New Cafe Coming To Palmetto, Bradenton

A new cafe is coming to the city of Palmetto in Manatee County, just north of Bradenton.

As part of a bigger plan to revamp the southern gateway of Palmetto, the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) plans to demolish the current bait shop building located adjacent to the Green Bridge Fishing Pier to replace it with a small cafe.

Tentatively named “The Seahorse,” the new 3,200-square-foot building aims to become a place with indoor and outdoor seating, allowing visitors to enjoy the view of the river. The building will feature rentable space for vendors, as well as a retail establishment to sell bait and tackle. According to “Seahorse” architect Charlie Ugarte, plans for the project are still evolving.

“The city needs something to create a gateway into Palmetto off of the Green Bridge,” Ugarte says. “The building that is there now is just about ready to fall apart and really needs something to replace it.”

Ugarte used a compass as inspiration for the approximately $350,000 project, keeping the traditional architecture of Palmetto in mind. Ultimately, Ugarte and the CRA came up with “The Seahorse,” a structure that can be viewed from the river, pier, parking area and Green Bridge.

“That is where the four points of a compass come in,” says Ugarte. “You can approach this building from four directions and each one of them seem to be equally important.”

“The Seahorse” is just one of the many projects currently in the works in the Palmetto area. Currently, the CRA is overseeing several projects, including renovations of the seawall and boat ramp.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Charlie Ugarte, Ugarte and Associates