can come here. Florida has been as close to normal as you can get in a pandemic. People in the stricter lockdown states wanted to get away. I think for people buying a second home, this pushed them to do it sooner rather than later. People can use their second homes a lot more right now because you can work remotely, and the kids are in school remotely.

Here, there’s natural social distancing on the beach and you have the ability to move around outside and enjoy the Island. If you’re going to buy a second home and can only be here a few weeks a year you’re not as included to make that jump,” Sato said.

“This year my team did $105 million in sales. It was a great year,” Duncan said. “We’re seeing younger people with families buying second homes, and we’re seeing retirees, too.”

2020 a banner year for real estate sales on AMI
Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan and her team had another excellent year in 2020. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“It was a fantastic year,” Galletto said. “There were more properties sold on the Island in 2020 than any other year, by far. The previous highest number on the Island was back in 2005 or 2006, when 438 properties were sold. In 2020, 579 properties were sold. Everybody wants to move to Florida.”

“The buyers we’re seeing are not so much rental-driven,” Duncan said. “They’re here to live, with second homes. Obviously, COVID created more demand because of our outdoor lifestyle and we’re seeing people working remotely and schooling remotely. We’re seeing people relocating their families here, which is wonderful thing.”

“My typical buyer isn’t buying it for the return on investment, it’s a second home,” Sato said. “If you’re buying a house just to rent – and trying to get a 5-10% return on investment – that’s not happening because the prices are where they are. A lot of people rent out their second homes to help pay the taxes, insurance and upkeep, but the house is for them.”

2020 a banner year for real estate sales on AMI
Island Real Estate’s Alan Galletto has been analyzing the Anna Maria Island real estate market for decades. – Alan Galletto | Submitted

“I’ve been out here 30 years and the demand has never been this high and the inventory has never been lower,” Galletto said. “The previous low was something like 300 properties for sale on the Island back in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Right now, the inventory is 135 properties for sale.

Thirty years ago the buyers were in their 60s. Now they’re in their late 40s and early 50s. They’re all second and third homes. The majority of the buyers are from the Midwest – and a lot of people in Tampa have second homes here,” Galletto said.

“When you’re buying here, two-thirds to three-quarters of what you’re buying is the land and not the house. An acre on the Gulf now is $6 million. A hundred-by-hundred lot on the Gulf is $3 million. A lot in middle of the Island, four blocks from the beach, is $400,000. I expect the prices will continue to rise. They’ve been going up on average about 7% per year since 2000. And sales may be a little slower in 2021 because there’s not enough inventory.

Team efforts

“Grace Wenzel, my sales assistant, is a big part of my success,” Sato said. “Monica Reid, our office manager, is too. And I have really loyal customers that have confidence in me and pass my name on to other people. I want to thank them too. Overall, this was our best year. Our agents did well and we love that. We’re able to provide them with a lot of opportunities and they’re making the most of it,” Sato said.

Duncan credited some of her team’s continued success to their knowledge of the Island market and their longevity in it.

“We are a hard-working team and our team is doing very well,” she said.

A Paradise Realty

A Paradise Realty real estate agents Al and Helen Pollock provided their market insight via email.

“2020 started out normal until covid-19 hit then was quite slow until mid summer when sales picked up dramatically and they have been extremely strong the rest of the year. Anna Maria Island, back in 2012, had about 700 listings at any time. In the last several years it has been about 350 listings. Right now it is 116,” their email said.

“It is definitely a seller’s market, with prices going up, and it should continue to remain quite strong. With the inventory low, the trend will be for closing prices to be close to or above the asking prices. Lately, when buyers have made an offer on a property, there have been multiple offers on the same day. With low inventory, one can expect multiple offers and prices to continue to increase,” the Pollocks said.

 

Pine Avenue restaurant proposed

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – On Thursday, May 23, city commissioners are scheduled to discuss the proposed construction of a 45-seat restaurant and residential structure at 415 Pine Ave.

Thursday’s meeting will begin at 6 p.m. and the public hearing will allow for public input.

City commissioners will be asked to approve the site plan application that includes requests for two parking-related special exceptions pertaining to an offsite parking arrangement with Roser Memorial Community Church.

The site plan approval application was reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Board on May 14. The application lists Gohandesuyo LLC as the applicant and property owner. The LLC is registered to local Realtor Barbara Sato and her Realtor son, Jason Sato.

Urban Planner Monica Simpson is representing the Satos in this permitting matter. She said
Barbara’s son, Ben Sato, hopes to operate the restaurant and occupy the residential unit above.

The applicant’s report Simpson provided the city proposes the existing two-story residential structure be razed and replaced by a two-story building that includes the ground-level restaurant space, second-level living space, a rooftop terrace and an in-ground pool. Simpson’s report notes the pool and the rooftop terrace would not be used by restaurant patrons.

Simpson told the planning board the existing two-story structure was built in 1970 and is structurally sound but is not habitable due to electrical issues.

Simpson’s report states 15 spaces are needed for the 45-seat restaurant, plus one additional parking space for employees and one additional parking space for the residential unit.

She proposes five parking spaces be located on site and 12 additional parking spaces be provided through a shared parking agreement with Roser Memorial Community Church.

The April 9 staff report prepared by City Planner Robin Meyer initially disagreed with Simpson’s parking calculations and stated city code required 22 parking spaces. During last week’s planning board meeting, Meyer said he later consulted with City Attorney Becky Vose and they agree that 17 parking spaces are required.

Citing city code, Meyer’s report states off-site parking must be located within 300 feet of the perimeter of the development. Meyer’s report states the applicant is requesting two special exceptions: one for the majority of the parking to be located off-site and a second to allow for off-site parking approximately 900 feet from the proposed development site.

