The cost of moving city and police offices is yet to be revealed.
By Tyler Oldano
Original Air Date: July 24, 2024
Host: Bradenton is about to sell City Hall to a luxury developer. Literally. Tyler Oldano has more about that story.
Bradenton City Hall
TO: That was the sound of the Council moving forward to sell the existing city hall property for 14 million dollars. The waterfront property has been in the government’s hands since 1998, but now the city says it’s time for a change of pace. And Councilwoman Marianne Barneby has wanted that change of pace since she first saw her office.
Marianne Barneby: I did not want this building here at all. And then the other thing that really irritated me was when I finally got to walk into the building where my office would be set up, I was looking at the city of Palmetto. And I said, why are offices on that side? So we can look at our city? But it was too late to change anything at that point.
TO: City officials started work on the proposed change in 2022, since then, they sent out a nationwide ad to hear different visions for the land. They ended up going with a design called the Vias Project, by L&L development group. Mockups for the property, show off a 14 story hotel, and over 300 apartment units. There are plans for 95 condo units as well. The city has more than just living spaces in mind though. The plan includes space for retail and a parking garage. While the project itself has received little pushback from locals, one concerned resident brought up the availability of parking in the city.
Vias Project
Local Resident: I don’t have to deal with that. But when you walk downtown and see the challenges that people have, I can only imagine what this is going to do.
TO: The Councillors quickly addressed her concerns, with the planning document saying that an 8 story parking garage would be included alongside the amenities. This isn’t the first time Bradenton city hall has undergone changes. The idea was proposed for a different building a long time ago and was met with backlash from residents. Barneby says that history has not repeated itself.
MB: This administration has gone out, had public meetings, met with people, set them up at different periods of different times in different locations to try to get people to come together to talk about this, which again, did not happen the last time.
TO: Just because the council is redeveloping the area, doesn’t mean everything will be wiped away. The Oak Tree planted to remember artist and community activist Barbara Elliot will be kept intact during the construction process. The same idea also goes for the riverwalk area adjacent to the proposed development. According to City Administrator Rob Perry though, there’s still a lot left up in the air about how exactly it’ll be done.
Rob Perry: It’s difficult to to kind of put the cart before the horse as it talks to the Riverwalk improvements.We want this to blend into the Riverwalk and be seamless. I think all of us kind of conceptually think, oh, that would be really cool because we have a beautiful Riverwalk. But how that’s done, we don’t know.
TO: Despite this, the surrounding area will change, but Barneby says it will ultimately be for the better.
MB: I do feel that this project is going to change our downtown and change is scary. And you’ve heard me say before, the only thing that likes change is a wet baby. However, I think it’s going to help our city in ways that we can’t even see yet. And that’s why I’m going to support it.
TO: Overall, Mayor Gene Brown remained confident that the development would bring new life to the town of Bradenton.
Gene Brown: We want this to be those children say, hey, there’s something I can do down there other than going to a bar, only it’s a downtown that is vibrant, but also for all ages to be there and be able to find a parking place and be able to walk somewhere so we don’t have to find a parking place.
TO: The question remains, if city hall and Bradenton police department is being sold to make these new developments happen, then where will the city government operate and how much will it all cost? As it stands, there’s nothing concrete yet. The only mention of what came next in the meeting came from Councilwoman Moore who outlined her vision of the future. She said that she’s looking to see 6 or 7 options that the council could choose from to decide their future location. As for the cost, that’s another aspect that’s remained up in the air. The land itself was listed for 14 point 1 million dollars, but the actual price could be a whole lot more.
Reporting in Bradenton, Tyler Oldano, WSLR.
WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.