Officials mull sale of waterfront Bradenton City Hall and downtown library properties

Officials say proposals to sell Bradenton City Hall and the Manatee Downtown Central Library could kickstart redevelopment of the Manatee River waterfront and attract multifamily housing and retail downtown.

Both facilities sit on prime real estate along the western side of the city's Riverwalk, and the effort would put the properties back on the tax rolls and create workforce housing in an area that desperately needs it, said Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse.

"We are talking about creating a more dynamic downtown, we are talking about slowing development out east and starting to bring more redevelopment in the urban core," he said. "Where better to put those rooftops, cafes and retail than right on the water ... you can put a library anywhere."

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Developers make their pitch

The topic was broached last month during a joint meeting between the Bradenton City Council and Manatee County commissioners when City Administrator Rob Perry informed them that the city has received two unsolicited $10 million offers for the city hall property.

The city is taking a patient approach to proposals, and Perry told the Herald-Tribune he plans to ask the City Council to invite other developers to submit proposals for the property as well.

A workshop discussing the proposals scheduled for last week was canceled, and the topic will be discussed at a future city meeting.

"We are in the process right now of considering the two offers that we have received," Perry said. "Our appraisal was at $10.46 million, and we think the best approach is to put it out to the market and see what type of proposals we attract from people."

The two proposals come from Barcarrota Development LLC and Silver Hills. Both offered $10 million for the waterfront property and have holdings nearby that they offered as replacement sites.

Barcarrota is associated with the NDC Development Company, according to Florida Department of State’s Division of Corporations. Company President Ron Allen is a well-known local businessman and community leader.

The company is working to acquire the former Bradenton Herald property at 1111 3rd Avenue West for $4.4 million, plus about $200,000 of additional costs, and expects to close on May 16. The company is offering the 1.03-acre Bradenton Herald property to the city at cost if it wishes to relocate to the building.

Barcarrota would demolish the city hall building and build a signature hotel with retail, dining, and entertainment components, as well as residential housing that includes luxury apartments, condominiums, and workforce housing.

Perry said the city will take steps to obtain a third-party economic impact study to determine the maximum economically beneficial use for the property for the city council's consideration.

"We want to provide the best types of amenities and quality of life features to the public, and also increase the economic opportunities in the city overall," he said. "Obviously, if property taxes go up significantly, this downtown project would help the west side as well as the east side, because a good tide floats all boats."

Relocation to address affordable housing

Manatee County also is considering the sale and relocation of the Manatee Downtown Central Library, located just a block away from city hall.

On Tuesday, commissioners directed County Administrator Scott Hopes and Attorney Bill Clague to request a rezone from Bradenton to increase the amount of height and density allowed on the property, which is the first of several steps needed before a sale or relocation is considered.

Some commissioners expressed hesitation during Tuesday's vote to pursue a rezone before holding a full workshop on the idea.

However, Hopes said it makes the most sense to request the rezone before staff and the community discusses relocation, since a relocation may not be in the cards if a rezone is not possible.

An increase in the density would allow a developer to build up to 8 stories in height, or 11 stories if 25% of the building is dedicated to workforce housing. Other possible height bonuses could be applied to allow a maximum of 20 stories.

The increased density would maximize the value of the property if the county decides to move forward with the sale, and attract beneficial development to prime real estate located along the Manatee River waterfront, Kruse said. He added that deed restrictions could be placed on the property in advance of any sale to ensure workforce housing is created in the process.

It's an idea Kruse plans to propose at the upcoming affordable housing special meeting scheduled for April 19.

"It's something I am trying to do in a lot of places," Kruse said. "We can buy a big parcel of land, up-zone it, put the new height and new density on it, put deed restrictions on there with some portion of it being workforce housing, and then turn around and sell it back off as a ready-made rezone for development to somebody."

Once a zoning increase is approved by the city for the library property, Manatee would request an appraisal of the 3.5-acre library property and consider potential relocation sites, County Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge told the Herald-Tribune.

"If we open up the library property, the first floor, and maybe even the top floor, is probably going to be restaurants and bars," he said. "That's going to create jobs and economic impact that we don't currently have there, and it would be a no-brainer to do that."

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Officials considering sale of Bradenton City Hall and downtown library