Crucial next steps: Jacksonville City Council vote, fundraising deadline looming for MOSH

The Museum of Science and History has to raise $40 million in private funds by Dec. 31 toward its proposed $100 million-plus new location at the Shipyards property on Jacksonville's Northbank and has high hopes that a City Council land-lease vote Tuesday will "kickstart" fundraising.

The nonprofit MOSH has collected about $16 million for the dubbed Genesis project, including $1 million received last week from the Ponte Vedra Beach-based Neviaser Foundation. But many potential individual donors, as well as foundations and government agencies, have told MOSH officials they wanted to "wait and see that we have the property" before making financial commitments, CEO Bruce Fafard said.

Considering $16 million in donations came in prior to the city land lease, it constitutes a "great leap of faith" for donors, said Jill Davis, MOSH's capital campaign chairwoman. Now the museum has a newly expanded development team seeking philanthropic support.

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Fafard and Davis said they were optimistic they would meet the year-end fundraising milestone, particularly assuming the council approves the land lease. They already have the backing of Mayor Lenny Curry's administration and the Downtown Investment Authority, which have been collaborating with MOSH on the project since October 2021, Fafard said.

"This bill is really integral to kickstarting fundraising," the city's chief administrative officer, Brian Hughes, said. "It's am ambitious goal, but we have confidence."

Lori Boyer, CEO of the downtown agency, said the new MOSH project would generate "economic development and tourism benefits."

City Council on board

Last week three City Council committees approved the land lease. The city has also committed $20 million and pledged to extend nearby A. Philip Randolph Boulevard and the Northbank Riverwalk and improve adjacent park land.

The committee votes were almost unanimous, with Councilwoman LeAnna Cumber the only holdout. She said she was concerned the city would be asked for more funding later and wanted to know the full amount upfront. MOSH officials said they might seek additional city funding, depending on the outcome of the fundraising campaign, but could provide no estimate.

Other committee members said they supported the project regardless.

"The community is tired of seeing lots of money going to developers' pockets," Councilwoman Randy DeFoor said. "This would be an opportunity to change that narrative and would really send a strong message that we care about children … the community and the success of downtown.

"I want that to happen," she said. "If there is a development that needs to happen, it's this development."

Memorable experiences lead to generous gift

Nancy Neviaser Baker and her husband, Robert Baker, said their family foundation's grant stemmed from "cherished memories" of visits to the existing museum when daughter Jennifer was young, according to MOSH. They want to help provide "similar experiences on a larger scale" for future generations.

"The Neviaser Foundation is extremely excited to join many others in the MOSH Genesis campaign to make the museum a beacon on the Northbank and a continuing fixture of our community," Nancy Baker said.

The Neviaser Foundation name will mark a space in the new building that will host a rotating schedule of exhibitions.

"The Neviaser family’s experiences at MOSH symbolize what makes a museum like ours so important to the community and we are honored to have their support as we plan for the future," Fafard said.

New building almost twice the space

Chartered in 1941, MOSH has operated in its current location on the Southbank since 1969.

The museum initially planned a huge renovation to its aging, existing facility, but soon determined that a new building would be a better option. Renovations would have meant shutting down the museum for up to two years, whereas the new facility would require no more than two or three months of transition, Fafard said earlier.

Multiple attempts have been made over the last decade to develop the Shipyards, which gets its name from its past use as a working waterfront. The new museum will occupy the east side of the Shipyards site, at the end of A. Philip Randolph Boulevard. The USS Orleck was recently docked at one of the piers on the western side and will reopen as a floating museum.

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The 2.5-acre MOSH site plan features a 130,000-square-foot new building, compared to 77,000 at the current museum where operations have outgrown the space. Once MOSH Genesis opens, the museum will have the capacity to serve more students and visitors. Early projections are 469,000 annual visitors, which is a 168% increase over pre-pandemic attendance numbers, according to MOSH.

The conceptual exhibit plan uses aspects of the St. Johns River as a navigation guide for visitors. The guide begins with a two-story water feature representing the 27-foot drop from the St. Johns' headwaters in Indian River County to where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean near Jacksonville. Then guests will follow "pathways that mimic the river’s role in connecting the region" interspersed with collections and content "islands" showcasing the area's "nature, innovation and culture," according to MOSH.

Museum officials anticipate a groundbreaking in 2024 and completion by the end of 2026 or early 2027.

The Shipyards location at the end of A. Phillip Randolph Boulevard and just east of the mouth of Hogan’s Creek was identified "in consultation with" the Downtown Investment Authority, according to the City Council Research Division's summary of the land-lease bill.

Here are some key provisions in the land-lease agreement

∙ MOSH will pay $1 year for a 40-year ground lease of land valued at $7.5 million to $8 million.

∙ MOSH will design a public park on the 4.36 acres surrounding the museum site, with design costs reimbursed by the city up to $800,000.

∙ The city will extend the Northbank Riverwalk across the site and extend A. Phillip Randolph Boulevard and utilities to the site.

∙ MOSH must make a "minimum capital investment" of $85 million, including at least $40 million in private or corporate donations or state or federal government grants by Dec. 31. If the fundraising deadline is not met, the city could extend the agreement or solicit other developers for the property.

∙ The new museum must be complete by Dec. 31, 2027.

bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

MOSH is currently at 1025 Museum Circle near Friendship Park. The next big event is "Expedition: Dinausaur Rise of the Mammals" beginning May 12. Admission is $19.95 for adults; $16.95 for youth, students, active and retired military and seniors. There is no admission fee for children 2 and under or Museum Members. For more information go to themosh.org.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville City Council vote, fundraising deadline ahead for MOSH