Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has received the permit to begin vertical construction on Phase One of the Master Plan for its downtown Sarasota campus—specifically on the Living Energy Access Facility, or LEAF, a multipurpose structure that will house a new garden-to-plate restaurant, expanded gift and plant shop, and on-site parking, all topped by a nearly 50,000-square-foot solar array. The $51.6-million first phase of the estimated $92-million project also will feature a new welcome center, a cutting-edge plant research center with a state-of-the-art herbarium and research library, and more. 

Credit Sarasota Magazine Read the entire article here.