Not only did Owen Burns become the largest landowner in the city, but he founded its first locally owned bank, Citizens Bank of Sarasota, promoted the development of other businesses, participated in the founding of a board of trade that was the precursor of the
Chamber of Commerce, and built its bridges, sea walls, landmark buildings, and mansions. He urged the paving of roads such as Main Street. The list of buildings he built that have been placed on the local and the
National Register of Historic Places, is impressive. He platted the
subdivisions of Inwood Park and Washington Park. He dredged the harbor and around
Saint Armand Key,
Lido Key, and
Longboat Key. He also created new bay front points with reclaimed soils, enlarging Cedar Point to Golden Gate Point. He created novel developments such as
Burns Court as rental quarters to attract tourists who could afford to buy second homes in Sarasota after becoming familiar with the community and he built commercial establishments to generate additional impetus to the growing community, such as his Herald Square developments. Now popularly known as
Burns Square, Herald Square was on First Street before new street numbering and naming was introduced. The historic Burns building forms a triangle as Orange Avenue and Pineapple Avenue diverge in the midst of what also is called "Little Five Points". Architect
Dwight James Baum was involved in the design. Although the building featured shops on the first floor, Burns entitled the triangular building as the "Pineapple Apartments". This is where downtown Sarasota began in the 1920s. The shops continue to thrive. To the east of the triangular building and across one of the diverging streets, on Orange Avenue Burns built the first Herald (newspaper) building that years after relocation of the newspaper became the home of the
Sarasota Woman's Exchange, now just entitled,
The Exchange. The presence of the newspaper building lent its name to the square at that time, which now is unknown to many, hence the popular drift toward calling the building and the square by Burn's name. In 2001, a historical marker was placed on the site by the county that relates many details about Burns and his square and a historic district has been designated for this enclave in this area of town that contains so many of his buildings and is entitled,
Burns Square Historic District. The Owen Burns building at Herald Square, the Pineapple Apartments, has been restored recently, a second renovation by its owner of more than thirty years,
Denise Kowal. In the first renovation she added new features to the exterior, such as balconies of wrought iron and stylish colors, replacing the wooden originals made with
pecky cypress timbers. The second renovation was a restoration, going back to the historic character of the building. Added features were removed and the original finish of the building restored, including its color. The building contains shops, a restaurant, offices, and apartments. In 2025, Kowal was recognized for her restoration with an award by the county that was presented by the
Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation. On what currently is First Street, near the hotel he named after his wife and his real estate office, Burns built the second Times Building (another newspaper). Nearby stands the
Belle Haven, originally named El Vernona Apartments, which was built as an apartment building and was renovated to contain office spaces before being emptied to make way for a development now gone bad. After all around it has been demolished, a glimmer of hope remained that the charming historic building would be maintained and as of 2023, that has been fulfilled. In 1911, Burns also built the first Saint Martha's Church, which was named for the patron saint of his mother, Martha A. Burns, on a lot she donated. Hugh Browning served as the contractor. It stood at the intersection of Adelia Street and Fruitville Road. In 1941, the current church building, directly to the west of the original church and at the intersection of Fruitville with Orange Avenue, was completed for its first mass on Easter in 1941. Burns assisted in the founding of the
Sarasota Woman's Club, which now houses the Florida Studio Theatre, and, along with other community leaders such as
Charles Ringling, encouraged the 1921 creation of
Sarasota County by separation from
Manatee County. In 1925, Burns built the
El Vernona Hotel, naming it after his wife. He also was the builder of
Cà d'Zan, the residence of
Mable and John Ringling. He had entered into a business partnership with John Ringling to develop offshore lands that Burns owned, a fateful decision that bankrupted him when that partner failed to live up to commitments on development agreements for the barrier islands (
keys). Shortly after the opening of the hotel, a land boom crash in Florida struck a fatal blow to his finances because of the unfulfilled partnership agreement. Ironically, it was the same former partner, John Ringling, who took advantage of the situation and purchased the hotel for a small portion of its value, although several years later, he also would follow Burns into financial ruin. All of the real estate sales for development of Lido Key were transacted through the Burns
real estate office that was adjacent to the hotel. He then founded several businesses, including a citrus growing and jelly enterprise. Retaining his interest in game fishing and
boating that had drawn him to Sarasota, Burns became the
commodore of the
Sarasota Yacht Club that he reorganized. Burns died of a
coronary thrombosis on August 28, 1937, at his home in Sarasota. == Legacy ==