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Midtown Revamp Dooms Old Police Station

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 17, 2007

PLANT CITY – The old police station at 611 S. Collins St. will be demolished as the city seeks to revitalize the area south of downtown.

The 20,306-square-foot building has been vacant since the police department moved to a new complex off Alexander Street two years ago.

The building is used to store equipment from the public works department and Plant City Fire Rescue, Assistant City Manager Greg Horwedel said.

The city talked about selling the building but decided that demolition probably is better as it seeks to encourage redevelopment of the area south of downtown known locally as midtown.

The city will soon start seeking bids for demolition, he said.

"It doesn't fit into the long-term redevelopment plan for midtown," Horwedel said.

The building, constructed in 1954, was a Publix supermarket before the city bought it in 1970.

The city plans to transform the 85-acre midtown area into a vibrant mixed-use community featuring stylish shops, cafes and town homes. The police department's former headquarters is in the heart of the midtown district.

According to county property appraiser's records, the assessed value of the land and the building is $1.6 million. The city bought the building from Pinellas Shopping Centers Inc. in January 1970 for $65,000, records show.

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