1637 Oak Street – “Spanish Oaks”
The apartment complex was constructed in 1925 as the Katahdin Court Apartments. It was built by the construction firm of Logan, Currin and Pickett. The complex was originally owned by Frank Logan, Russell Currin, Charlie Pickett, Alice Ross, and Clarence Hitchings. They were sold as individual units.
In an early advertisement, the Katahdin Court Apartments were described as follows: “Katahdin Court Apartments of Spanish design, are located on Oak Street near Herald Square, a five minute walk to the business center. The building is unique in plan, affording all the conveniences of an apartment, yet having the advantages of a house. The screened porch, living room, dining room, kitchen and trunk room are downstairs, and two bedrooms, with large, well-ventilated closets and bath are upstairs. The apartments face a patio, rich in luxuriant growth of tropical plants and shrubberies, adding charm and beauty to the environment and affording the maximum of sunlight and ventilation. The furnishing, complete with the exception of silver and linens, are modern and attractive.
Gas is provided for cooking, heating and hot water. Gas and electricity are on individual meters. Garage may be secured for small additional charge. Rates for the season from November 1st to May 1st are $50 a month and for shorter periods, slightly higher. Especially low summer rates prevail. Logan and Currin, Agents.
An October 4, 1925 article from the Sarasota Herald describes work being done on the complex:
“Work is progressing rapidly on the two-story apartment building now being constructed on Oak Street, east of Orange Avenue, by Logan, Currin and Pickett, local construction engineers. The entire building will have 24 apartments, twelve in two sections.
The first group of twelve apartments will be completed and ready for occupancy on December 1st, according to Frank Logan, senior member of the firm. These apartments will have separate entrances leading into novel Spanish type flower garden and terrace, a beautiful court having been planned to occupy the space between the two buildings.”
This article is typical of articles written during Sarasota’s boom time which ended in early 1926. However, sobering times were ahead. Unable to sell any of the units, the owners decided to rent them as apartments. Frank Logan resided in one of the apartments, apparently as manager of the complex.
Some of the people who lived in the apartments during the first 5 years include Russell A. Gray and his wife, who worked in the Advertising Department of the Sarasota Herald which was directly to the west of the building and is now the Woman’s Exchange, Thomas Reed Martin Jr., son of a prominent local architect; and Alice Sheppard, mother of Guy Sheppard, founder of Sheppard Lumber.
On December 29, 1931, the group sold the project to Louis J. Miller of Pasadena California. In 1935, Baxter W. Terrell acquired ownership of the apartments, and renamed them the Terrell Apartments which they would be called until 1964. The chain of ownership between Miller and Terrell is unknown. B.W. Terrell had moved to Sarasota in 1925 from Greensboro, North Carolina where he was involved in furniture merchandising and real estate. Upon arrival to Sarasota, he continued in the real estate business.
The Terrells owned the building for 9 years until they sold it to Gertrude Price of Worwick, Rhode Island on September 1, 1944. Ms. Price held the property until 1953.
The complex has passed through many hands and several names from the Terrell Apartments to the Cherma Apartments in 1964, then to the DeWitt Apartments in 1968. In 1970 it was renamed the Spanish Townhouse Apartments and continued to be known as such until after 1981, when it came to be popularly known as “Spanish Oaks.”