Sarasota P.F. Chang's still in the works

Approval work continues for a P.F. Chang's China Bistro in downtown Sarasota. The project, being spearheaded by prominent Sarasota real estate entrepreneur Mark Kauffman, would locate the well-known Chinese restaurant chain in a new 7,000-square-foot building at 766 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota.

Before construction can commence, the developer is seeking to rezone two properties from different commercial zonings into Downtown Neighborhood Edge, receive site plan approval for the new building and obtain a minor conditional-use approval for a commercial parking lot at 1751 Novus St., Sarasota.

So far, the project has gone through its first development review session with the city, which resulted in relatively minor issues to correct, according to Kauffman's land-use consultant Joel Freedman of Freedman Consulting Group.

“We will be all finished [with the rezone and site plan] by the end of summer or early fall,” Freedman says. “[P.F. Chang's] wants to be open by the middle of next year. It should be a great addition to the community.”

The new restaurant building would replace an existing 4,164-square-foot building, currently used for executive suites.

P.F. Chang's China Bistro Inc. operates two restaurant chains: the full-service restaurant P.F. Chang's China Bistro and the quick-casual Pei Wei Asian Diner. The company already operates a Pei Wei on University Parkway, just west of Interstate 75. It also runs P.F. Chang's in Fort Myers, Naples and Tampa.