Old Manatee Players building to be demolished next week

BRADENTON -- Forristall Enterprises Inc. of Palmetto is pulling a demolition permit this week with plans to bring down the old Manatee Players theater at 102 Old Main St. across from City Hall.

The company was hoping to begin demolition Friday, but the project was put off until the first of next week, Forristall Enterprises administrative assistant Lynn Tomczak said. Silt fencing has gone up around the building in preparation for the demolition.

"It will probably be next week," said Tomczak, "but we don't have an exact time frame yet."

Forristall Enterprises was awarded the $23,500 demolition contract several weeks ago. City Clerk Carl Callahan said the city has been waiting on the contractor's schedule to get started.

"The contract has been in place and we have just been waiting on their schedule to go ahead and do it," he said.

The city had been debating the future of the old building since last summer. While the fate of the property has yet to be determined, the fate of the building was sealed unanimously. The 1950s-era building had fallen into disrepair since the Manatee Players relocated to a new facility at 502 Third Ave. W. in March 2014. The two-third acre lot was last appraised for $822,000.

Most Bradenton City Council members had expressed interest in seeing the property combined with the City Hall property and sold for private redevelopment. Others have called for more downtown green space or possibly a park.

Upon demolition for now, Callahan said, the land will be graded and sodded to be "development ready."

Mark Young, Herald urban affairs reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7041 or follow him on Twitter@urbanmark2014.

This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 6:25 PM with the headline "Old Manatee Players building to be demolished next week ."