CORTEZ SOUTH, a freestanding store strip, was built on a pad adjacent to the Inter-City National Bank. The mini-center, completed in April 1966, housed ten tenants, with one of these being a Sears Catalog Store. 
Photo from Manatee County Historical Records Library

Our second CORTEZ PLAZA plan depicts the shopping hub as it existed in late 1971. A freestanding Woolco discount mart, built on a 10-acre plot east of the mall, opened in September 1968. CORTEZ EAST,  a two-building strip center, was added. Its first store welcomed customers in October 1971.

 

A newspaper ad promoting the new Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema at CORTEZ EAST. The motion picture venue opened in December 1971. It operated under various names and owners until June 1993. 

Advert from http://cinematreasures.org

The open-air CORTEZ PLAZA basked in the sun, as the only mall in its vicinity, for over 14 years. In August 1973, the fully-enclosed DESOTO SQUARE MALL was dedicated, which was less than a mile away.

Graphic from the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation