Mega mall names general manager

Taubman Centers has named Octavio Ortiz the general manager of The Mall at University Town Center.

Ortiz, most recently the general manager of The Shops at Willow Bend, in Plano, Texas, also a Taubman project, started work at the under-construction mall in August.

Project developers Taubman Centers and Benderson Develoment broke ground on The Mall at University Town Center, a 50/50 joint venture, Oct. 15. The mall’s opening is slated for Oct. 16, 2014.

The $315 million two-story, enclosed mall has 880,000 square feet of leasable space and will include at least 100 stores, which will feature a mix of both national and local tenants.

Ortiz, who also worked for several other shopping centers in marketing and management positions, including Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, said 50% of the tenants will be unique to the area.

The project’s named tenants to date are Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s and Dillard’s.

Taubman will announce a wave of tenants this fall. 

Ortiz holds a bachelor's degree in marketing and management from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and an associate's degree in fashion merchandising from the Art Institute of Houston. 

He lives with his wife and son in Lakewood Ranch. 

"I'm excited to return to Florida to launch The Mall at University Town Center," Ortiz said. "Sarasota is a fantastic location. It is an under-served area. Retailer response has been great. I can't wait to jump in and get to know the community."

Read more about Ortiz's vision for the mall in the Sept. 19 East County Observer. 

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].