This vacant land once was home to a school. Palmetto just bought it for $1.45 million

The city of Palmetto secured 8.75 acres of land in the heart of its historic district with an agreement to buy the property for $1.45 million from the Manatee County School District.

So what will they do with it?

"Make it a medical marijuana hub," said one person while another added, "And a combination firing range," said another. Both declined to be identified, but insisted they were only joking.

The site located on the corner of 10th Avenue West and Seventh Street West was where the old Palmetto Elementary School used to be but has been mostly vacant for years and considered by the city to be a key part of its redevelopment efforts. Palmetto Elementary is now located farther west, at 1540 10th St. W.

Steve Cadwell, owner of Palmetto Canvas on 10th Avenue West, near the former school site, said the street used to be largely commercial but years ago prior administrations pushed a lot of commercial out of the area. He would like to see it come back.

"I'd definitely like to see more commercial come in," Cadwell said. "The only thing I wouldn't want to see is more apartments until the infrastructure is in place because I can't even cross Eighth Avenue between 3-6 p.m. I'm fine with just about anything as long as it's done right and let's face it, politicians say one thing and do another."

What the city has planned for the property is up in the air and it's unusual for a typically frugal commission to dip that far into the city's general fund reserve with little discussion.

Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant said the city has been trying to get some of the property, specifically acreage along 10th Avenue West, to use for additional parking for users of a planned hiking and biking trail linking city parks.

Bryant said the opportunity arose to get all of the land and the city just couldn't let it pass.

"In the past we had talked to different superintendents about deeding us a portion of that and they kept saying they would," Bryant said. "Had this land eventually gone to another buyer, it could have been perceived as a gold mine for them knowing we need that 10th Avenue frontage."

Bryant said there is an agreement in place that when the school board sells land, it is first offered to the municipality and Palmetto couldn't let the opportunity pass to secure what the city sees as a vital piece of property due to its location. And they got a pretty good deal.

While $1.45 million is a lot of money for the city to invest, the value of the land, according to the Manatee County Property Appraisers Office, is $5.1 million. But it's doubtful the city will be looking to profit any time soon.

"Nothing is planned there for sure," Bryant said. "There are a lot of things that are potentially appealing and one is the possibility of relocating our police department there."

Cadwell, as one of the few businesses near the site, said it wouldn't be his first choice simply because the police presence isn't needed as badly as it might be elsewhere, but noted, "I wouldn't have a problem with it."

The city listed building a new police department headquarters as a top priority for the use of half-cent sales tax dollars. It is tentatively budgeting $6 million to replace the aging police facility, built in the 1930s and last upgraded in the 1970s. The city hired a consultant to work with the police department to find the right location, which is ongoing.

Bryant said it's good to have the property as a potential location just in case, "But potentially we have several locations."

Even if the police department and trail parking lot are built, there would remain room for a possible mixed use property in the future.

"This deal has been in the works for some time," Bryant said. "I think the commission saw the value in why this piece of property is so important."

This story was originally published May 10, 2018 at 11:13 AM with the headline "This vacant land once was home to a school. Palmetto just bought it for $1.45 million."