ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 16, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- In a city where nearly every week an exciting new downtown development is announced, today's news packed a powerful punch.
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker today -- joined by internationally acclaimed artist Dale Chihuly, leaders in the cultural community and an international development group -- made what some call the biggest cultural announcement since the Dali Museum opened in 1982. On a prime two-block site on Central Avenue, plans were unveiled for a new and expanded art organization, The Arts Center, flanked by the first permanent installation in the world devoted to the art of Dale Chihuly. Both are elements of an imaginative mixed-use "arts village" development with condominiums, lofts, restaurants, retail and gallery space and more, that is a brainchild of developer Jimmy Aviram.
The significant facets of this development are many:
-- The Chihuly Collection at The Arts Center, at 6,000 square feet,
will be the first permanent home for Chihuly's glass art in
the world. Dale Chihuly is one of the most recognized and
popular artists on the art scene today, and has a commitment
to developing young artists as mirrored in this unique
arrangement with The Arts Center. Adjoining the collection,
The Art Center's "Glass House" will be a demonstration workshop
with stadium seating where 100 visitors can watch master artists
create glassworks; studio rentals for artists; and an extensive
education program for aspiring glass artisans. The collection's
facility, combined with the expanded Arts Center, dedicates more
than 17,000 square feet of art space to glass and creates one
of the largest glass centers in the southeast United States.
-- An overall, two-block development that will include the Chihuly
Collection at The Arts Center; a new and expanded Arts Center
in a historic, former bank building; twin 35-story condominium
towers (400 units); 55,000 square feet of ground level retail,
studios and galleries with residential lofts above; two
restaurants/bistros; and a pedestrian-friendly arcade with
courtyards and landscaping. The development encompasses both
sides of Central Avenue between Eighth and Dr. M.L. King Streets,
between First Avenue N. and First Avenue S.
-- The new Arts Center will be housed in the historic Landmark Union
Trust Bank building, a 1926 Beaux-Arts-style landmark. In its
new, restored location, The Arts Center will have three times
more exhibition space than at its current location (719 Central
Avenue), allowing the center to attract larger, international
exhibitions of contemporary art in all media. There will also be
additional studio space for enhanced community classes in
metalsmith, stone sculpture, painting, ceramics, drawing and
other mediums.
-- A solid, international development partnership comprised of Jimmy
Aviram/BSR Group. BSR Group, with more than $2 billion in total
investments, is an Israel-based luxury residential and office
developer with projects in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Fort Myers,
Philadelphia, Budapest, Prague, Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv and
elsewhere. Architects on the project include the Miami-based
Kobi Karp Architecture; The Arts Center and historic bank
building renovation is being designed by a local firm, Alfonso
Architects, Inc., which recently completed Tampa International
Airport's heralded Airside C. Occupancy is scheduled for 2008.
-- An innovative philanthropic arrangement between the development
group, the Chihuly Collection and The Arts Center, whereby a
percentage of the proceeds from the condominium sales, admission
fees and glass sales go to support The Arts Center's educational
programs. The Arts Center Executive Director Evelyn Craft said,
"Here we have business partners who recognize the economic
impact of the arts on new commercial development. This helps
assure the long-term financial viability of The Arts Center by
providing a designated earned income funding source for our
future programs. One of the most exciting components of this
partnership is the opportunity to collaborate with Dale Chihuly
on long-term educational initiatives."
Mayor Rick Baker introduced Dale Chihuly at today's press announcement, welcoming him back to St. Petersburg after his successful 2004 exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, which drew 170,000 in attendance in just four months. "Today's announcement solidifies overnight that St. Petersburg has emerged as the arts capital of Florida. Dale Chihuly joins a very strong network of established arts organizations here that are a nearly $100 million industry in our community."
The announcement comes at a time of strong growth in St. Petersburg's arts and cultural community: Construction continues on the Mahaffey Theater for the performing arts; development plans are underway for an expanded Dali Museum adjacent to the theater; construction nears completion on the new Florida International Museum and the African American History Museum; Great Explorations Children's Museum has reopened in the renovated Sunken Gardens facility; both the Museum of Fine Arts and the Florida Holocaust Museum are pursuing future expansions; and Studio@620, an interdisciplinary art space, now joins a cadre of more than two dozen art galleries and performance venues in the downtown core.