For many, the Sarasota Classic Car Museum in Florida has become a regular pilgrimage. But after 50 years in the same location, the pillar of car culture is being evicted by New College of Florida, and it has until the end of June to get everything out.
According to multiple reports, the museum’s location is state property. New College is growing with what the educational institution called a record-size freshman class, and it’s looking to expand. Sarasota Classic Car Museum is officially in the way.
For 20 years, the college has leased the property to the car museum. Everything seemed to be going well. Understandably, management feels like the rug has been pulled out from under it after being notified in May of the lease being terminated.
Not only do officials have to move the museum cars and other items, they have to pack up and move the attached dealership and shop. In total, the complex is 55,000 square feet, so there’s a lot of stuff to transport.
Martin Godbey, who runs the museum, told the Herald-Tribune that moving a museum can take years and millions of dollars. Since the Sarasota Classic Car Museum is small and run as a nonprofit, it apparently doesn’t have much in the way of resources to transport everything, let alone find a new location. He called the prospect of being out by the end of June “a logistical nightmare.”
