Bradenton wants $10M to sell City Hall. Will a nationwide ad attract better offers?
With two offers already on the table to buy Bradenton City Hall, the city will also advertise the sale nationwide in search of potential buyers.
In March, city officials received two unsolicited offers to buy the four-acre waterfront property in downtown Bradenton for $10 million. If the city decides to move forward with selling the building, state law requires officials to consider other offers.
By advertising the property nationwide, the city has the opportunity to set a minimum sale price and ask for the buyer’s plans for the property. City leaders plan to advertise the building for 90 days.
A recent property appraisal valued the city hall property at $10 million, which will be the starting point for bids from interested buyers.
“You can require a projected description of the intended use of the property, how the project would promote redevelopment downtown and what the project timeline would be,” City Administrator Rob Perry told City Council members during a public workshop meeting Thursday. “That way, you can get a scope of the project.”
Both of the city’s proposed buyers offered $10 million for the property, but only one of them provided key details about what their plans for the land. Barcarotta Development LLC shared plans to level the office and build an entertainment complex featuring restaurants, luxury apartments and a hotel.
Ever since the day it opened in 1998, Bradenton’s City Hall has been in a polarizing location at 101 12th St. W. Over the years, residents and elected officials have spoken out against the decision to place the building on prime waterfront property.
Under Mayor Gene Brown, the city is closer than ever to handing the building off to a private owner. Selling City Hall could promote the sort of redevelopment that attracts more residents and businesses to the area, advocates say.
Earlier this month, the Board of County Commissioners held a similar discussion about the possibility of selling and relocating the Central Library from riverfront property in downtown Bradenton.
Council members say they are open to selling City Hall but want the sale price to cover the cost of relocating the government headquarters. One of the key factors in considering the sale of City Hall is how quickly the government can find and move into a new office space.
“If they could start building today, there’s more value in it for the buyer,” Brown said.
“It’s not about just the price. There’s a lot to be considered, like the size of the project and where we will go,” Councilwoman Jayne Kocher said.
Ever since the day it opened in 1998, Bradenton’s City Hall, 101 12th St. W., has been a polarizing topic. Over the years, residents and elected officials have spoken out against the decision to place the building on prime waterfront property.
Selling City Hall would also force the Bradenton Police Department, which is also based on the property, to find a new home, Perry noted.
In a recent memo to city administration, Police Chief Melanie Bevan wrote that the building “no longer meets [the] needs of a modern police force” due to a shortage of office space, inadequate evidence storage, and an inability to withstand a strong hurricane.
“One thing that’s obvious to me is that the police department has outgrown their building,” Councilman Patrick Roff said. “The sooner they’re out of there, the better.”
While the city promotes City Hall to potential buyers, there are also plans to begin designing a standalone complex for the police department. The Bradenton City Council is expected to vote during a public meeting on April 27 to advertise the City Hall property and find a design firm to create architectural plans for a new police station.
