A Century of Sarasota History: The Home of Harris Law Group

Visitors to Harris Law Group’s office at 1226 Third Street may notice that the building looks a little different from much of downtown Sarasota.

Long before it became a law office, the two-story stucco building was a private residence. Built in 1924 and historically known as the J. E. Battle Home, it has now stood in downtown Sarasota for more than a century.

The building’s history is unusually well documented. In 1984, the City of Sarasota’s Historic Preservation Board studied the property as part of the process of determining whether it should receive historic designation. The resulting designation report documented not only the architecture of the house, but also the history of the Sarasota family that built it and the building’s connection to the development of the city.

In 1985, the City of Sarasota formally designated the J. E. Battle Home as a historically significant structure.

Built During Sarasota’s 1920s Boom

In 1924, J. E. Battle arranged for contractor Thomas Crisp to build a two-story stucco-covered bungalow on Third Street.

The timing was significant. Sarasota was experiencing tremendous growth during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. The City’s historic designation report later described the Battle Home as representative of a style and plan that was common in Sarasota during that period.

By the time preservation officials evaluated the building approximately 60 years later, few examples remained. Despite some alterations over the years, the City found that the building had retained much of its original architectural character.

The Architecture of the J. E. Battle Home

Many of the features that make the building distinctive today were specifically documented when the City studied the property in 1984.

The house was constructed as a rectangular, two-story wood-frame bungalow covered in stucco, with a primary gabled roof. A projecting gable extends over the front porch, with another gable at the rear of the building.

One of the home’s defining features is its one-story front porch, which extends across the width of the building. The porch features paired wooden columns, while the central entrance incorporates windows and French doors.

The City’s architectural survey also documented wood-framed double-hung sash windows, hipped oriel windows, decorative brackets and a stuccoed brick chimney on the east side of the building.

When the Historic Preservation Board evaluated the property, it concluded that the house retained the integrity of its location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association. The Board also found that the building embodied distinctive characteristics of an architectural style or period.

More than 40 years after that evaluation, many of those architectural details remain visible to visitors today.

Who Was J. E. Battle?

The significance of 1226 Third Street extends beyond its architecture.

James E. Battle came to Sarasota in 1914 and became involved in the local dry-goods and clothing business. He eventually acquired the remaining interest in Turner & Co., which became a successful Sarasota business during the boom years of the 1920s.

Battle was also involved in the civic life of the growing community. The City’s historical research documented his service in local government as well as his involvement with organizations including the Sarasota Kiwanis Club and Chamber of Commerce.

In 1924, Battle and his family moved into their newly constructed home on Third Street. The house would eventually become known as the J. E. Battle Home.

Decades later, the Historic Preservation Board determined that Battle’s connection to Sarasota’s commercial and civic development contributed to the historical significance of the property.

Sarasota Recognizes the Home’s Historic Significance

In 1984, the property was submitted to the City of Sarasota for formal historic designation.

After studying its architecture and history, the Historic Preservation Board determined that the J. E. Battle Home satisfied multiple criteria under Sarasota’s Historic Preservation Ordinance. Among other things, the Board cited the building’s association with Sarasota history, its connection to a person who played a role in local history, its architectural characteristics, and its association with a recognized builder.

On April 10, 1985, the Sarasota City Commission formally adopted Ordinance No. 85-2836, designating the structure at 1226 Third Street as historically significant.

The designation also provided protections intended to preserve the historic character of the structure for future generations.

From Historic Residence to Law Office

There is an interesting connection between the preservation of the J. E. Battle Home and its eventual use by Harris Law Group.

At approximately the same time the building was undergoing the historic designation process, permission was sought to allow the former residence to be used for certain low-intensity professional purposes.

Among the professional uses expressly contemplated for the historic building were architects, engineers, accountants, urban planners—and attorneys.

Years later, the building would in fact become a law office.

By 2000, Sarasota County property records identified Thomas R. Harris as the owner of the property. Harris had founded his Sarasota law practice in 1994, and the historic building ultimately became the home of Harris Law Group.

More Than a Century on Third Street

Downtown Sarasota looks considerably different today than it did when the Battle family moved into its new home in 1924.

Yet the house remains.

What began as a private residence during one of Sarasota’s most significant periods of growth survived the transformation of the surrounding neighborhood, received formal recognition as a historically significant structure, transitioned to professional use, and eventually became the home of Harris Law Group.

For our firm, 1226 Third Street is more than our office. It is a small piece of Sarasota history that we have the privilege of calling home.