Bradenton officials push for sale of city hall property

BRADENTON -- A request to spend $112,000 on new air conditioning units in the largely unused Bradenton Auditorium at city hall has some on the city council pushing again to relocate city hall.

The building has been unofficially up for sale for some time, but some say it's time to make it official to make room for private downtown development.

The auditorium is rarely used and the city is in no hurry to book rentals. According to city administrator Carl Callahan, it costs the city more money to operate the auditorium for an event than it does to leave it empty.

"We still get general inquiries into the use of the auditorium, but we lose money on every event," said Callahan. "It's cheaper sitting vacant."

Callahan said repairing the units would cost about $63,000.

Those units "are dead and not functioning right now," said Callahan.

Ward 2 Councilman Patrick Roff said the city could ill afford to let the auditorium sit through the summer without air conditioning, but added the city should push forward with selling city hall. He asked whether an appraisal had been done on the building.

The council has only discussed doing an appraisal.

"A lot depends on the use of who buys it," said Callahan. "Let's just say the building is worth $15 million. No one is going to buy a $15 million building if they are going to tear it down anyway."

Callahan said the council needs to decide where a new city hall would be built. The city will do a space needs study this year as an effort toward determining the size of a future building.

"Then it can take off from there when we know what our needs are. I'm sure it will be less space needed than what we have here," he said. "Then the council has to take a look at land available and make sure that those sites aren't sold off."

Smith said he already has three sites in mind, "but the main thing is that whatever we sell this for covers the cost of a new city hall."

Vice Mayor Gene Gallo was the only council member 18 years ago who voted against building a new city hall building at its current lo

cation. He said it isn't coincidence that he was then the only council member left after the ensuing elections.

"I would not support selling this building unless the replacement costs are covered and not put the burden on the taxpayer," said Gallo.

Spring Hill Suites is planning a new hotel across from city hall, and part of the development agreement is for the city to provide parking. Officials are considering a new multi-story parking garage at the southwest corner of the city hall parking lot. Officials say they will have an option with the garage to keep it as a city garage or sell it as part of a deal for city hall.

Mark Young, Herald urban affairs reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7041 or follow him on Twitter @urbanmark2014.

This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 11:23 PM with the headline "Bradenton officials push for sale of city hall property ."