SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Provide direction on the 17-25 Call for Development Concepts.
Body
SUMMARY: ?
The Clearwater Main Library (Library) has been identified as a potential venue to support cultural, economic, and community uses within the City of Clearwater's (City) downtown district. A timeline of the events related to receiving proposals is below.
17-25 Call for Development Concepts: Timeline
Date
Event
Monday, Nov. 4, 2024
Trustee Teixeira Presentation
Monday, Dec. 16, 2024
Comprehensive Report and RFP Scope review by CRA Trustees
Monday, Jan. 13, 2025
CRA Trustee Review / Approval of RFP or LOI
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025
Issue RFP/RFLOI Public Notice (120 days)
Monday, May 24, 2025
Submission Period Opens
Friday, June 20, 2025
Submission Deadline
Wednesday, June 23, 2025
Email Review Committee Proposals (From Procurement)
Thursday, June 23, 2025 - Tuesday, August 1, 2025
Evaluation Committee Time to Review Proposals
Friday, August 1, 2025
Review Committee Meeting
Monday, August 4, 2025
Top Ranked Proposers Notified
Friday, August 15, 2025
Review Committee Meeting with Presentations from Top Ranked Proposers
Prior to receiving proposals city staff used a variety of outlets to promote the development and use opportunities for the cultural community. Staff reached out to local and out of market museums and arts organizations to assess their interest in the initiative. In total, sixteen individuals expressed interest, including twelve who attended public tours conducted on April 11 and May 9, 2025. Outreach to the arts and museum community was extensive, with more than 200 institutions contacted through both email and physical mailings. Each mailing included a copy of the Call for Development Concepts flyer. Staff did receive formal declines as well as interest from organizations that indicated the need for further review with their respective boards.
Paid promotional campaigns were also conducted to broaden visibility.
* American Alliance of Museums
o $4,5000 investment
o 1,147 views with 1,147 active users
* LinkedIn Campaign
o $1,000 investment
o 359,208 individuals delivered 660,488 impressions, and resulted in 247 direct clicks
o 25.7% of the identified target audience, which included artists, designers, and media professionals.
Media coverage also included news outlets featuring the Library Redevelopment project such as Biz Journals (February 25, 2025), Florida Construction News (February 27, 2025), 83 Degrees Media (March 19, 2025), I Love The Berg (March 19, 2025), the American Alliance of Museums (April 4, 2025), and Bay News 9 (May 21, 2025). In addition, the Florida Redevelopment Association (FRA) featured the project in 17 newsletter editions continuously from February 2025 to June 2025. General outreach also included local social media and resident outreach via typical methods.
On June 20, 2025, proposals for 17-25 Call for Development Concepts (17-25) seeking a partner to repurpose all or a portion of the Main Library into an arts and cultural hub were received. The City of Clearwater received six proposals from the following groups:
* Art Studio & Productions
* Botanica USA
* Comedy Hall of Fame
* Imagine Museum
* Proforma
* Wizard of Oz Museum
On August 1, 2025, a committee of seven city staff members met to review the proposals and shortlisted three finalists to appear and present before the committee. In alphabetical order, the committee selected Comedy Hall of Fame, Imagine Museum, and Wizard of Oz Museum as the three finalists.
The selection committee included the following members:
* Amber Brice, Arts & Cultural Affairs
* Audra Aja, Economic Development & Housing
* Jay Ravins, Finance
* Jennifer Obermaier, Library
* Mark Parry, Parks & Recreation
* Rob Simpson, Public Communications
* Tara Kivett, Public Works
Committee Ranking:
On August 15, 2025, the committee held a second meeting to listen to presentations from the three top ranked proposers. The presentations were ranked as follows:
1. Imagine Museum (1.42)
2. Comedy Hall of Fame (1.85)
3. Wizard of Oz Museum (2.71) (Proposal Withdrawn via telephone 9/5/25)
A summary of the business provided by each presenter is provided below.
Imagine Museum - Proposes to operate a curated glass art exhibition with three options ranging from a first floor only option exhibit (10,000 sq. ft.) with a monthly rent of $1,000.00 to an entire use with a monthly rent of $5,500.00. The museum is requesting a lease term of five years with five-year renewal options for up to twenty years. Estimated construction costs - Option 1 - $132,000; Option 2 - $330,000; Option 3 - $660,000. No financial incentives were requested, but the proposer did indicate a desire to partner on marketing, promotions for the museum and obtain assistance with permitting.
Comedy Hall of Fame - Proposes to operate a 501(c)(3) non-profit museum that aims to educate and preserve the history of American comedy and share this history with the public in an entertaining fashion. The requested lease space is for the first floor only (10,000 sq. ft.). The lease term is a ten-year minimum with an annual rent of $1.00. The proposal did not include an estimate of construction costs, but assistance is requested from the City of Clearwater in the amount of $60,000 to assist with relocating the museum from Holiday, Florida and construction activities such as exhibit installation and utility connections.
Wizard of Oz Museum - Proposes to operate a museum consisting of five areas totaling 10,015 sq. ft., including the museum exhibit, a kid's section, an immersive experience, a gift shop, and a museum merchandise storage room. No rent would accrue during the first three years of the lease. Beginning in the fourth year, the rent would increase to $80,000.00 annually. On September 5, 2025, the proposal was withdrawn from consideration by the project sponsor.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
1.5 Embrace innovation that drives continuous improvement and serves community needs.
2.3 Promote Clearwater as a premier destination for entertainment, cultural experiences, tourism, and national sporting events.
3.1 Support neighborhood identify through services and programs that empower community pride and belonging.
4.2 Adopt sustainable practices in redevelopment projects to protect current and future generations.