A new 336-unit apartment complex just opened its doors in southern Manatee County, offering resort-style amenities and gulf-adjacent living at a moment when renters across the region have unusual leverage. Melina Sarasota, located at 2252 Kendrick Circle near University Parkway and U.S. 301, announced the grand opening of its clubhouse and the completion of its amenity spaces this week, with the property now open for tours and move-ins.
Developer Greystar acquired the roughly 17-acre site for $12.9 million in March 2025, according to FloridaYIMBY. The community spans six four-story residential buildings holding 168 one-bedroom, 144 two-bedroom and 24 three-bedroom apartments, with floor plans ranging from 721 to 1,286 square feet, per the same report. The project has gone through a few names on its way to opening — FloridaYIMBY notes it was first announced as Marlowe Sarasota and later appeared as Birchway Sarasota in county filings before settling on Melina Sarasota.
Resort-Style Amenities and a Gulf-Area Pitch
The newly completed amenity package includes a resort-style swimming pool with cabanas, a 24-hour fitness studio, a coworking lounge with private micro-offices, a hospitality kitchen, a media lounge, a hammock garden, outdoor gathering spaces, EV charging stations and a fenced dog park, according to the same FloridaYIMBY account. Units feature modern finishes, chef-inspired kitchens and screened-in lanais or terraces, according to Greystar's property listing.
David King, managing director at Greystar, said Melina Sarasota puts residents near Sarasota and Bradenton attractions, including Gulf beaches, shopping and dining, according to Yield PRO. The community is positioned as a draw for renters seeking a Sarasota Gulf lifestyle without downtown prices, per the same report. A separate announcement from GlobeNewswire places the property within a 10-to-15-minute drive of Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch and downtown Sarasota. Yield PRO also reports the community sits near Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, provides access to Anna Maria Island and Lido Key beaches, and is close to The Ringling and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, while nearby University Town Center offers more than 8 million square feet of retail, dining and entertainment.
A Record Glut of New Apartments Across the Region
The opening lands in a rental market that has been reshaped by an unprecedented building boom. Developers were expected to deliver 3,802 new apartments across the North Port–Sarasota–Bradenton metro in 2025, an 11 percent jump from 2024 and the largest volume in a decade, according to prior Hoodline reporting. From July 2024 through June 2025, the metro issued permits for 65 multifamily units per 10,000 residents — the highest rate in the country, per the same account.
That construction wave has translated into real leverage for renters. In September, 63.81 percent of multifamily properties in the North Port–Sarasota–Bradenton metro advertised rent concessions worth at least one month's rent, the third-highest rate among 96 U.S. metros tracked, according to Sarasota Magazine. In Manatee County specifically, 68.89 percent of tracked properties advertised concessions that month. The metro's overall vacancy rate stood at 10.36 percent in September, well above the 7.01 percent national figure, though it had fallen 1.74 percentage points from a year earlier — and within the city of Sarasota, vacancy dropped from 13.22 percent to 9.85 percent over the same period, the magazine reports.
Melina Sarasota isn't the only large project entering that crowded field. Crews recently broke ground on The Fields at SeaFlower, a 362-unit community in southwest Bradenton with one-, two- and three-bedroom units and planned amenities including a clubhouse, fitness center, pool, pickleball courts and even jet-ski trailer parking, with pre-leasing expected to begin in summer 2027. Downtown Sarasota has its own pipeline too, including the proposed 282-residence Saravela tower at 430 N. Tamiami Trail and the 178-residence Lumora project at 1360 Ringling Blvd., which includes nine attainable units, per Sarasota Magazine's reporting.
Clients Rally Behind Myakka Elephant Ranch
Alongside the opening, Melina Sarasota and contributing clients partnered with Myakka Elephant Ranch, a nonprofit conservation and education center in Myakka, Florida, according to the GlobeNewswire announcement. Greystar reported raising more than $30,000 for the ranch, and on October 2, Greystar team members visited the ranch to learn about elephants, help prepare their grain, assist with bathing and meet the animals as part of enrichment activities, per Yield PRO.
Myakka Elephant Ranch works on habitat preservation, wildlife protection, youth outreach and international conservation partnerships, according to Yield PRO. Lou Barreda, CEO of the ranch, said the partnership with Melina Sarasota extends the organization's conservation and education work, and added that connections between people and elephants support habitat preservation, wildlife protection and outreach efforts worldwide, per the same report. The ranch describes its mission as creating connections between people and elephants through ethical encounters, hands-on education and global conservation initiatives.
