Chamber to relocate to temporary office

BRADENTON — The Manatee Chamber of Commerce is vacating its building in downtown Bradenton. 

The chamber's operations will temporarily move to the second floor of the Bank of the Ozarks building at 1901 Manatee Ave. W. in Bradenton. 

According to a press release, the city is working on a mixed-use project with retail and commercial space as well as four levels of parking. The project will use a portion of an existing city surface parking lot. The release says, "The Chamber determined that the best path forward was to allow demolition of our existing building to enable the City's project to span the entire block along 3rd Ave. W. and incorporate new space for the Chamber."

When construction is finished, the chamber will have ground-level space for its Bradenton operations. It is expected to have enhanced meeting and lobby space. 

The chamber will host an open house at its temporary home on April 20 from noon to 6 p.m.