Mall at University Town Center opens in Florida

Bloomfield Hills, Mich.--The Mall at University Town Center has opened in Sarasota, Fla. Featuring more than 100 retailers and restaurants, well over half of which are unique to the Sarasota-Manatee market. The Mall at UTC is the only newly built enclosed regional shopping center to open in the United States this year.



The 73-acre Mall at UTC, located at the southwest corner of I-75 and University Parkway, is the focal point of a larger, 276-acre University Town Center development featuring additional retail, dining and hotels, with a world-class rowing competition facility located immediately adjacent. The 880,000-square-foot mall was developed through a partnership between Taubman and Benderson Development Company.



"We're excited to open The Mall at University Town Center," said Robert S. Taubman, chairman, president and CEO of Taubman Centers. "The new center fills a huge void in the Sarasota-Manatee retail market. It's a world class, state-of-the-art experience for local shoppers and tourists alike."



The Mall at UTC offers a number of high-tech, customer-focused amenities, including a Visit Sarasota Visitors Center, electric car charging stations, free Wi-Fi, interactive touchscreen directories and numerous electronics charging stations, along with valet parking and a children's play area.



The center's striking design embraces the southwest Florida setting with soaring, light-filled spaces and elegantly detailed, natural building materials including wood, glass, metal and fossil stone.



A vaulted skylight runs the entire north-south length of the mall and glows with color-changing LED lighting at night. Native and eco-friendly landscaping, green and smart building practices, water and energy conservation and recycling are just a few features of the center's environmentally friendly sustainability program.



"We have eagerly anticipated the opening of The Mall at University Town Center," said Randy Benderson, CEO of Benderson Development. "It's gratifying to see our vision for the University Town Center development continue to be realized, and to have such an overwhelming public response. The center truly has exceeded our and the community's expectations."



Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's and Dillard's anchor The Mall at UTC's premier retail offerings. Some of the unique to market merchants include Apple, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Stuart Weitzman, lululemon athletica, Anthropologie, J.Crew, H&M, Lucky Brand, Crate & Barrel, L'Occitane and Tesla Motors.



More than 100 retailers and restaurants opened at The Mall at UTC today, with approximately 15 more slated to open by year-end and several more debuting in 2015.