Top 10 biggest Bradenton business changes in 2022: DeSoto mall, airport, Mixon and more
From plans for two new hospitals in the Parrish-North River area to the tantalizing promise of revitalization of Bradenton’s urban corridor, and the sale of the DeSoto Square Mall, 2022 brought lots of surprises.
The biggest factor in all the commercial changes was booming population growth.
In 2022, the times they were a changing, to quote Bob Dylan.
Parrish amenities
During the year, two hospitals announced plans to open hospitals on opposite ends of Moccasin Wallow Road.
▪ HCA Florida Healthcare purchased nearly 22 acres in the village center of Parrish’s North River Ranch for a six-story, 150-bed hospital with emergency room services and an intensive care unit as well as an acute treatment center.
▪ BayCare Health System announced that it is planning to open a hospital by the end of 2025 on the northeast corner of Moccasin Wallow Road and Interstate 75.
An amenity of another kind was nearing completion on the south side of Parrish, as Lowes, anchor of the Creekside Commons shopping center, 8740 U.S. 301 N., Parrish, announced that it would be opening on Dec. 30.
Other stores previously announced for Creekside Commons include Aldi supermarket, South Philly Cheesesteaks, Five Below specialty discount store, Home Goods, Crunch Fitness, Blossom Nail Lounge and a Verizon phone store.
The urban corridor
Two major real estate deals seem to signal growing interest in the revitalization of 14th Street West and recognition of the promise of the urban corridor downtown.
During the year, Steve Herrig, founder and CEO of SUNZ Insurance, purchased two acres of land in downtown Bradenton for $2.35 million.
An unidentified Seattle-based investor doing business as Fountains Plaza, LLC, a Florida Limited Liability Company, bought The Fountains shopping center, 4808-4848 14th Street West for $9.5 million. Both deals were brokered and announced by Ian Black Real Estate.
In addition, the City of Bradenton was considering selling its riverfront city hall and building a new one on 14th Street West, a move that could generate $53 million in economic output by attracting new businesses and residents to the area.
Airport expansion
Work started this year on a $200 million expansion of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport to handle record passenger traffic.
Plans include a new baggage handling system, new escalator, realignment of the concourse wait room, addition of a ground level terminal, cellphone waiting lot and a new ground transportation facility for shuttles, taxis and limos.
The area’s rapidly growing population, popularity with visitors and an abundance of new destinations served from SRQ have made it the fastest growing airport in the United States.
Bradenton’s Old Main Street
Five retail businesses signed leases to set up shop in Bradenton’s $13.8 million City Centre parking garage and office building.
By year’s end, Millie’s Sweets and Treats, The Beach Shop, Pink & Navy and The Stoked Flamingo had opened on the corner of Third Avenue West and 12th Street West and Orange Blossom Coffee was expected to open soon.
Pink & Navy is a women’s boutique, the Stokes Flamingo sells men’s clothing, The Beach Shop offers swim wear and beach accessories, and Millie’s sells ice cream and more.
Lakewood Ranch
North American Properties of Fort Myers was proposing to rezone 9.6 acres at 16600 State Road 64 E. from general agriculture to allow development of an 80,000-square-feet shopping center.
The retail plaza would be anchored by a Publix supermarket and would be the most easterly shopping center to date at Lakewood Ranch along State Road 64.
Mixon Fruit Farms
Mixon Fruit Farms, 2712 26th Ave. E., a Bradenton tradition and tourist attraction for 84 years, seemed to be headed to new owners.
Owners Dean and Janet Mixon confirmed in October that they were in the process of selling the business to an undisclosed buyer but they expected nothing to change there until 2024.
“We have dealt with so much, from NAFTA bringing in all the disease that has killed our citrus trees, COVID closing us down, staffing issues, the hurricane knocking off half the fruit, just to name a few. Because of all the issues, we are having to take a serious look at offers. We don’t have a signed contract, at this time, however we are in the process of seeing what can be done on our land,” owner Dean Mixon said.
Dean’s father, Bill Mixon, and his parents started Mixon Fruit Farm in 1939 when he bought his first grove at age 16.
“We started with a No. 3 washtub on the back porch, washing oranges by hand,” Mr. Mixon said in 2002 of the birth of the business.
DeSoto Square Mall sold
Nashville businessman Charles R. Jones and his CRJ Bradenton LLC bought the 58-acre DeSoto Square Mall property at 303 301 Blvd. W. for $25.7 million, according to documents filed May 5 with the Manatee County Clerk of Courts office.
At year’s end, Jones said that plans are in the works for the property that could see it eventually become apartments with some retail.
More self storage facilities
Still more large self storage units are planned for Manatee County, spurred by the influx of new residents and the national run-up in the housing market. Among those planned:
▪ A three-story, 132,500-square-foot facility at 911 64th St. Ct. E., on the southwest corner of Interstate 75 and S.R. 64 near Wendy’s.
▪ A 68,124-square-foot unit at 9408 State Road 64 E., across from Haile Middle School.
▪ A three-story 89,910-square-foot facility at 8030 State Road 64 E., across the road from a Dairy Queen.
▪ Mini-warehouse space totaling 106,117-square-feet at 12129 U.S. 301 N., Parrish.
▪ A 76,560-square-foot mini-warehouse and accessory outdoor storage for recreational vehicles and boats at 5906 Lorraine Road.
▪ A three-story, 120,000-square-foot self-storage facility and a commercial out parcel for retail use on 8.16 acres west of 30th Street East, south of 44th Avenue East and east of U.S. 301, near Manatee Charter School.
More industrial space
Barron Collier Companies and Imminent Ventures began construction late in the year on the Manatee County Logistics Center, a 563,451-square-foot Class A industrial park on the southwest corner of U.S. 301 and 44th Avenue East.
It’s the latest example of a once rare commercial facility — over-sized warehouse buildings — coming to all parts of Manatee County.
100 years of service
The Bradenton Herald turned 100 years old on Sept. 15, 2022.
During a century of service, the Bradenton Herald reported the community’s struggles, challenges and successes through wars, the Great Depression, a terrorist attack on the American homeland, the Great Recession, hurricanes, cycles of growth and development and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The newspaper has been in different buildings, had different owners and evolved with new technologies during those many decades, but the mission has never changed: to serve our community.
Also celebrating 100 years are the Bradenton Kiwanis Club, Grimes Galvano law firm, and the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County.
Marking 75-year milestones are The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature and the Bradenton Lions Club.
