What could make downtown Bradenton more vibrant? A new study will provide ideas
A new study is being launched to unlock Bradenton’s full potential to become a place people want to live, work and play.
Realize Bradenton is joining forces with the city of Bradenton and the Manatee Chamber of Commerce to hire a nationally acclaimed firm to analyze how the city can revitalize or promote areas such as Old Manatee, the Village of the Arts and Old Main Street.
Kennedy Smith, co-founder of the CLUE Group consulting firm, will be in charge of coming up with a set of recommendations, policies and programs “to make the historic heart of Bradenton more economically prosperous and vibrant.”
The last time Bradenton complete a similar study was 2007. Smith is one of the nation’s leading experts in district revitalization and has designed more than 20 statewide and citywide economic development programs.
At a kickoff event Thursday evening, Smith said she wasn’t sure what the outcome of the market analysis would be, but at least some of her focus will be finding ways to turn Bradenton’s downtown area into a distinctive location with a unique identity. Design is something downtown locations wield over other entertainment options like shopping centers and commercial strips, she said.
“We used to have these distinctive downtowns with some architectural DNA that said something about the year in which the buildings were developed and the people who built them and the materials that were available locally and all these things,” Smith said. “Now every place looks exactly like every other.”
To drive her point home to the audience of more than 50 guests, she presented photos of a Taco Bell location in Pennsylvania and one in Tampa and dared them to point out the differences. There weren’t any.
“Downtowns — the great thing that older buildings offer is distinctiveness. They help create a unique identity for places you aren’t going to find on the highway strip,” she added.
Another key aspect is, according to Smith, is a city’s clear vision for what the downtown experience should be. Once that’s in place, economic development officials have to be willing to think outside the box to bring in the right kind of developments.
“You’ve got to make your downtown hot and you have to do that on your own,” Smith said. “That’s more fun anyway.”
Addressing the crowd, Mayor Wayne Poston said the city is in the process of “moving Bradenton into the future,” citing apartment construction, new retail options and the brand-new City Centre parking garage.
The garage is ripe with potential, said Smith, who pointed out that the city’s control of the storefront spaces along Old Main Street provide endless possibilities. The market analysis study will run until the Spring, said Smith, who explained that her report will “fill in the gaps” in downtown Bradenton and will also seek to fulfill community requests.
“We are thrilled for what this analysis will mean for economic development,” said Manatee Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jacki Dezelski. “This is very exciting.”
In a survey conducted by Realize Bradenton, they asked young adults about some changes they’d like to see downtown. Suggestions included more retail along the Riverwalk, more entertainment options and more public art.
City officials might already be on the right path. Bradenton has recently installed public art along the Riverwalk, City Centre parking garage and the Springhill Suites by Marriott hotel. According to Realize Bradenton, there are more than 160 pieces of public art in the area.
Art and an emphasis on convincing local businesses to open their shops in Bradenton — especially in repurposed buildings — could be the key to getting millennials who overwhelmingly want to live where they work, according to studies.
“Generational change is supporting downtowns. They’re supporting independently owned businesses and cool, funky environments — old buildings,” said Smith.
One revitalization technique that resonated with the crowd was Smith’s mention of “vacant property” ordinances that cities have passed elsewhere. These are designed to encourage property owners to put their empty buildings to use, or else they’re required to pay a fine that continues to double until the issue is remedied.
Smith’s study, funded for by a $30,000 grant from the Knight Donor Advised Fund at the Manatee Community Foundation, is expected to be completed by the end of April, according to Realize Bradenton.
