- February 4, 2025
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The Ormond Memorial Art Museum is tired of being the city's "best kept" secret.
“Our biggest blessing is that everyone who comes here and finds us loves the gardens, enjoys the museum, wants to come back," OMAM Director Susan Richmond said. "Our biggest curse is that people don’t know we’re here."
On Nov. 5, the City Commission approved a 50-year service agreement with the museum on Nov. 5 (service agreements were renewed annually before), and according to a city memorandum of understanding, this expanded term will help OMAM qualify for state and county grants, as well as attract private donors, to be able to complete an expansion. Richmond said the discussion on expanding the museum's facilities began two and a half years ago, with a committee examining needs.
The city memo states that the museum would like to construct a 5,000 square-foot two-story addition to its current building. Where the new construction will be is still up for discussion; Richmond said they haven't committed to any location yet. The project could cost anywhere between $2.25 million and $2.65 million, with the museum raising all of the funds.
More classroom and gallery space are high on the museum's wish list for an expansion, Richmond said. Other items include having a washer and dryer to clean smocks, renovations within the existing structure, and using the expansion project to make the museum more visible and beautiful from the outside, she said.
“When you work with creative people and creative volunteers, you create a huge wish list," Richmond said. "It’s great. The ideas just don’t stop flowing.”
Two concept plans were submitted to the City Commission as part of the memorandum of understanding, which also states that the expansion must be completed within the next five years. If the expansion project falls through, the 50-year service agreement will be canceled and will revert back to renewable one-year terms.
The first concept plan places the addition on the east side of the existing building along East Granada Boulevard. The second plan proposes the addition be constructed at the corner of East Granada Boulevard and Halifax Drive. The city memorandum reads that the museum will seek input and "community consensus" for the location of the addition.
Ormond Beach Planning Director Steven Spraker said these submitted plans were drawn up to get a rough idea of what the expansion could look like. It's not considering stormwater or utilities, which an official site plan submittal would address.
“It hasn’t really been engineered or vetted,” Spraker said.
Ormond Beach resident Patty Steaman walks the gardens of the museum every night. When she heard about the expansion, she was concerned about destroying part of the gardens for a new building.
Steaman went online and looked at the concept plans in the city's website. Of the two concept plans, there's one she definitely favors: the second one that places the addition on the corner of East Granada Boulevard and Halifax Drive. The first concept plan to the east of the building would affect sidewalks, memorial benches and a few oaks, she said. It would also be very close to the existing pond that is home to several turtles.
“I think that it’s a really unique little space that’s worth saving," Steaman said.
Muffi Chanfrau, president of the Garden Club of the Halifax Country, said she and Richmond have had a "wonderful dialogue" about the possible expansion, with great ideas being put on the table. While the club has not taken an official position on the project, she said the club has a good relationship with the museum. The members that have spoken to Richmond are not concerned, she added.
“As individuals, we’re all delighted," Chanfrau said.
Whatever the museum chooses, Richmond said their primary concern is preserving the gardens for generations to come. She said it's not about having a bigger building, but about doing the project correctly. The gardens are a treasure, she said.
“You want to respect the history and the charm and protect the gardens, and then try to integrate all these wonderful creative ideas," Richmond said.
