Downtown Bradenton Eyes a Grocery Store as Manatee County Seeks Proposals to Redevelop Public Garage

Bradenton, FL — Manatee County has opened the door to a major downtown makeover, inviting developers to purchase and redevelop a cluster of county-owned parcels—including the seven-story public parking garage—with an eye toward adding housing, modernized parking and, notably, a full-service grocery store.

What’s on the table

The County’s Invitation to Negotiate (ITN 25-001) bundles multiple sites around Manatee Avenue and 10th Street West, including addresses at 414 (aka 410) 10th Street West; 1002 Manatee Avenue West; 1007 and 1009 4th Avenue West; and 1001 4th Avenue West. The solicitation seeks proposals for sale and development of these properties as a coordinated project.

The vision

County materials and local reporting point to a mixed-use concept: more residential units, expanded/updated structured parking, active ground-floor uses, and a downtown grocery that would serve residents, workers and Riverwalk visitors. The grocery component has been a recurring goal in discussions about revitalizing the urban core.

Why it matters for Bradenton

• Walkable essentials. A centrally located grocer would fill a long-standing gap downtown, reducing car trips and keeping more daily spending in the city center.
• Catalyst for investment. Packaging multiple parcels increases the odds of a cohesive plan that can unlock private capital and accelerate storefront, streetscape and housing upgrades.
• Parking that works. Replacing or reconfiguring an aging garage with a more efficient layout—and activating ground floors—can improve both access and the street experience.

How to follow (and where the documents live)

The ITN is posted on the County’s website and procurement portals, and the City of Bradenton has also linked the opportunity on its site for public visibility. Interested teams can review parcel descriptions, evaluation criteria and submission instructions in the County’s posting.

The bigger picture

Bradenton has been steadily repositioning key civic and waterfront blocks (see the separate City Hall site plan progress), and the County’s ITN adds another lever for reshaping the downtown fabric. Together, these moves signal a push toward a denser, more amenity-rich core that supports residents, small business, and tourism.