Manatee Schools' Checkers/Owens Property Back on the Market

BRADENTON -- Approximately 65,210 square feet of commercial land owned by the Manatee County School District is up for sale again after a potential buyer for the property terminated a contract on the land. Known as the Checkers/Owens property – because it once contained a Checkers Drive In and housed the district’s Human Resources Department in what was known as the Bill Owens Annex – the land is located on the southwest corner of Manatee Avenue and 1^stStreet West in Bradenton.

Blackrock Development, LLC placed a Contract for Sale on the property that was approved by the School Board of Manatee County on May 6, 2013. The offer from Blackrock Development was for $1,650,000 with a $50,000 earnest money deposit, which “went hard” 45 days after the School Board’s approval – which would have been June 15, 2013. The Contract for Sale was terminated in writing by Blackrock Development on June 12, 2013.

The Manatee District has issued a new Request for Proposal through its Purchasing Department and is advertising the RFP in local media. Offers are due mid-July and will be reviewed by a selection committee. The committee will make a recommendation to the Superintendent, and based upon his recommendation, a new contract will be submitted to the Board for approval.

Additional information about this property can be found on the Manatee District’s website at www.manateeschools.net. Look on the home page under “Hot Topics” and click on the following item: “Real Property Information.”