Robbins' $20 million Sale Will Impact Residents and Retailers in Downtown Sarasota
Previews for Main Street
Robbins Real Estate made the news last week as the first renderings of the highly anticipated 1991 Main St development went public. The article published, both on press and online by, Your Observer’s, Louis Llovio outlined some of the changes to take place.
Space for Retailers, Space for Locals
The article details how the completed project will boast two 10-story towers with 418 luxury apartments. In regard to the retail portion, about 55,000 square feet will be allotted to the ground floor tenants, allowing between 1,500 to 22,000 leasable square feet per tenant. How will securing a lease at this location potentially boost a company’s business? More importantly, how will the new site drastically impact the over 150,000 locals in the 5-mile radius? 376 feet of storefront along Main Street will be allotted to the retailers in this building with an enlarged sidewalk stretching a generous 20 feet in width. Also, 630 feet of storefront will face Links Avenue, with some frontage also being exposed to Fruitville. This means that the lucky companies that occupy these ground floor spaces will have premium storefront exposure to street and foot traffic. As for locals and site-seers, new prospects of luxury apartments and retail will draw their attention and open their eyes to new opportunities when venturing through Downtown Sarasota.
Mixed-Use Equals More Opportunities
As more and more residents come spilling into the sunshine state, many of them find themselves in Sarasota. Retailers, developers, and site planners alike have been challenged to reimagine their placement in the city with these new arrivals in mind. Along with the emergence of roundabouts near the downtown area, is also the growth of “mixed use sites”. Mixed-Use, simply refers to the combination of residential (living) and commercial (working) spaces on or within one property. A mixed-use space, such as the one to occupy Main Street, will allow an all-in-one living situation for the locals. An individual residing at 1991 Main St for example, would have their home, favorite restaurant, and place of work all within a few steps from each other. Besides financial benefits, these factors also promote wellness benefits. The condensed living theme will have a fair percentage of the population is encouraged to explore their portion of Sarasota on foot rather than take long commutes via cars and bikes.
Bringing Style to Sarasota
The driving entity for this project is Belpointe Wealth Management, LLC. Belpointe is a capital management firm that was established in 2019. Their focus on Opportunity Zones has them hopeful to lead the change in Downtown Sarasota’s redevelopment. Belpointe’s relationship with Robbins started in 2019 when they worked with Kevin Robbins to acquire 1991 Main Street in February 2022, Belpointe spoke on their vision for Main Street and Downtown Sarasota at the 8th Annual Downtown Horizons meeting in front of the Commercial Real Estate Alliance (CREA). With over 100 local realtors in the audience, they presented their intentions to combine the Midwest and Northeast architectural aesthetics with the classic themes already present in Sarasota. Kevin and the rest of the Robbins team anxiously look forward to the leasing opportunities on the horizon with 1991 Main Street. The changes to come excite Kevin as he states in the article “Five Years from now, you won’t recognize it from the energy and the vibrancy”.
About Harry E. Robbins Associates, Inc.: Harry E. Robbins Associates, Inc. was founded in 1971 by Harry and Lois Robbins. The family business is now operated by their son Loyd Robbins and their three grandsons, Kevin, Troy, and Derek Robbins. Robbins Realty has over 20 agents in the office and they assist Buyers, Sellers, Landlords, Tenants, and Investors in all their Real Estate needs.
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