Our Vision.
The Colson Hotel is one of the last remaining segregation-era hotels for Black travelers in the United States.
For the past year, DreamLarge has been working with the current owner of the Colson Hotel property to try to acquire it and preserve this historic hotel for future generations.
On Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024, we arrived at a proposed solution with the City of Sarasota to divide the site and meaningfully protect the Colson Hotel.
Working in alignment with other community organizations, we intend to repurpose it for the African American community it was initially meant to serve.
We have identified a clear path to dividing the site, enabling us to resurrect the Colson while allowing the construction of housing alongside it.
Many initial discussions have been about what the future building could house, ranging from a Jazz Club for traveling performers to a reimagined Hotel.
As we plan, we intend to dialogue with the community and canvas ideas for what it could represent to the next generation while cultivating access and interest to this crucially important historical asset.
Our commitment is to ensure the African American community has actual ownership in its outcome.
Below are the visuals presented at the most recent Sarasota City Commission hearing.
“The Pink Box”
The negotiated site split to enable preservation of the Colson Hotel referenced throughout the City Commission meeting.
“The Pink Box” overlaid with our proposed plans
The portion of land negotiated to preserving the Colson, adjacent to the developers plans for a future housing site.
Aerial Rendering
A conceptual rendering of what a rennovated Colson Hotel could look like.
Street View
A proposed rendering of what the restored Colson could look like viewed from 8th Street.
Dreaming Larger
A conceptual rendering of the entire site between 8th and 9th streets preserving the adjoining land as parking.
