New apartments with retail space coming to Bradenton’s Riverwalk with emphasis on art
Developers are moving forward with plans to turn vacant land near the Riverwalk into downtown Bradenton’s newest attraction with nearly 300 apartment units, a brand-new facility for ArtCenter Manatee building and retail space.
City officials hope the development, known as Promenade at Riverwalk, will put an end to Bradenton’s Sandpile, an infamous piece of land that sat undeveloped for years before becoming a popular waterfront recreational area. On Wednesday, planners unveiled their vision for the property.
In addition to ArtCenter Manatee’s planned 23,400-square-foot building, developers are also planning two seven-story apartment buildings for a total of 290 rental units.
After walking the Bradenton City Council through the plans during a public meeting, officials said they were all on board with the transformation.
“I think you took this project to a different level,” said Councilman Bill Sanders. “Your willingness and ability with public art is astronomical. That is going to be one of the finest buildings in the city and maybe the county.”
As part of the presentation, Joseph Bonora, founder and president of Catalyst Asset Management, Inc., boasted his company’s multiple apartment buildings in the Fort Myers area. Catalyst is also proposing to partner with mural artists to paint building facades.
According to Bonora, the buildings will feature distinct design enhancements, such as built-in parking garages that are partially hidden from view with decorative screens.
The larger apartment building will connect on either side of the road, with the center of the structure spanning over what is expected to become Second Avenue West.
Carla Nierman, executive director of ArtCenter Manatee, and other members of the organization applauded the Bradenton City Council’s unanimous approval of the project. The west side of the development will add a sculpture garden along Ninth Street West near the Green Bridge.
“The sculpture garden will bring art outside our walls and will be open to all. It will be a place where people can sit quietly or gather with friends and other artists,” ArtCenter Manatee wrote on its website. “We will be able to add small-scale music and performance art as well as healing elements, such as meditation and yoga to the garden.”
Bonora said his company’s emphasis on public art has been the key to success and plans to bring the same approach to the development along Bradenton’s Riverwalk. A new park area with outdoor amenities is also planned.
“We’ve got a pretty significant amount of money for public art. We don’t see it as expenses, we see it as investments,” said Bonora.
Councilwoman Jayne Kocher suggested that the project could open a new chapter for Bradenton, which has long pursued a grocery store in the downtown area.
“This, to me, is a long fruition of planning,” Kocher explained, noting that companies have pushed back on Bradenton’s hopes for a grocery store because not enough residents live downtown. “With this, we may finally get that Publix.”
While cost-of-living increases in the Bradenton area have led to a higher demand for affordable housing, the new apartment buildings are expected to provide upscale living and market-rate rent prices.
Bonora did not share a timeline for the construction of the project.
This story was originally published November 17, 2022 at 12:24 PM.
