Bridging the quieter east end of Main Street to its more bustling west end, we all know by now what the new Aster & Links building (previously One Main Plaza) looks like on the outside.

But here’s what the city’s newest luxury rental community looks like on the inside. 

Located at 1991 Main Street, Aster & Links comprises two 10-story buildings with 420 apartments and 50,000 square feet of commercial space. One building—Aster—is named for the Florida flower; the other, Links, is a nod to Links Avenue. 

Maria Beck, a local real estate veteran with Michael Saunders & Company and a resident of the Aster building, says the community’s features drew her in after the destruction of Hurricane Helene. While her Siesta Key home goes through renovations, Beck found a temporary home in Aster that would connect her to move-in-ready convenience and walkability. 

“I needed something neat, clean, new and efficient, with amenities and easy access to work,” she says. “Aster has a magnificent pool area, a gym with Nautilus equipment, and a sky bar for hosting events—it ticked all the boxes.”

Beck, who shares a three-bedroom corner unit with her daughter, granddaughter and Dolce, their 5-lb. Yorkie, says the move has been a step toward normalcy following the upheaval of an unprecedented hurricane season. The walkability factor is key, since Hurricane Helene's floodwaters also claimed three of Beck's cars.

Eric Fenton, vice president of Belpointe, the development team that headed the project, says it was designed to bridge the gap between condominium and rental living.

“It’s unusual for Sarasota to see a condo-quality product that’s a rental,” Fenton says. “Our goal was to provide a sanctuary for people who might be renovating, downsizing, or, now, rethinking their location after the storms. We offer flexible options in a space that feels luxurious and adaptable to a range of lifestyles.” 

Perhaps less so a range of income.

Each building is distinct: Aster is more traditional, while Links, closer to Fruitville Road, is more industrial. Both buildings include one- to four-bedroom units, with prices ranging from $2,000 a month for one-bedroom apartments to more than $6,000 for penthouses. Many apartments on the seventh floor and above—surprisingly—have water views.

The development offers nearly 75 different floor plans. One-bedroom apartments, just under 1,000 square feet, start at $2,000 per month. Two-bedroom units, ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 square feet, are priced between $3,000 and $4,000 per month. Three-bedroom apartments with three-and-a-half baths and spanning 2,100 to 2,600 square feet range from $4,000 to $5,000 per month. Penthouse units in two- and three-bedroom layouts, along with a few four-bedroom formats, all over 2,000 square feet, start at $6,000 per month.

At that price point, Aster & Links is amenity-heavy and offers a golf simulator, guest suites for resident visitors, a courtyard with a saltwater heated pool, a fitness and yoga center overlooking the pool gardens, and a rooftop area with outdoor grilling and lounging spaces.

There's also a sky lounge with a private catering kitchen; a club room featuring billiards, shuffleboard and gaming tables; co-working spaces with private offices; and poolside delivery from to-be-announced restaurants. Retail tenants are adding to the appeal, with Sprouts Farmers Market already open and other businesses set to follow.

The development also includes over 50,000 square feet of commercial space, with the Sprouts grocery store occupying roughly half of that. The remaining 2,500 square feet are located along Main Street and Links Avenue.

Isabel, a clothing boutique curated by its owner Isabel Lacey, is among the first. By early next year, OfKors Bakery, owned by Alex and Marie Korsykov, will join the mix with its mezzanine-level café. The Links Building will soon feature a high-end skincare and med spa, with more announcements expected before year-end. Discussions are also underway with several restaurant groups, with plans to add two new dining options, including one right on Main Street, each covering around 5,000 square feet. Fenton says he envisions a door in the residential lobby connecting directly to the retail and restaurant spaces, offering easy access for residents.

“We’re creating a vibrant urban ecosystem,” Fenton says. “Residents can walk to shops and restaurants, or even host guests in the onsite guest suites.”

Plus, Aster & Links is now home to Touch, a 15-foot, stainless-steel sculpture of a hand, fulfilling the city's requirement that developers include a piece of public art with new construction projects. The sculptor, Zachary Oxman—whose work has national reach—says the hand sculpture symbolizes connection and shared purpose.

“I envisioned the hand as a living gesture,” Oxman says. “Its outstretched reach reflects the resilience of a community’s spirit. The open voids within the hand remind us that community is defined not by rigid structure but by the spaces between us, where empathy and understanding flow.”

At Aster & Links, Oxman also incorporated some local history, creating a sculptural portrait of Mable Ringling that hangs in the Aster Building and pays tribute to her role in shaping Sarasota’s cultural identity. 

“Mable Ringling wasn’t just the wife of a circus mogul; she was a visionary with a profound love for art, design, and nature,” Oxman says. “Her touch helped Sarasota evolve into the cultural gem it is today.”

For realtor Beck, that cultural capital means a lot—especially as she and her family recover from the hurricanes. “The neighbors are great, and I love walking downtown and to the ballet,” she says, where she dances in the adult education program. “It’s ideal while I wait to return to my renovated home.”