The Fort Myers Beach Art Association has been without a building since Hurricane Ian destroyed it over 2 years ago. The building was located on Shell Mound Blvd adjacent to the Red Coconut property. The group now says while they hope to build a new facility they are opening a new retail location off island while they raise the funds needed to rebuild on the island.
The Art Association has architectural plans drawn up for a new building, they’ve met with builders, and they’ve been actively fundraising. All that’s left is the money needed to turn those drawings into a reality. And it’s a lot of money…$3 million.
As the fundraising continues, the Art Association Board of Directors has voted to find a retail location but it will not be on Fort Myers Beach. “Our main focus was to find an affordable prime location that would be convenient for our members and our customers as well. We looked for space on Fort Myers Beach and the surrounding area, however, there is not much available and we were concerned about the possibility of flooding during hurricane season. Our focus was to find a space that offers a high-traffic, reputable area that can enhance our visibility and increase our customer base.”
As of May 1st the new retail space for the Art Association will be Cypress Square – 13451 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers. That’s at the corner of McGregor and Cypress Lake next to Prawnbrokers Restaurant.
The Association said the decision to operate their business from a rental space allows them to fulfill their vision for growth, flexibility and operational efficiency. “We have been concerned about maintaining our member base and focusing on keeping us all together. Some of our members have joined other art leagues in the area because they rely on selling their artwork and we were just not able to do that without our own space.”
Follow the Fort Myers Beach Art Association on Facebook HERE and their website HERE.
Seagate should do the right thing for the Island and build it for free.
Steve, that would be a wonderful public benefit.
I understand all the reasoning behind this decision but so hope you get your building on the beach . FMB should be your haven. You all have been such a vital part of beach life. I understand some works will be displayed and for sale at the library. Hopefully at city hall too. Do not fade away. Would the owner of Santini donate a small space . You certainly would help to get it up and running .
We had a very generous opportunity for a space at Santini but not large enough for all our needs and flooding still an issue. After 75 years on the Island, it will always be our true home. We do plan to rebuild on the Island but first things first. Please help if you can.
What are the plans for the Catholic Church?
Thank you for all your good reporting.