In the bag: A new grocer at UTC

“Grocer” is the new buzz word for the University Parkway corridor.

Benderson Development has secured a high-end national grocer for its University Town Center project. The tenant, who is yet to be named, will occupy a future building east of The Mall at University Town Center, at the southeast corner of University Parkway and Cattlemen Road.

“I can’t divulge the exact location, but it’s in a prominent location within UTC,” said Mark Chait, the director of leasing for Benderson Development.

He said the tenant is both new to the market and to Benderson as a tenant.

The grocer should be between 30,000 and 40,000 square feet in size, compared with a typical Publix, about 45,000 square feet, Chait said.

Chait said Benderson also has entered negotiations for a specialty grocer in the same area — south of University Parkway — and it likely will require 12,000 to 14,000 square feet of space. 

Benderson’s UTC plazas along University Parkway already house a Fresh Market, Richard’s Foodporium and a SuperTarget, which includes a grocery section.

“Really, if you think about University Town Center, and its whole, we’re adding a tremendous mix with these grocers,” Chait said. “They will complement each other and add to the mix. They all offer something different and when we look at who the consumer is and the wide breadth of consumer, we understand they will all fit together and they will all do well.”

Chait said the grocers will have some overlap of clientele, but he believes they are different enough that they can co-exist, as they have in other markets.

Residents of communities along University Parkway expressed mixed views on whether a new grocery store is needed in the area. The closest Publix locations are at Market Street, about two miles to the east, and at Tuttle Avenue, about five miles to the west. Whole Foods has plans to construct a new store at the corner of Honore Avenue and University Parkway. Sarasota commissioners are expected to approve or deny the project at their Jan. 26 meeting. 

Mina Ajrab, of University Place, said he and his family typically purchase special grocery items from Fresh Market to avoid congestion at Cattlemen Road and University Parkway. Although he said there may be better locations for a grocer and he won’t go there unless the product is unique and of high quality,  he believes the synergy of UTC, with plenty of new-to-market restaurants and shopping, will be a draw.

“As a resident, you want to see these kinds of places across the street you,” he said.  

Fellow University Place resident Brian Welcheck agreed.

“The more growth the better,” he said. “Progression of the area will never hurt anything. Five years ago Sarasota had nothing to do and now it has progressed into a city you would find in California and Arizona. Keep up the new building. It will bring youth, business,and opportunity to the area.”

Others disagree.

John Swart, a resident of Mote Ranch who formerly headed up Schroeder-Manatee Ranch’s commercial real estate division, is a loyal Publix customer and believes the grocer is unnecessary. He said battling traffic won't be worth the effort.

“I won’t use it,” he said. “It’s going to be very difficult to get to, in a practical sense. I would more likely use the Whole Foods, one of the best groceries in the country. Look at what they do in downtown Sarasota. Their offerings are very high end.”

The Whole Foods will be adjacent to a Wawa gas station, the only one between Market Street and Lockwood Ridge Road, on University Parkway, making it even more attractive as a grocery destination.

Others, still, say it will depend. 

As a 60-something empty nester, Patti Wrobel, of Lakewood Ranch, said she wouldn’t be interested in going to another chain or big box store, but may use something more unique, like a Trader Joe’s or a Morton’s, which was in the area briefly when she moved here in 2007.

“It would depend on the type of store going in,” she said.  

Monika Templeman, of Lakewood Ranch, agreed. She said the store would be convenient for residents already visiting The Mall at UTC. Many people already drive to Detwiler’s Farm Market or Trader Joe’s in Sarasota for unique items.

“What will make or break it for this store will be how do they set themselves apart?” she said, adding prices and accessibility will be key issues. “The saturation point isn’t reached yet. It has a decent chance, depending on the merchandising, the price and the marketing.”