American Craftsman Museum proposed for Tampa's Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park - posted by Florida Fine Art Blog

American Craftsman Museum proposed for Tampa's Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
Tampa Bay Times
By Richard Danielson and Susan Thurston

An art collector from Palm Harbor is proposing to build a $31 million museum showcasing the American arts and crafts movement next to Tampa's premier riverfront park.

Rudy Ciccarello would arrange the financing to build the American Craftsman Museum at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, according to a 42-page proposal made public Friday. Ciccarello also proposes to pledge his own assets to provide collateral for a construction loan and to cover any shortfalls during construction.
In return, the nonprofit Two Red Roses Foundation, which Ciccarello started with gifts from his own collection, is asking the public to contribute $1 million a year for the first five years that the museum is open....    The museum would house a wide array of decorative objects from the 1900 to 1920 American arts and crafts movement — furniture, pottery, ceramic tiles, metal work, woodblocks, fine art, lighting, textiles and stained glass.
"A collection without comparison," said Tracy Kamerer, chief curator at the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, which exhibited some of the foundation's collection in 2009. "It's probably the best collection of arts and crafts in the world, and they're all museum-quality pieces, everything I've seen — and there's a lot of it I haven't seen."

Link to Article
Mr. Rudy Ciccarello's art collection website

Another museum in Tampa?  Why Not!  Tampa has some of the most generous benefactors of any city in Florida and the people of Tampa are better for it.  The cultural facilities are thriving with all the community enthusiasm and support. There must be ten world class museums in the Tampa area, a fantastic zoo, large aquarium and several preforming arts theaters. GL