Sarasota Living - Mall at University Town Center

The Mall at University Town Center is a beautiful new mall being built in Sarasota, Florida with an anticipated opening date of October 16, 2014. The 888,000 square foot, two-level enclosed regional mall will be western Florida's newest retail development and is expected to become the premier fashion shopping destination in Sarasota. The Mall at University Town Center will have a selection of over 100 fashion stores, lifestyle retailers and unique retail shops, as well as several sit-down restaurants and a children's play area. The mall will be conveniently located at the intersection of University Parkway and Interstate 75. 

The Mall at University Town Center will be anchored by department stores Dillard's, Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue. Restaurants currently scheduled to open at the mall include the BRIO Tuscan Grille, The Capital Grille, The Cheesecake Factory, Kona Grill and Seasons 52. The Brio Tuscan Grille is an affordable and upscale restaurant serving authentic Italian dishes in an atmosphere resembling a Tuscan villa, and the menu will include seafood, steak, salads, and much more. The Capital Grille brings its brand of upscale steakhouse to the Mall at University Town Center, offering fresh seafood and an award winning wine list to complement their menu of famous steaks. Diners can also look forward to the Cheesecake Factory, which is renowned for its huge menu and portions, not to mention over 50 signature cheesecakes and desserts. The Kona Grill will bring a delicious new American grill and sushi bar to Sarasota, where diners can expect fresh sushi, seafood and steak options. Finally, Seasons 52 is a grill and wine bar that will delight patrons with meals featuring only the freshest ingredients and natural cooking techniques. 

This fabulous new mall in Sarasota broke ground on October 15, 2012, and is being developed by Taubman Centers in conjunction with Benderson Development. Taubman has developed over 25 properties in the United States alone, including several in Florida including the Dolphin Mall in Miami, International Plaza in Tampa, The Mall at Millenia in Orlando, The Mall at Wellington Green in Palm Beach County, and the Waterside Shops in Naples. Roberta Taubman, the chairman, president and CEO of Taubman Centers has commented that The Mall at University Town Center will be the "preferred shopping destination in the Sarasota region for locals and visitors alike.”

For those wishing to get an early look at the Mall at University Center, a Sneak Peek Charity Preview event takes place on October 15, 2014, one day before the public grand opening. The event, which will run from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM, will benefit ten local charities and the $100 admission ticket will include complimentary valet parking, live entertainment, free food and drink, a $20 mall gift card, and a chance to preview the shops. In addition, some of the stores will be open that night to offer special deals that have been designed exclusively for attendees of the event. The mall is underwriting all of the expense from the event so that the charities can keep 100 percent of the money earned through ticket sales.