Museum of Natural History urges council to negotiate long-term lease tied to $20 million renovation

The executive director of the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History told the City Council the museum needs a long-term lease that recognizes the nonprofit’s capital investment as it prepares a $20 million renovation and expansion of the historic Carnegie library building.

“We have raised over $17,100,000 — 86% of our $20,000,000 goal,” the executive director said during oral communications, adding that the nonprofit estimates $15,000,000 of the budget will go directly toward improvements to the city-owned building. The presentation described the project as preserving “one of the last remaining Carnegie libraries in the county,” creating a Seabright community room and addressing failing infrastructure.

Museum leaders said their campaign, called the “Bright Future” project, has vetted design-build bids and earned entitlements. The director asked council for specific direction so staff can negotiate lease provisions that acknowledge the museum’s capital investment and allow the nonprofit to operate on a fiscally sustainable basis.

The director noted the nonprofit’s revenue mix and the trade-off of investing in a city-owned facility rather than buying private property: “We are choosing to invest in a city building rather than purchasing a building from which we could build equity or borrow against,” they said, and asked the council to consider deferred maintenance savings and liability reductions the project would realize.

Council did not take immediate action on the floor during public comment; the museum’s request was presented publicly and museum staff asked the council to provide the direction necessary for staff to start negotiating lease terms.

Next steps: museum representatives said they are ready to begin construction once a lease and associated approvals are in place and requested council direction to proceed with lease negotiations.