Commodore Realty Campaigning Against Benderson Deal

Commodore Realty is putting on a full-court press just days before the City Commission is set to discuss a potential deal with Benderson Development Corp., for land on Fruitville and Beneva roads.

Max D. Puyanic, owner of Commodore Realty, sent postcards depicting an illustration of a large commercial shopping center on the Fruitville/Beneva intersection, saying that's what Benderson would turn that spot in if it would get its way. Puyanic has also started an online petition on Change.org for people against the Benderson deal.

Lakewood Ranch-based for the property that the Sarasota City Commission agreed to sell to Benderson Property Development for $1.4 million. Benderson is envisioning a commercial shopping while Commodore would focus on a multi-family residential, mixed-use development that would also include out parcels to have restaurants or banks on 11.1 acres.

The City Commission will hear both a presentation from Vision Planning's Brian Litcherman, who will work on behalf of Commodore, on Monday at the commission meeting and will immediately afterward consider the approval of the land sale to Benderson. Both are scheduled to occur during the commission's afternoon session in City Hall. 

"In the world of politics that probably means they have already made up their minds to do the Benderson deal and are allowing us to speak so they can politely brush us off," Puyanic wrote. "We are of the belief that it would be in the best interest of the  voters to express their displeasure with the sale of the property for the big shopping center and require their City Commission to reconsider what’s in the best interest of the community before selling public property."

One of the contentious parts of the plan is how — and at what price — will a culvert will be dealt with on the property.

"They are planning on paving over the corner by building a huge concrete box culvert over the entire Phillippi Creek in order to make it into a big box shopping center. The culvert alone will cost several million dollars," Puyanic wrote in an email sent to Patch from the developer. "Any good planner’s examination of the proposed use including curb cut access points and traffic and the incompatible relationship with the Fairway Oaks Condominium next door to this project clearly shows it is a poorly planned use. 

Benderson Vice President Larry Fineberg told SRQ magazine that the flier looks cartoonish and that the flier doesn't include the whole plan:

But Fineberg says the higher appraisal doesn't account for the cost of filling in a huge ditch on property, which will run around $3 million on its own. Benderson is also helping relocate a fire academy on site. The company is willing to buy the land essentially at a loss because it can add value with a high-quality retail development there. "It's effect is going to be to transform that whole intersection," Fineberg says. 

Quickly, what's transforming is a negotiation turning into a commercial developer war.

Puyanic wrote that Benderson is luring tenants away from shopping centers and Main Street within the City of Sarasota out into the county on both Fruitville Road and the new University Park mall.

"They have taken Saks Fifth Avenue out of the Westfield Mall for their new mall," he wrote. "They are attempting to relocate Brooks Brothers and Sur la Table from downtown Sarasota as well. How does that help the City of Sarasota? Keep in mind your education in economics, less competition results in higher prices."

So far, 61 people have signed the online petition started by Commodore.