Downtown arts building progressing

FLORIDA WEEKLY PHOTO The new Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center is undergoing interior renovations. Officials there said it'll be ready for the Nov. 3 opening. Having been promised a downtown arts center that will provide world famous entertainment, galleries, a rooftop sculpture garden and rooftop bar, a passersby might be curious as to why the interior of the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center remains vacant.

Jim Griffith of Florida Arts, originator of the project, is a mild mannered, middle aged man whose soft features neatly underlie his gentle but inventive steersmanship of the arts center operation. He explained that the Nov. 3 opening date will not be the end of construction at the site.

"It's the end of one phase," Griffith said. "…the first phase will be the completion of the mezzanine and the elevator. Then, the second phase will cover the second floor and the rooftop sculpture garden."

The grand-opening gala on Nov. 3 is expected to raise funds that will bring the arts center to its final form. It is titled "The Phantom of the Art Center Gala."

PHOTO CARL-JOHN VERAJA Jim Griffith, Florida Arts' director, whre the rooftop bar will be when work is complete. So far, along the way, help has come from many sources, some unexpected.

"Kraft really came on board to make this thing happen by Nov. 3," Griffith said, speaking of the Kraft Construction Company. "They approached us. They are doing a major street project and they came to me and said they know what I'm doing and they want to help."

Griffith's plan is big and bold and has already taken over four years to get to this point. Millions of dollars are at play and Griffith has successfully garnered support by promising to name the buildings and parts thereof after donors.

Starting on the ground floor from a table covered with large blueprint sheets, Griffith gave this reporter a tour of the interior of the arts center. David Rash, a superintendent for Kraft Construction, was on hand.

Pews that had once occupied to the ground floor were now missing.

"We couldn't use them," Griffith said. "We offered them to the Black History Museum but they were too long for them."

PHOTO CARL-JOHN VERAJA Workmen are renovating the old Federal Building on First Street. Griffith also talked about the center's funding needs.

"Money must be raised at the November gala," Griffith said. "$200,000 will be needed for the ceiling. Do you know James DiGiorgio? He will be doing the chandeliers." (DiGiorgio is a Fort Myersbased metal designer who creates handforged items such as gates, furniture and functional art.)

We went up the original marble staircase where Griffith pointed out a small doorway with a metal knob.

"That was how they accessed the back of what was a beautiful clock," Griffith said.

On the second floor there were long piles of lumber, bound with blue tape, stacked against the dilapidated walls.

"It's from a large donation from the Collier family of Naples," Griffith said.

Rash explained that some of the support for the project came in the form of materials.

"It's hard pine wood…This wood is from a tobacco barn from North Carolina," Rash said. "…It's 200 years old."

The second floor hallway revealed yet to be utilized rooms and had a view of the lower rooftop right outside the windows.

"This is where the sculpture garden will be," Griffith said.

On the girders above us there were handprints from an earlier construction project.

"There are six fingers on each of those handprints," Griffith said. "They must have been pranksters."

From there we ascended another staircase to the higher rooftop and views of the Caloosahatchee River, its bridges, downtown and the new high-rise condo buildings.

"The bar will be here," Griffith said, leaning against an old, red, metal frame.

He posed asking if he looked like he was "enjoying a libation."

Griffith pointed out the proposed new site for the Hall of Fifty States, which will be moved as part of downtown redevelopment.

"I've suggested we make that a satellite for Florida Arts," Griffith said. "It could be used as an educational tool for children visitors."

Griffith said the center needs another $1.6 million to complete the project on top of the generous donations from local arts lovers such as Pamela Templeton of Fort Myers Toyota who has purchased the naming rights to the rooftop. ¦ If you go >>What: Phantom of the Art Center Gala: >>Where: The Sidney and Berne Davis

Art Center >>When: November 3 >>Info: Call 337-1933 or visit

www.SBDavisArtCenter.com