Waffle Stop  660 South Washington Sarasota

     This classic diner first open its doors in 1951.

Waffle Stop

     The Rupp Pavilion was commissioned  by J. Kenneth Donahue (second director of the Ringling) . It was designed by William Rupp.of the Sarasota School.of Architecture.  The building style was Sarasota Modern.  It was featured in the 1961 issue of Architectural Forum.

     Rupp Pavilion was built by.the maintenance crew for a cost of $15,000  In 1961, it became the first food concession at the Ringling. It was operated by Howard Johnson

   The building had a formal centralized plan. The central.skylight allowed the.building to be used as a time piece.There are projecting scuppers to create a fountain in the rain.Inexpensive materials were used–concrete, terrazzo floors, concrete blocks laid in a diagonal pattern.  Drapery at the ceiling level recalls the big top.  There are Saarinen designed tulip tables and chairs

     The old Sarasota High School is located at 1000 South School Avenue Sarasota, Fl.The architect was M. Leo Elliot (1926))  The building was completed in 1927.First senior class graduated in 1928.

     The building is red brick with glazed white Tera cota.  Style is a Gothic Revival.It is set on limestone and concrete.   Building was 3 stories; with a 4 and one half story entrance. 

     Building was closed in 1996.  It remained shuttered for many years.

    In 2003,plans were begun for the repurposing of the building for an art museum. These plans were put on hold for many years.

     The Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design opened to the public on December 15, 2019.

     The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 22, 1984.

  

Examples of Exhibits

     The current Historical Asolo Theater traces its roots to a jewel box theater originally constructed in 1798 inside a Renaissance era palace in Asolo, Italy.  It remained there until 1931 at which it was dismantled to make way for a cinema theater.

     The theater historic paintings, decorative panels, ornate proscenium gilded stage boxes were were held in storage until the late 1940’s.

      A. Everet Chick Austin (first curator of the Ringling museum) purchased the items from the former theater for $8,000.in 1950. They were reassembled in the Ringling museum.

     The newly reassembled theater had its historic debut in 1952.  Over the years the theater underwent many renovations.  21st technology has been added.