Apartment developers line up plans near mall

The growth of the University Parkway corridor and The Mall at UTC is spurring developers to add more housing to the mix.

Remi Properties is laying the groundwork to add 233 apartment units on 18 acres at the southeast quadrant of Honore Avenue and Desoto Road.

“We’re asking for comparable zoning for what the use to the east is,” said Crystal Allred, agent for Remi Properties. “It’s basically the squaring out of that quadrant.”

Benderson Development already has secured approvals for multifamily housing on a neighboring property at the southwest corner of Cattlemen and Desoto roads.

Remi still will have to take its concept through the public hearing process, but the March 22 approval from the Sarasota County Commission provided the first step by allowing it to advance changes to the county’s comprehensive plan, a long-range plan created to guide growth in Sarasota County. Once those changes are approved by the state, Remi officially can ask Sarasota County to rezone the property and approve a site plan.

“We’re just at the beginning phase,” Allred said.

Remi Properties’ owners have developed apartments in Florida and one was involved in the development of the Las Palmas condominium project farther south, she said. They believe the area is perfect for apartments.

“It’s close to UTC,” Allred said. “It’s close to grocery stores. It’s close to Honore. The county needs a lot of apartments. The developers like this area.”

Allred said developers intend to have a neighborhood workshop on the project in early April.

Benderson Development’s director of development, Todd Mathes, said Benderson is entitled for 1,750 units for its University Town Center property, located on either side of Cattlemen Road and south of University Parkway. The parcel at Honore and Desoto will include about 350 units.

Sarasota commissioners already have approved an overall site plan for the project, so Benderson is working with county staff to finalize the details.

“We’re about three months away from submitting (finalized) plans,” Mathes said. “We’re planning to start construction in the fall.”