Manatee County animal nonprofit to undergo $13.5M campus transformation

The Humane Society of Manatee County is preparing for its 2.5-acre campus south of downtown Bradenton to undergo an update. Early cost estimates place the construction project at $13.5 million, HSMC Executive Director Rick Yocum tells the Business Observer.

“A major gift and overwhelming community support have made our campus transformation a reality,” Yocum says in a statement. “Our investment accounts that include individual donations and veterinary clinic revenue are also being used to fund the projects,” he adds, responding by email to a question from the Business Observer about funding sources for the work.

A 12,000-square-foot Second Chance Adoption Center and 4,000-square-foot cat facility will be created in the next couple of years to better support animals and staff. The design will separate adoption and surrender activities, create flexible animal-care spaces and offer welcoming areas that encourage engagement, according to a statement.

Overall, the broader campus site will be improved to enhance circulation, create a more inviting arrival experience and establish a more pedestrian-focused setting, according to a statement.

HSMC has selected Lakewood Ranch-based Fawley Bryant Architecture to design the project, while Venice-headquartered JE Charlotte will be the construction manager.

“The most meaningful part of this project is the opportunity to translate the Humane Society’s compassion into the built environment,” Stu Henderson, partner at Fawley Bryant Architecture, says in the statement. “Every decision, from lighting and acoustics to circulation and staff workflow, is centered on creating a calmer experience for animals and a more supportive environment for the people who care for them.”

The campus transformation project will be built in phases to allow HSMC to continue providing services throughout construction.

First, a vacant 4,000-square-foot north building at 2411 14th St. W. will be renovated into the cat facility, Yocum says. Work on the cat facility is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, with completion anticipated in April or May 2027. 

"We’re going to be able to triple the amount of space [the cats have], and that’s going to be great for us and the cats," Yocum says in a phone interview.

Felines will then be relocated to the cat building, and temporary shelter facilities will be created for the dogs, allowing for demolition of the current cat and dog adoption buildings in the first half of 2027, Yocum says. The new adoption center is projected to be finished by May 2028. Yocum says it will be located at 2415 14th St. W. and will provide more room for the programs and animals than the previous 6,700-square-foot shelter building did, which Yocum described as "cramped."

The Humane Center of Manatee County posted revenue of nearly $4.66 million in 2025. A no-kill shelter, it facilitates the adoption of hundreds of animals annually. In its 2024–2025 annual report, the organization says it helped 402 cats and dogs find homes through adoption.

“We’re going to work with the contractor to make sure we have continuity of business here, and when I say continuity of business, I mean adoption of cats and dogs,” Yocum says in a phone interview about the campus construction project. “We’re excited, to say the least.”