The plan’s six guiding principles—aspiration, cultural heritage, natural assets, activation, connectivity, and sustainability—shaped every element of the park’s first phase, which includes a pier, great lawn, food pavilion, and shade structures like The Nest. Occupying a site rich in cultural history, The Nest also pays tribute to the former Sarasota County Library designed by Walter Netsch of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Drawing inspiration from Netsch’s Field Theory, The Nest reinterprets geometric themes to create a dynamic, open-air structure that bridges the nostalgic past with the forward-looking vision of the park.

With its sculptural form and sustainable design, The Nest offers shaded seating and flexible space for events, performances, and daily use. It anchors the park’s central lawn while enhancing access to nature, celebrating Sarasota’s cultural legacy, and inviting all to participate in the life of the bayfront.