University Town Center, Approved

Yesterday, the Sarasota County Commissioners unanimously approved Benderson Development’s plans for what will be called University Town Center.  The new project will be the largest mall in our region and will feature high end retailers like Nordstroms and other retailers, many of which are not currenlty in Sarasota.  The new Town Center, which is slated to be completed in 2009 will also feature 1,750 homes and a trolley system to ferry homeowners to and from the retail tenants.  University Town Center will have the feel of a small town.  With 1.7 million square feet of commercial space, the new mall will be nearly twice the size of Sarasota Square Mall.   Currently there is a Super Target store at the University Parkway location and soon there will be three hotels, a grocery store and a movie theater.    The new town Center will be constructed as a joined development between Benderson and The Forbes Co. of Michigan, which is well known for it’s ability to procure high end tenants such as Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstroms.  Plans for the new mall were