Goodwill plans new building

By AIMEE CHOUINARD

Correspondent

Published: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 11:19 a.m.

Goodwill Industries Manasota has started its latest project, a new facility that will include a SCAT bus stop and electric car charging station.

The specially designed building, 5100 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, will feature energy-efficient air conditioning, lighting and roofing as well as Florida-friendly landscaping to conserve water.

The 29,967-square-foot facility was developed by Jebco Ventures Inc. and designed by architect Randall Paul Sample. The new location will provide 20 new jobs and also will include services, such as a drive-through donation center, educational classes, referral services, health fairs and a community room for neighborhood use.

The new Goodwill will replace the old location, 3333 N. Tamiami Trail, and serve as a gateway to Sarasota, featuring architecture and site plan amenities not seen on North Trail today.

The store, which will be a GoodNeighbor Center, will offer GoodNeighbor services, such as free classes designed to meet the needs of the community. Among the choices will be cooking on a budget, computer instruction, financial literacy and beading. There also will be a GoodPartner coach on the premises to provide support for team members.

Goodwill officials hope to draw customers, donors and program participants from Sarasota and Manatee counties. Its features will include an upscale 16,327-square-foot resale store as opposed to a Thrift Store. The store would carry new items and discount store closeouts as well as donated goods.

"We want to thank the Sarasota community for making this new facility possible through their generous donations and support," said Bob Rosinsky, chief operating officer of Goodwill Manasota. "We are excited to offer the North Trail community a store that has a beautiful environment inside and out. With this new state-of-the-art facility, we are now able to combine our GoodNeighbor services with our donated goods business in one location."

Goodwill Manasota currently employs 700 people locally.

One of the first major recyclers of donated goods, Goodwill Industries kept nearly 7 million pounds out of local landfills in 2010, according to organization leaders. At the Goodwill recycling operation, 7501 15th St. E., goods that are not sold in Goodwill stores are bundled and shipped to Third World countries.

The new North Trail location is scheduled to open in December of this year. The groundbreaking was April 10.

For more information about Goodwill Manasota, visit www.goodwill-foundation.org or call 955-2721.

Original article published April 18, 2012, by Sarasota Herald Tribune (www.heraldtribune.com).