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Grand Mariner Breaks Ground

By Larry Finley, Real Estate Reporter
Herald Tribune
May 11, 2006

Drayton Saunders says he was 7 years old when he first visited the Buccaneer Inn with his family in the late 1970s.

Developer Jake Geleerd, who will build the condominium that replaces the Buccaneer on Longboat Key, can relate to that.

"I was 7 years old when we started this project," quipped Geleerd, of Chicago-based Terrapin Properties, at the ground-breaking ceremony for Grand Mariner condominium earlier this week. Just kidding, he was, but considering that he's been working on the project since 2000, it only feels that way.

With Saunders filling in for his mother, Michael, as host, ground was broken for the project earlier this week at 595 Dream Island Road, two miles south of Longboat's north bridge. Michael Saunders & Company will market the 14 three-bedroom luxury units, seven of which are reserved. Prices start in the $2 millions for 3,274 to 3,674 square feet.

Tom Hires is manager of the project, which had to overcome some citizen resistance. But Geleerd said the project will have much less impact on the key than a restaurant that had hundreds of cars coming and going each day.

Grand Mariner also has 20 boat slips that can accommodate yachts up to 70 feet.

The sales office is at 4134 Gulf of Mexico Drive, suite 212. Information: (941) 383-8700, or www.grandmarinerlongboatkey.com.