Museum of Art move to Cornerstone gets city approval. Here’s what it will cost
The city will move forward with its plan to build out the interior of the new Coral Springs Museum of Art gallery after a 3-2 vote to approve over $3.4 million in spending.
During the Wednesday, Dec. 3, meeting, Director of the Arts & Cultural Enrichment Mike McNally outlined reasons for the proposed upgrade in the Cornerstone development.
He highlighted the current gallery’s history — originally a gymnasium — and said that having a purpose-built space with improved acoustics, lighting and customizability would add to the museum’s and downtown’s appeal.
Commissioners Shawn Cerra and Joseph McHugh, however, raised concerns about the price.
“I’m struggling. This is too much money for a space that we don’t own,” said Cerra, who participated via phone, as he was out of town for his daughter’s wedding.
According to McNally, contractor selection was based on qualifications rather than price. Daniel O’Connell’s Sons, the company set to spearhead the build-out, was the only one that met the specialized requirements for museum construction, he said.
The project will be funded through a mix of sources. This includes $2 million from the city budget (using interest earned on federal American Rescue Plan money) and $1 million from the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).
The latter will also cover lease payments until 2032, when City Manager Catherine Givens said city revenue will be able to fill the gap.
Mayor Scott Brook was the first to speak in support of the build-out.
“The museum is going to be a special part of our future, and then a special part of our history. When you look back, what will happen is this museum is going to attract many people out of Coral Springs to join us,” Brook said. “It will elevate downtown and will elevate artists that are wanting to be showcased in a fantastic space.”
Commissioner Joshua Simmons highlighted the fact that the city has been saving for the museum’s move for several years and already had $2 million set aside for the project.
“Too many times I’ve heard residents either say they didn’t know we had a museum, or saying that we should do more with our museum,” he said. “There are 31 municipalities in Broward County. Only two have a museum of art: Fort Lauderdale and the city of Coral Springs.”
“We’ve already had this money budgeted, and we can’t necessarily control your prices of groceries. We can’t control rent. We can’t really do too much to reduce all the economic pains that you’re feeling because other levels of government have failed in their responsibility to make sure that you can afford a quality of life,” Simmons continued. “But what we try to do here in Coral Springs is give you a place that you love to come home to, that you want to go out and experience life in.”
Construction is scheduled to begin in January, with a projected mid-July completion and a grand opening in September, officials said.
