The city is hosting a community meeting to discuss and get the public’s feedback on the proposed purchase of the “Corbin Building” on Main Street at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1, in room 149 at City Hall. City staff will also present information on improving Main Street's infrastructure and additional acquisitions or public/private partnerships along the corridor.
The community meeting is scheduled before the City Commission will consider the proposal to purchase the property located at 777 Main Street for $3.1 million, plus associated transaction costs, at their March 2 meeting of the Community Redevelopment Agency.
The vision for the property is to transform it into an energized open-air market that will attract vibrant, year-round businesses appealing to diverse audiences and serve as a catalyst to revitalize Main Street. The redevelopment concept is similar to the example of Armature Works in downtown Tampa, where an old warehouse was successfully repurposed it into a trendy social space with a public market, event space and multiple restaurants and bars.
If the purchase of the 39,000-square foot, two-story building is approved, the city intends to issue a Request for Proposals inviting offers from companies with the expertise and resources needed to create and manage a public market that may include tenants like a microbrewery, restaurants and other vendors.