‘Critical Juncture’

EAST COUNTY — Todd Mathes, in many ways, is counting down the  days.

For Benderson Development to open new retail and office space at University Town Center before Nathan Benderson Park hosts the World Rowing Championships in late September 2017, the company must move forward quickly. 

But Sarasota County commissioners want a commitment, in writing, ensuring nearby transportation improvements, including the diverging diamond interchange at University Parkway and Interstate 75, are going to be functional before new businesses open.

“It’s a timing thing for me,” Commissioner Alan Maio said. “I think it’s a little ahead of itself.”

Commissioner Christine Robinson agreed: “We’re very close on this. This issue is just hanging out there. Let’s see what we can do on this.”

On May 6 the board approved and then rescinded two related votes on the project. It then pushed all of Benderson’s requests, related to the addition of 600,000 square feet of retail and 100,000 square feet of office, to an undetermined date.

Mathes, Benderson’s director of development, said he understands the board’s concerns and hopes to have the issue resolved by sometime in June. 

“It’s definitely a commitment we can provide,” Mathes said. “We hope to get it back (to the board) quickly. We need to go forward, but I think we can marry that with what the commission wants to see. It’s a reasonable request.”

At the University Town Center site, located at the southwest corner of University Parkway and Interstate 75, Benderson already has constructed The District at UTC shopping center, anchored by Super Target, and the 880,000-square-foot Mall at UTC (in partnership with Taubman Centers). Retail along the east side of Cattlemen Road already has been approved, but Benderson seeks approvals for the additional 700,000 square feet of retail and office east of the mall, bordered by I-75 to the east.

The area includes a proposed movie theater as well as two additional hotel sites, both of which will have ground-level retail.

“That’s really where the town center component comes together,” Mathes said. “More boutiques, local businesses, but they resemble (the businesses) along Cattlemen. We have tenants ready. We have our flags ready for the hotels. But it all depends on (the commission).

“We’re at a critical juncture,” he said. “We can’t wait.”

Building design, leasing and construction for the first phase of expansion likely will take 18 months or more.

So, what happens if Sarasota’s approvals either don’t come through or fall too late in the process? Mathes shrugs. Benderson simply won’t open by its goal.

But, the company hopes it can address the board’s concerns regarding traffic, as it has done for the mitigation of impacted wetlands and proposed apartment units. Tenants are anxious to hear what’s going to happen, Mathes said.

“We need to be able to make decisions,” he said.