Paul Thorpe, one of the founders of the Downtown Association, has worked harder and achieved more than most in the past four decades in regards to Downtown Sarasota’s greatness. Lovingly dubbed “Mr. Downtown” due to his sheer enthusiasm for promoting Downtown Sarasota, some of his accomplishments include facilitating the formation of the Sarasota Farmer’s Market, the Sarasota Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix, and the Downtown Master Plan. He also assisted in the renovation of the Sarasota Opera House, the addition of Downtown Sarasota’s Whole Foods Grocery store and Hollywood 20 theater, and contributed to community events such as the King Neptune Frolics, Sarasota’s Fourth of July fireworks shows, and Sarasota’s Memorial Day parades. Thorpe served in several different Sarasota community boards, including the Downtown Association of Sarasota, the Sarasota Housing Authority, and the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, before retiring in 2002.

Recently, Jeff LaHurd of the Herald Tribune has written an excellent article outlining Thorpe’s life and accomplishments. Give it a read – you can find the article here.