Rollins makes pitch to turn old library into art museum
The college wants to add 5,000 square feet to the building rather than pursue earlier plans for new construction
May 23, 2024
By Beth Kassab
Officials from Rollins College along with developer and philanthropist Alan Ginsburg made a pitch on Thursday to take over the old city library building and turn it into the college’s art museum complete with an auditorium, educational space and a 5,000-square-foot addition.
The conversation took place Thursday at a work session among city commissioners, who have tried for years to find a suitable use for the old brick building, including two failed requests for proposals.
Rollins President Grant Cornwell, who announced his retirement earlier this year, said the college was willing to shelve more expensive plans for new construction, the latest version of which were approved by the commission last year.
Cornwell said encouragement from Mayor Sheila DeCiccio and Ginsburg as well as a fundraising shortfall toward the $30 million for the new construction all weighed into the college’s decision to consider the old building.
“The first reason we’re here is because the mayor asked us,” he said. “… If this all came together and we could repurpose the building, that’s something we have to take seriously.”
He said donors have committed about $18 million to the project, which may cover the cost of renovating the old library and would allow a new museum to open much sooner than if the college pursued all new construction.
Ginsburg, a former Rollins trustee who has helped the college develop several projects, called himself a “pro bono developer” on the proposal and pushed for the change in plans after he was approached to help finish fundraising for the more expensive version of the project.
City commissioners appeared largely open to the idea and agreed to allow City Manager Randy Knight to begin negotiations with Rollins, which would prefer to buy the land from the city, along with several other groups that have recently expressed interest in the building.
The concept will appear for more formal discussion at the next City Commission meeting in June.
The Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts, a nonprofit music venue, recently lost its lease in Winter Park and also expressed interest in repurposing the old library into a music venue and teaching space. Jeff Flowers, a former Maitland city commissioner and chairman of the Blue Bamboo’s board, also gave a short presentation at the work session.
Commissioner Todd Weaver said the Orlando Opera as well as another group has also expressed interest in the building since the last request for proposal from the city yielded just one response.
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So you cover the Work Session but ignore the Commission Meeting. The residents of Winter Park deserve a say in this. Everyone knew Rollins would attempt to take this but not so fast.
I know Beth would love to have some volunteers to help cover commission meetings, events etc. or better yet folks to cut some checks to increase her staff and resources. Would you be willing to help out Jan?
We have no interest in the former library site. Said Rollins every time they got a chance to say it. Guess $1 / year was too good to pass up for this multi-million dollar parcel. The white elephant we have to pay Rollins to take off our hands.
“City commissioners appeared largely open to the idea and agreed to allow City Manager Randy Knight to begin negotiations with Rollins, which would prefer to buy the land from the city,”
Rollins says a lot of things. It is what they do that matters. They also said they anticipated paying the city $1 per year under a long term lease (over 40 years, preferably longer) with additional financial support from the city being allocated to the operation of the museum annually. Which version of buy versus lease did they really mean? Go on and guess.
How is that “we have to pay Rollins to take it off our hands.”
Randy Noles: That was sarcasm. It was shocking to hear Rollins’ reps and surrogates at the meeting suggest Rollins envisioned a lease payment of $1 a year to the City along with an additional annual financial support expected from the city as well.
This is quite ironic. For years, the anti-new library crowd has claimed that in the end, Rollins would take over the old library, despite numerous denials from Rollins. But Rollins was solicited by the current mayor, so the soothsayers and predictors have to bite their tongue. In WP, it’s not what is said that matters. It’s who says it. Apparently, this is peachy.
I like the idea of a sale but I’d prefer 10-15 condos, (low traffic, high tax revenue) instead of a museum. But a Rollins art museum is much better than the previous proposals: an office space, space camp, live theatre. Let’s get this white elephant off the taxpayer’s hands.
If Rollins is willing to pay market rate to take this blighted building off the City’s hands and put a high class museum there, then I don’t see why folks would be up in arms. Based on what the market has told us, no one wants that dump on the City’s terms and it makes no economic sense for most purposes to renovate that building. Let’s get over the Rollins thing. If a well capitalized and well respected Museum showed up at our door and wanted to buy and renovate that building for a museum, most folks would fall all over ourselves to make that happen.
You really think so, Phil?
Where will everyone park? There is not enough space that I can see and I live right across from it.
In your driveway, Honey.
The old library is one of the better looking non-residential buildings in Wintet Park. It should be saved and preserved. Because it has few windows, converting it into an apartment buildings would require extensive and costly reworking of its exterior. It could be made into an office, medical, classroom, or museum without having to add windows. The museum option would do more benefit the community than would any of the other options. I, a retired architect, support Rollins’ plan to make the building a museum and add an addition to it provided that the addition is appropriate
and complementary.
It was demonstrated that the site allows for adequate parking.
Rollins has a parking garage directly across the street where their museum staff can park and the site was a public library before with parking and can certainly accommodate visitors to the museum. Not to mention it is walking distance from Park Avenue.
No one at Rollins wants this. They even said they were only there because of the mayor’s invitation. The Blue Bamboo would be a perfect tenant. They are arts and culture, they will bring in a music school for area kids, they will allow other arts and culture groups to meet there for free and they will continue to give performances. They couldn’t present their plans at the meeting because they were told by city staff there would be no public comments.
Fairness: Finding out that the mayor and Rollins had privately been at work for a long time on this proposal was a betrayal of trust and transparency. Blue Bamboo was not invited- in advance- to present, only Rollins was asked by the mayor and city mgr. And Blue Bamboo had asked the Commission to be allowed to present. We heard the mayor slamming the door in the faces of all others pre-emptively with Weaver saying not so fast because others are interested. Rollins has been coveting the library site for many years. They admit it in some venues and deny it in others.
