Our Real Estate Junkie's home of the month.

Other downtown buildings may be near the center of the action, but the Plaza at Five Points is the center. You look down from your balcony at the opera, the restaurants on Main Street, Whole Foods, a pretty little park and so many sidewalk cafes—from gourmet to Starbucks—that you'll never need to cook in your state-of-the-art kitchen. Even the views are a notch above. The dramatic combination of cityscape, bay and boats, then the Gulf out in the distance, may be the best in a town that loves a great view.

One of the penthouses at the Plaza—also known as 50 Central Avenue—is currently on the market, and it may well be the perfect home for an affluent couple new to town and looking to enjoy Sarasota's version of urban living. Located on the 17th floor with views to the south and the east, the home offers 10-foot-high ceilings and showplace finishes—marble floors, a large entry foyer and enormous rooms (the living room is 32 feet by 24 feet). The master suite boasts two bathrooms, two walk-in closets and its own balcony. There are two other bedrooms, another balcony off the living room, and more than 4,000 square feet of living area.

The Plaza at Five Points is a mixed-use building whose lower floors house some of Sarasota's most prestigious businesses. The top seven floors are residential. There are the usual concierge services, valet parking, and a swimming pool on the 10th floor where you swim your laps with the city below you.

This combination of luxury and convenience does not come cheap. The asking price is $2,495,000. But as one of downtown Sarasota's finest penthouses, it's a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the town's new urban lifestyle.

50 Central Avenue, No. 17 Penthouse D, Sarasota

$2,495,000

Contact Stephanie Church, (941) 724-5448, at Michael Saunders & Co.

Read Bob Plunket's "Real Estate Junkie" blog.