Georgia Recyclers, Savannah Steel buy Kleen Soil Palmetto building

BUYER: Port Manatee Scrap Metal Inc. (principals: Betty, Toby and Gary Grimmel), Savannah, Ga.

SELLER: Manatee Management LLC

PROPERTY: 13838 Harlee Road, Palmetto

PRICE: $3.5 million

PREVIOUS PRICE: $2.1 million, December 2004

LAW FIRM ON DEED: Bender Bender & Chandler PA, Coral Gables

PLANS, DESCRIPTION: Georgia Recyclers and Savannah Steel Terminal, both of Savannah, Ga., purchased the 87,146-square-foot Kleen Soil building near Port Manatee for $3.5 million.

The price equated to $40 per square foot and $137,471 per acre.

The large metal building on the property was originally built in 1975.

A final site plan has been filed with Manatee County under the project name of Savannah Steel. It describes using the 25.46-acre property as a junkyard and heavy manufacturing facility.

Calls for comment to the project's engineer and agent, Sarasota-based King Engineering Associates Inc., were not returned prior to deadline.

The new owners are related companies of Maine-headquartered Grimmel Industries, which operates several similar port-located scrap metal recycling businesses.