I hope so! Orlando needs another art museum.
White elephant? This property is valued at over $7 million by the county property appraiser. This is a low ball estimate. Rollins’ experts said that the library building is ‘ built like a brick #%^house.” Only one property in city hands exceeds the value and importance of this property and that is Central Park. Residents should be no more willing to part with this than they would be Central Park. This building and land must remain in the hands of residents. It should be repurposed. The last thing we need to do is give Rollins a sweetheart deal that costs us a priceless gateway property while compounding the parking issues Rollins has already created for us.
In response to Avid reader: I think my question was valid. Beth reported on a work session that she wasn’t present for vs a regular Commission mtg she attended. I haven’t seen any request by Beth for help in covering meetings. I am also aware that Beth is paid by at least three supporters: Steve Goldman, David Strong and Jennifer Anderson.
Just FYI, Jennifer Anderson is not a contributor to the Voice. I watched the work session live virtually.
Like Paula, I too question the parking aspect of that property. When it was a library, the parking was inadequate so I can’t see how a museum would need less parking.
My own wish for the space is that it be turned into a parking garage for the hotel which has none.
It’s a white elephant due to the “highest and best use” being blatantly ignored over petty politics. The post-Leary commissioners are entering year 5 of dithering over a 3 story Brutalist design building that needs a new roof, A/C , elevators and a workable floorplan. Hundreds of thousands of dollars to put the proverbial, “lipstick on…..”. The original task force recommended city hall moving there and allowing city hall site to be redeveloped. But that was Mayor Leary, so dadgumit, these folks will never go there. Petty.
Letting this $7,000,000 (probably much higher) asset decay is terrible stewardship of taxpayer assets. Just like the Orange Ave. Overlay, a childish retaliatory act to spank political opponents. At the taxpayer’s expense, of course.
If you value the arts and if you’ve ever been to the Rollins Museum of Art in its current location and seen the extremely high quality of art in their collection or featured from highly regarded travel shows, you can easily imagine all those exceptional pieces on display in a much more central venue to the Park Avenue spine that attracts visitors from everywhere. They park and walk. In my opinion, the Rollins Museum in this location would be an excellent addition to the cultural value of downtown Winter Park.
Winter Park supports the arts, don’t we?? Blue Bamboo should be there rather than allowing Rollins to (IMO) “stealthily annex” more land from our city. At the rate they are going, south Park Ave will be Rollins Campus North in my grandchildren’s time.
And am I crazy or do they *already have* an Art Museum open to the public? Wouldn’t shock me if they will be razing it (while asking for a height variance of course) to build as many dorms as possible in their current museum space in 3,2,1…….in the end it’s always about $ and influence.
Dr. Arthur Blumenthal, former Rollins Museum Director, and I secured the funding for the last capital campaign for the current facility. About $1.5 million in matching funds leveraged another $2 or $3 M, totaling $4.5 M for a $10 M campaign, which are still viable prospects. However, don’t ask the Cornell Foundation LOL. Some museums have opted for a shared multipurpose facility with other carefully selected nonprofits, thereby conducting capital campaigns from a greater potential donor audience. This could be easily validated by a professionally conducted project compatibility/fundability feasibility study. Also, many nonprofits, including hospitals such as Orlando Health, successfully use valet parking services. There are many parking spaces at Rollins at night when most big events at museums occur.
I have read all your insightful comments and decided to brainstorm with my self. What I came up with is that the city retain ownership of the land, lease it Rollins and let them build the museum. In addition, it would require adequate parking. Cost to lease would be fair considering Rollins would be doing something very nice for the whole community. If you can add to this idea, please make it better.
Blue Bamboo in no way shape or form can afford to renovate the old Library for its stated use. The building is in deplorable condition and would take $10-12 million just to renovate it into a ” shell ” and then another $350-450 per square foot ( 30,000+ square foot ) to finish out the interior. Just stop it with this nonsense. An entity with big bucks will need to buy this property and or lease it from the City for a nominal amount to make anything happen there. Parking will be much better with a Rollins option than most any other realistic building options other than tearing it down and building condos.
No parking was one reason pushed to get a new library. I would not want a music venue next to my house. To make it profitable you need many butts in seats..again parking?
concerned, This venue’s potential for noise pales compared to the venue right next to it- The Alfond. The hotel hosts weddings, parties, celebrations and receptions. Any noise complaints? There is no reason to believe same wont be true for this building. There are 69 current parking spots at this old brick building with room for 30- 40 more if desired.
Rollins already has a location for its museum. It has the funding. Blue Bamboo and other smaller arts organizations in Winter Park need a place as well. They also have the funding to do what is needed to occupy the old library. We are, after all, the city of culture so why not share the asset with other groups. I love how people prefer the passive museum because there would be less traffic! Instead of an active hub for music education.
I am not convinced Rollins will successfully transform the old library into a museum. I think there is another long-game in play. The only way to control the publicly stated goal is to lease, not sell, with one purpose in mind: make it a museum. You promised.
Parking and street access: the college has never pulled its weight in providing adequate parking for projects in the city. Curious. That needs to change. The proposed access point from Lyman is problematic. New England needs further examination.
Protocol: if the new mayor is going to change up commission workshop protocol, and invite unannounced presentations, 24 hour notice should be given other commissioners to respond, and the agenda should reflect this important detail. No more fast balls.
Amen.