Benderson Development’s tremendous influence on Sarasota-area Commercial Landscape

Holly Elmore – LAI FL Suncoast President & LAI Global Water-Land Series Group Co-Chair
Holly’s eclectic career path includes multiple facets ranging from the corporate arena (Arthur Andersen Auditor & Trammell Crow Controller) to the foodservice industry (owner of a corporate catering business & restaurants) to sustainability-industry leader (Zero Waste Zones & Earth Impact Founder).  In addition, Holly is an avid nature & documentary photographer and respected journalist with prominent articles and photographs featured in national publications.

---

On Wednesday, April 2, the LAI FL Suncoast Chapter hosted its third meeting as an official LAI Chapter. At the meeting Benderson Development Executive Director of Leasing Mark Chait gave an excellent presentation on University Town Center and Beyond.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship from Integrity Mortgage Capital the event was open to LAI members and prospective members at no charge. The meeting ended with a lovely reception that was much appreciated by the attendees

Prior to the presentation, five new members were inducted into the growing chapter:

• Brad Baker, Serial Tech Entrepreneur and Real Estate Developer
• George Nicolopoulos, Whitney Hancock VP Business Banking
• Robert Lincoln, Attorney at Law Offices of Robert K. Lincoln, P.A.
• John Lambie, Civic Matters Director
• Miles Toder, Senior Commissioned Officer of the US Foreign Service (retired)

University Town Center and Beyond
As one of the nation’s largest privately-owned real estate-development companies, Benderson Development (Benderson) is highly influential on Sarasota and Bradenton’s commercial real estate landscape. With over 1,000 properties totaling over 55 million-square feet in 40 states, the Benderson portfolio includes retail, office, medical, industrial/warehouse, hotels and multi-family residential properties. 

Founded in 1949 by Nathan Benderson in Buffalo, NY, Benderson entered the Sarasota market in 1993. By 2004, Benderson moved its headquarters to the Sarasota-Bradenton area and embarked on the transformation of the University Town Center (UTC) District. 

When it opened in 2014, the Mall at UTC was a landmark event in the retail industry; the Mall at UTC was the first new enclosed mall in the nation to open in the preceding five years. As the anchor to the UTC District, the Mall at UTC remains a huge success more than a decade later.

Additionally, 2014 marked the grand opening of Sarasota County-owned Nathan Benderson Park (NBP,) a world-class rowing facility. A local economic driver, in 2017 NBP hosted its first World Rowing Championships. 

Benderson has extensive regional investments beyond the the UTC District and uses a long-term approach for their investment strategy. Contrary to most developers who sell the properties once construction is complete, Benderson generally holds their developed properties as long-term investments. The 2024 Sarasota Magazine article, Benderson Development Buys Sarasota Retail Strip for $30.5 Million, Glengary Shoppes on South Tamiami Trail—which includes Best Buy and Barnes & Noble—was recently purchased by the developer in an off-market cash deal gives a glimpse of Benderson’s tremendous influence on the Sarasota-Bradenton commercial landscape.

The Holly Elmore Images (HEI) album, 04-02-25 LAI FL Suncoast Chapter Meeting, gives a pictorial recap of the empowering meeting.

Nathan Benderson Park
When she returned to her hometown in 2021 after residing in Atlanta for 40 years, FL Suncoast Chapter President Holly Elmore worked closely with LAI At-Large member Tomás Herrera-Mishler, then NBP President & CEO, on a strategic plan to rewild the park grounds. Due to a shift in Sarasota County’s vision for the park, the rewilding plans did not materialize.

The Holly Elmore Images (HEI) gallery collection, Nathan Benderson Park, chronicles NBP’s history, its local economic impact, and its then foray into rewilding and afforestation on the park’s 200 acres of parkland; NBP is a total of 600 acres, with the rowing-facility waters comprising 400 acres.

On Tuesday, November 28, 2023 the underdevelopment LAI Suncoast Chapter hosted their inaugural meeting at the NBP Finish Tower. The meeting was a huge success with over 45 guests in attendance and 13 new LAI members inducted. 

The IMPACT article, The Power of LAI Comes to Florida, chronicles the LAI Global Leadership visit to Sarasota as well as the meeting.  The HEI  album, LAI Suncoast Chapter (underdevelopment) Event, showcases the November 28 event while the LAI Suncoast Tours, Meetings, and Inductions album chronicles the plethora of activities during Global Leadership three-day Sarasota visit. 

LAI FL Suncoast Chapter
The October 2024 IMPACT article, Announcing the LAI FL Suncoast Chapter, details the chapter history during the development stage, the keys to success, and future chapter plans. 

For an overview of the empowering April 2 chapter meeting, visit the IMPACT article, Benderson Development: tremendous influence on the Sarasota-Bradenton commercial landscape; the article also detail chapter future plans.

All images are courtesy of Holly Elmore Images.

---

KeyNotes are submitted by LAI members. Many submissions reflect the author’s professional opinions and views on relevant issues concerning the organizational mission and purpose of LAI. LAI, as an organization, does not take a position on Keynote submissions, and supports providing an open forum of ideas forwarded for thoughtful consideration. Submissions should not be construed as LAI endorsements.