Sarasota board considers mall site expansion

The Sarasota Planning Commisison tonight will consider an expansion the overall University Town Center site, home to the Mall at UTC, as well as a stipulation that would trigger developer Benderson Development to create a private transportation management association to help manage traffic.

The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Sarasota County Government building, 1660 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota.

Todd Mathes, director of development for Benderson, said Benderson is proposing to add 600,000 quare feet of retail space and 100,000 square feet of office space on its property between The Mall at University Town Center and Interstate 75.

As part of the approval, Sarasota County staff is suggesting a requirement for the transportation group, which will work to get people to use alternative transit options, such as bus and trolley services and carpooling, when shopping, working or visiting University Town Center projects.

"Our goal is (to impact) 16% of any trips generated by any of these properties," Mathes said.

Mathes said Benderson already has established the plan being required by the county, but will continue to refine it.

For a complete story, see the Dec. 11 issue of the East County Observer.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].