Old Manatee Players building to be demolished next week

BRADENTON -- Forristall Enterprises Inc., out of Palmetto, was pulling a demolition permit late Tuesday with plans to bring down the old Manatee Players theater at 102 Old Main St. across from city hall.

According to Forristall Enterprises administrative assistant Lynn Tomczak, the company was hoping to begin demolition by Friday, but the project was put off until the first of next week. Silt fencing was going up around the building Tuesday 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 and 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 their new facility at 502 Third Ave. W. in March of 2014. The 2/3 of an acre was last appraised for $822,000.

Most of the city council has expressed interest in seeing the property combined with the city hall property and sold for private redevelopment. Others have argued for more downtown green space or possibly a park.

Callahan said the only thing that will happen upon demolition for now is that 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 17, 2015 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Old Manatee Players building to be demolished next week ."