Bradenton Commences Construction on $35 Million Police Headquarters

Bradenton has officially commenced construction on a new $35 million headquarters for the Bradenton Police Department, marking what City Administrator Rob Perry calls “probably the highest cost vertical construction project the city has ever done” as announced during the groundbreaking on May 20.

Located at 703 3rd St. W., the new facility is designed to be “centrally located to better serve our community.” It will include modern training facilities, community rooms, advanced crime-fighting technology, and spaces dedicated to forensics and evidence handling, along with secure parking. Spanning 50,399 square feet, the headquarters will also feature an accompanying parking structure of 61,000 square feet that is currently under construction.

The existing police headquarters at 100 10th St. W. offers about 30,000 square feet, making the new facility a “significant increase” in space, according to Perry.

“The groundbreaking this morning represents more than the start of construction,” Perry stated. “It symbolizes the entire city’s commitment to public safety, law and order, innovation, technology, and investment in this outstanding police department.”

The department currently employs 123 sworn officers alongside 40 full-time and part-time civilians. According to Bradenton Police Chief Melanie Bevan, the police force has been operating from its current headquarters for over 25 years.

“Our city has grown … and so has the scope and complexity of policing,” Bevan remarked at the event. “We’ve outgrown our current digs.”

The new headquarters is aimed at equipping officers with the “tools and the space they need to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s demands,” Bevan explained.

Specialized units, strategic planning, officer wellness, training, and community engagement areas will be prioritized, as Bevan highlighted, “because policing isn’t just about enforcement — it’s about relationships and presence.”

She humorously added that the new locker rooms “will actually have enough lockers for all the women and hopefully, just hopefully, the men’s locker room will have toilets that self-flush.”

NDC Construction is handling the construction of the new headquarters.

The expected timeframe for completion is approximately 16 months, according to NDC Construction owner and chairman Ron Allen, speaking to the Business Observer.

Key Information

• Project Cost: $35 million
• Location: 703 3rd St. W., Bradenton
• Size: 50,399 sq. ft. + 61,000 sq. ft. parking structure
• Current Headquarters: 100 10th St. W. (30,000 sq. ft.)
• Department Staff: 123 sworn officers, 30 full-time civilians, 10 part-time civilians
• Construction Timeline: Approximately 16 months