County Looks to Surplus Building for Downtown Workforce Housing

BRADENTON – At a meeting Tuesday, Manatee County Commissioners voted to have staff enter negotiations to sell the former public defender’s office at 920 Manatee Avenue West in downtown Bradenton to NDC Construction, who plans to tear it down and build a multi-story retail/office/residential project targeting "attainable housing."

There were two bids for the property, built nearly a half-century ago, which was described as having "dilapidated" beyond the point that the county could occupy it in its current state. The first was for $1,000. It came from Greens Real Estate and Property Management, which proposed to repurpose the site for a school for people with intellectual disabilities, that would also include an event hall/church with charity and social services offices.

The second was from developer Ron Allen, whose NDC Construction bid $100,000 to demolish the building and construct what would most likely be an eight-story facility, with the first two housing retail and professional space, while the remaining six will contain "attainable housing“ in the form of apartments. Rent ranges were not discussed.

Commissioners were enthusiastic at the prospect of adding much-needed workforce housing for entry-level downtown employees, the inventory for which continues to shrink. The board voted unanimously to have staff enter negotiations with NDC. Because the property is within city limits, it will be the Bradenton City Council who has to approve specific site development plans.

The challenge for the developer, however, will be meeting the city of Bradenton's parking requirements. Allen said that NDC is in discussion with the city over using its recently completed downtown parking garage. However, the project would require more than half of the garage's 400-vehicle capacity to meet requirements. With the SpringHill Suites already having negotiated the use of the first floor of the garage, that would leave less than 100 spots available for the public, for whose benefit the $13 million facility was supposedly built.

A negotiated sale would have to come back to the board for final approval at a future meeting.