UPDATE: The Museum’s Marketing Director, Francesca Ascione, responded with the following message concerning parking: “In regards to parking, those details will be developed later after we launch the campaign and with the hiring of a campaign manager – hopefully in next six months. Once all the details of the expansion are ironed out, we will definitely provide an update.”

 

The Mennello Museum of American Art (Website) just received its largest gift in its history from its founder, Michael A. Mennello, in the form of 19 pieces of art worth nearly $9 million.

The gift of 14 paintings and five sculptures is comprised of work by famous American artists like John Sloan, George Wesley Bellows, Josephine Hopper, and more. The pieces were recently included in exhibitions in Mennello and the Orlando Museum of Art.

Following the announcement of the donation, Mayor Buddy Dyer sounded his support for a new extended leasing agreement between the museum and the City through 2058. The current lease lasts through 2028. The Mayor also said he would support an expansion of the museum into adjacent City-owned land that would allow Mennello to quadruple their current footprint on Lake Formosa.

Adjacent City of Orlando land marked in green

Michael A. Mennello has established the Michael A. and The Honorable Marilyn Logsdon Mennello Foundation that will contribute 70 percent of its annual distributions to support the Museum’s art and education programming, upon his death.

No timeline has been released for this possible expansion. We have reached out to Mennello leadership in regards to the possibilities of building enhanced parking amenities with the increase in their presence in Loch Haven Park.

The Mennello Museum is located at 900 E. Princeton Street [GMap] in Ivanhoe Village.

 

Brendan O'Connor

Editor in Chief of Bungalower.com

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