Bradenton city government and police department employees are preparing for separate moves from the current City Hall complex as plans advance to redevelop the waterfront property.
City Hall, located at 101 12th St. W. along the Manatee River and Twin Dolphin Marina, is slated to be sold for $14.1 million to West Palm Beach-based L&L Development Group. The developer plans to demolish the existing complex and construct The Vias, a mixed-use development planned to include a 20-story residential building, a 14-story hotel and an eight-story parking garage.
The relocation will occur in stages rather than as a single move.
The Bradenton Police Department is expected to be the first major operation to leave the property. The department plans to move into its new $33.9 million headquarters, currently under construction at 255 Sixth Ave. W., sometime between December 2026 and January 2027.
Recent construction progress at the new police headquarters includes the installation of floor-to-ceiling glass in the main lobby. Exterior and interior work is continuing as crews prepare to paint and bring the building fully under air conditioning.
The timeline is different for the city’s administrative offices.
City officials are working with Manatee County on a potential agreement that would allow city government operations to temporarily occupy two floors of the Manatee County Administration Building at 1112 Manatee Ave. W. According to city Public Information Manager Tiffany Shadick, that relocation is anticipated sometime during the first quarter of 2027, which runs from January through March.
The county building would serve only as a temporary home for Bradenton government offices. The city’s long-term plan is to construct a new permanent City Hall, but a specific construction or completion date has not been established. That timeline will depend on the availability of funding.
Under the current schedule, the Police Department could begin its move as early as December, followed by the relocation of remaining City Hall offices during the first three months of 2027. The information currently available does not establish a specific date when the existing City Hall will close or when demolition will begin.
Once the city has vacated the waterfront complex and the property is cleared for redevelopment, the site is expected to become home to The Vias, bringing new residential, hotel and parking uses to a prominent section of downtown Bradenton’s riverfront.