Written by FRANK GLUCK
In the shadow of the luxury high-rise Oasis Condominium towers sits an eyesore - the 89-year-old Seaboard Junction Rail Station building, idle since 2007.
But, where the public may see ruin, volunteers doing site cleanup there Saturday see the future home to a thriving arts center. They just need a little time and money."This is not going to happen overnight," said Clark Richards, a roofer and the vice president of the Seaboard Junction Art Co-op. "It's a very ambitious project. And it won't happen unless people get excited about it."
Ultimately, the organization hopes to turn the building, and four other structures on the 6-acre site, into a campus of artists studios, a cafe, a farmers market and performing arts center.
It's not meant to cater to wealthy art patrons. Rather, organizers envision more of an artistically themed community destination to bridge east Fort Myers with the more affluent downtown district.
They estimate the project will likely need about $4 million and several years to complete. Volunteers are seeking donations and grants.
Saturday's cleanup coincided with National Make a Difference Day, the largest volunteering event in the country. It was created by USA Weekend magazine, which is published by the Gannett Co. Inc., parent company of The News-Press.
The spirit of volunteerism was evident at the Seaboard Junction building, where about a dozen did labor-intensive raking, weed trimming, debris clearing and sweeping.
The building was last the site of Reilly's House of House Parts, which closed several years ago.
They plan to have the site cleaned up enough to hold a "festival-like" sale next month of the construction supplies left in the building, said volunteer Patricia George, a graphic designer.
Supplies will go for several dollars a pound.
More information about the project can be found on Facebook by searching for the Seaboard Junction Art Co-op.
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