St. Armands Circle Real Estate

Thinking outside the circle
St. Armands gears up to give the shopping district new life

By LAUREN MAYK
lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com

When retail consultant Bob Gibbs told people he was working with a developer in downtown Sarasota several years ago, he kept getting the same reaction.

"They automatically assumed I was working in St. Armands Circle," Gibbs said.

St. Armands Circle's reputation as a shopping mecca overshadowed the city itself.

"You have a brand name that is known around the world," he told St. Armands Circle retailers and city officials during a speech at Sarasota's Ritz-Carlton last month.

But downtown Sarasota is gaining steam as a destination with retail projects in the works and a handful of high-end condominium projects under construction. With development there, expansions to local malls and the massive town center Benderson Development is planning near Interstate 75 and University Parkway, tourists will have more options in the near future.

"You will be seeing a lot of competition coming your way -- it's inevitable with the demographics," Gibbs said.

So St. Armands is stepping up its game.

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