North-end Longboat community center remains in the works

Talk of a recreation center on the north end of Longboat Key has been ongoing for years, and even as multiple potential locations for the center have fallen through, county and town leaders have continued to work toward finding a suitable space for north-end residents to congregate.

Plans have shifted since the county leased a space at Whitney Plaza for more than $11,000 a month. Damage sustained from hurricanes Helene and Milton exceeded 50% of the appraised value, causing the county to abandon its plans for the space.

The county then turned its eye to a 1,300 square foot cottage owned by Chiles Group. With a difference in valuations between Chiles Group and the county, negotiations fell through.

Bill Logan, a spokesperson for Manatee County, said the county has appraised multiple properties on the Key, but that “the sellers’ asking prices have been significantly higher than the appraised values.”

The recreation center is something a group of Longboat Key property owners and condominium association representatives have been pushing for. Maureen Merrigan, co-chair of Longboat North, said residents on the south end and middle of the Key have space to gather, with the Longboat Key Club and Town Hall often used by those residents, but that those on the north end have no such venues. 

The condominium complexes that do have gathering space aren’t large enough to accommodate a community meeting, she said. 

The LBK North has a committee called the North End Space Team, shortened to the acronym NEST, to share with county and town leaders what they are looking for and why it’s needed.

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

Tal Siddique, the Manatee County commissioner whose district encompasses the north end of Longboat Key, said the county is still working on finding suitable space, but that issues with pricing have been a roadblock. Land on Longboat Key is not cheap, and county officials want to spend responsibly.

“The problem right now is our board is not looking at making major purchases anytime soon, especially with the DOGE audit,” Siddique said. “I think there is some concern over the difference between the appraised values of some properties in Longboat Key and what the for-sale prices that we are being given well beyond what we would normally be able to fund. I think we knew that coming in a little bit, but I think the challenge is we aren’t seeing the property owners budge too much.”

What it will be is more clear than where it will be. 

The community center has been co-branded as a learning center, providing space for community classes and other uses.

Merrigan said LBK North volunteers could help run the facility.

Siddique said the county has begun to consider properties off the island to serve north-end residents, including the Tingley Library building on Bradenton Beach. Not as a replacement for a north-end community center, but as an option of a venue that could be renovated and put to use quicker than an on-island facility.

“We are thinking about a plan to see what it would look like under the Manatee County Library System, and there is a lot of potential there,” Siddique said. “It’s one of the few properties that survived any significant damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton which is a great sign for us. But it was impacted, so we need to put in a decent amount of money. But it’s elevated, and it has a lot of space that we can leverage for the Bradenton Beach and north Longboat Key community at least in the short term.”

For north-end residents, who have long advocated for their own community space, an on-island venue would be much preferred. During the busy season, even a short car drive across the bridge could be a hassle for residents.

File photo

“If they were talking Coquina Beach, maybe. The trick with that is most of our meetings is when most of the residents are here, which is in the winter. And to get over the bridge from just the north end of Longboat to Coquina is tricky,” Merrigan said. “It’s practically impossible in a car unless you want to sit for a half hour just to get over the bridge. And you can bike or walk there, but there’s no bike lanes and no sidewalks over the bridge. But is just over the bridge better than having nothing? Sure. Is it what we think would meet the needs of the community? It’s not ideal by any stretch. Longboat makes a lot more sense.”

Siddique stresses that the long-term priority is to secure a location on the island for a north-end rec center. The question is where and for what price.

“We are still looking at some property on Longboat Key and working with the town to find what the right location is and take it from there,” he said. “But for now, I think the Bradenton Beach property would be a nice stopgap. And then we’re still going to find out what locations are available in Longboat Key proper.”