Revised plan

The original site plan proposed a 52-seat restaurant, residential space, pool and five on-site parking spaces. That plan prompted a petition and some letters of opposition from surrounding property owners which contributed to the public hearings being pushed back from April until May.

The revised plan Simpson presented last week includes the lower seating capacity and the off-site parking agreement.

On April 12, Ben Sato drafted and distributed a letter thanking the surrounding property owners for expressing their concerns. His letter notes he is currently working in the family business as a rental property manager and a maintenance technician, but he has long dreamed of opening his own restaurant.

“While I enjoy being a part of the family business, it is not my true passion. I am a professional chef and I belong in a kitchen,” his letter says.

“I’ve lived on Pine Avenue for three years and I sympathize with your concerns. I will be living on-site with my fiancé and we want to build our life there, be great neighbors and be stewards of the community,” Sato’s letter says.

The planning board voted 4-2 in favor of recommending city commission approval of the proposed site plan. Monika Beard, Dr. Jose Erbella, Margaret Jenkins and Mark Short voted in favor of recommending commission approval. Jeff Rodencal and chairman Jon Crane opposed the recommended approval.

The board’s recommended approval includes commission approval of the off-site parking spaces, signage directing restaurant customers to the church parking lot, the city being noticed on the lease for the parking spaces, the property not being used as rental property unless approved by the city, the applicant working with the city to ensure the safest pedestrian access to and from the property and calls for a rooftop garden to be placed at the rear of the terrace to provide landscape buffering for the neighbors.

City commissioners can accept or reject any or all of the board’s recommendations.

Sato and Duncan county’s top Realtors

Sato and Duncan county’s top Realtors

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Business, Real estate | Development.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Jason Sato was Manatee County’s top Realtor for the fourth consecutive year and Darcie Duncan was the county’s number two Realtor in 2018.

The sales and listing figures are contained in the 2018 Agent Market Share Report, compiled by the My Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service and shared by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

In 2018, Sato totaled 70 transactions, with 36 properties sold and 34 properties listed for a total reported value of $71.6 million and an average sales price of $1.06 million.

Duncan totaled 57 transactions, with 23 properties sold and 34 properties listed for a total reported value of $54.9 million and an average sale price of $963,000.

Sato and his mother, Barbara Sato, own Sato Real Estate at 519 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria. Duncan owns Duncan Real Estate at 310 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.

Sato’s observations

Sato attributes his success to the comfort level and familiarity he has with the Island and its real estate market.

“I grew up here, I live here, and my office is here. I do stuff off-Island for friends and people I know, but my focus is Anna Maria Island,” he said.

He said new construction and newer homes remain the most popular, but there’s also a market for renovated homes and a price point of desirability for historic bungalows.

“The Island’s got something for everyone, which is great. And the vibe is different in all three cities,” Sato said.

He’s seeing an increase in the construction of custom homes designed as permanent residences, and he’s not seeing as many vacation rental homes being built.

He said the Island’s real estate inventory is strong and it spikes at the beginning of the year because more people list their homes during season.

Sato didn’t see significant home price increases in 2018 and he attributes that partially to the knowledge available to buyers using websites like Zillow.com and Realtor.com.

Sato said the red tide had some impact on home sales, but 2019 is off to a busy start and he sees that as a good sign.

He said red tide affected the real estate market by bringing fewer people to the Island. This impacts sales because vacationers often turn into potential homebuyers when they discover the Island’s magic.

“We need people here to sell real estate,” Sato said of the relationship between vacationers and homebuyers.

Duncan’s insight

“2018 was fantastic,” Duncan said.

Darcie Duncan
Realtor Darcie Duncan came in as the second-highest local realtor for 2018.

She said the red tide impacted her vacation rentals, but she didn’t lose a single home sale because of it, and her sales figures were up from 2017.

“I attribute my success to hard work, working with integrity and giving back to my community. Seventy-five percent of my business is from past client referrals and my sphere of influence,” she said, noting that 70 percent of her sales are on the Island.

“Not as many people that I worked with this past year were laser-focused on rental income. They were looking more at living here and retiring here. I think it’s important that people know that,” she said.

Duncan believes the housing market is stabilizing, and prices are going to level off some in 2019. She said she’s already seeing some price reductions.

She agrees the Island’s real estate inventory is strong and there’s still much new construction taking place. She said the $500,000 to $800,000 price range is the most-desired right now, but some of the Gulffront homes and others are selling for $1.5 million and up.

Jason Sato

Jason Sato keeps selling the lifestyle

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Business, Real estate | Development.

ANNA MARIA – For the third year in a row, Jason Sato is the leading real estate seller in Manatee County, according to statistics logged by the Real Estate Association of Manatee and Sarasota counties.

He recorded 78 transactions with 38 sales in 2017 worth $93.9 million. He also recorded the highest single sale, a beachfront home at 102 Mangrove Ave. that sold for $4.5 million.

Sato is co-owner of Sato Real Estate at 519 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria. He said he senses a change in the market.

“More buyers are looking for homes for themselves,” he said. “They are looking for an Island lifestyle that’s laid back with lots of time for bicycling and beaches.”

He said more buyers are purchasing second homes to use in the cold months, just like buyers have been doing for years.

Sato is a Manatee County boy through and through. He attended Manatee High School and Florida State University, where he earned a degree in economics. He worked in Gainesville before returning to the Island. In 2006, he opened Sato Real Estate with his mother, Barbara.

Sato said the more expensive homes on the Island are in hot demand, with more high-end buyers than before.

Sato credits his team that supports him and his customers.

“They have been amazing,” he said. “The customers know what they want, and when they find it, they buy it.”