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County approves Morean Arts Center expansion funding
The county award is only a small piece of a much larger project.
Pinellas County is putting $2.2 million in tourist tax money toward a major expansion of the Morean Arts Center in downtown St. Petersburg.
County commissioners unanimously approved the funding agreement Thursday. The money would reimburse eligible construction costs after the work is complete, with the Morean responsible for costs beyond the county contribution. Funding is expected to come through the Tourist Development Tax program in fiscal year 2030.
The county award is only a small piece of a much larger project. A preliminary estimate puts the first phase at about $33.7 million, covering roughly 42,000 square feet of new building space. The expansion would bring the Morean Arts Center and its Chihuly Collection together in one facility, with exhibition galleries, classrooms, artist space, retail and administrative areas.
The current concept calls for a multi-story building in the 700 block of Central Avenue, where the Morean has been based since the early 1990s. The Chihuly Collection is now across the street at 720 Central Ave.
Plans show a transparent ground floor with exhibition space, a gift shop, retail space, a glass studio and a multipurpose room. The Chihuly Collection would occupy about 7,300 square feet on the second floor, with classrooms and artist commons on the upper levels.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027. Phase one is projected to take about 18 months, with a second phase planned between 2028 and 2030.
The Morean has deep roots in St. Petersburg. It traces its history to the Art Club of St. Petersburg, founded in 1917, and has occupied the 700 block of Central Avenue for more than three decades. The organization now operates four venues, including its contemporary galleries, glass studio and Center for Clay.
Its best-known attraction is the Chihuly Collection, a permanent exhibition of work by glass artist Dale Chihuly. The Morean says it was the first Chihuly installation housed in a building designed specifically for his work. The collection includes a 20-foot sculpture created for the site, the Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier and pieces from several of Chihuly’s major series.
Pinellas is funding the expansion because county officials expect it to draw more visitors and overnight stays. The capital program uses bed tax revenue for qualifying tourism projects, including museums operated by nonprofit organizations. Applicants must show that their projects can attract visitors from outside Pinellas County.
An economic analysis prepared for the county projected the expansion would generate about 76,600 additional visitors and 30,900 additional room nights over 10 years. It estimated about $18 million in new direct spending and $28.5 million in total economic impact during that period.
The Morean initially requested more than $15 million through the county’s capital funding program. The final agreement caps the county contribution at $2.225 million and requires the organization to cover costs above that amount.
In return, the Morean will provide tourism marketing benefits to Visit St. Pete-Clearwater for 10 years after the project is finished. Those include joint marketing, acknowledgement of county funding, media visits, event space and annual reporting on tourism-related benefits.
Commissioners approved the agreement without discussion Thursday. The project’s designers described the new building as a place intended to “spark curiosity and draw the public into the building,” with the Chihuly Collection and the Morean’s education programs brought together under one roof.
