Which businesses will fill Bradenton’s new parking garage? There won’t be more bars
Almost two years after it opened, the Bradenton City Council is making a push to fill the retail spaces included in the City Centre parking garage along Old Main Street.
Despite several conversations on the topic, all five retail spaces have sat vacant ever since the city opened the $13.8 million, three-story garage in October 2019. During a public workshop meeting on Wednesday, the board agreed to use the spaces to attract visitors to downtown Bradenton.
“I think everybody here could agree on what we don’t want down there. We could probably agree with what we do want down there,” said Councilman Patrick Roff.
City officials envision using the spaces to bring new sorts of businesses to the area. Old Main Street has a reputation for being the place to consume alcohol downtown. It doesn’t need another bar, they said.
“We’re looking for something that’s going to come in and that’s going to be a spark,” Councilwoman Marianne Barnebey said.
“The most important thing is getting the right vendors in there to maximize what’s there,” added Mayor Gene Brown, who noted that the process of filling the units was delayed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What are some of the possibilities? Commercial real estate brokers pitched some ideas including a bike shop, a bookstore and a coffee shop that would attract customers on nights and weekends.
Speaking during a public comment opportunity, former Councilman Gene Gallo urged leaders to consider the intent of those retail spaces. He urged them to select the “right kind of retail.”
“We don’t want lawyers’ offices or dental offices,” said Gallo, who made a strong push for the retail spaces during his time on the City Council. “It has to be retail that attracts people to come downtown.”
To steer the process, city leaders agreed that they should hire a Realtor and property manager to help find business tenants. The City Council would have final say on which tenants will fill the retail spaces.
Each of the retail garage units, which range between 600 and 900 square feet, is ready to be occupied. They’re outfitted with bathrooms and mini-garage doors that allow for business owners to turn the units into open-air storefronts, which could attract sidewalk pedestrians.
According to Barry Grooms, owner of Florida Suncoast Real Estate, the prime locations cannot fail. As long as the board chooses attractive businesses, they’re certain to be popular with the community.
“This is an oasis in downtown Bradenton,” he said. “Retail is the way to go. This is beyond Class A in downtown Bradenton. You’re not going to screw this up. Your residents will not let you screw this up.”
Moving forward, the city plans to put out a bid for real estate professionals to manage the property. There’s no clear timeline for hiring a manager, but Brown said he hopes to fill the spaces by the end of the year.
This story was originally published August 4, 2021 at 2:48 PM.
