SARASOTA, Fla. — It's been an attraction in Sarasota for many years, but the Sarasota Classic Car Museum on Tamiami Trail is getting the boot from its landlord, the New College of Florida.
Built in March of 1953, the Sarasota Classic Car Museum celebrated 70 years of continuous operation.
"Besides the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, we are the oldest continuously, operating car museum in the United States, so we've been here a while and it would be nice to be here longer," Martin Godbey of Sarasota Classic Car Museum said.
According to Godbey, the structure was purposefully built to showcase vintage and classic cars to the public for a trip down memory lane.
Visitors to the museum can find businessman John Ringling's 1922 Rolls Royce Ghost right next to his wife Mable's 1923 Pierce Arrow.
There is also a replica of Abraham Lincoln's horse-drawn hearse. Despite being a signature landmark, the museum's days at the 55,000-square-foot location on Tamiami Trail are numbered.
"We were given notice by our landlord New College Of Florida as to the lease cancellation notice, May 16, with a timeline of the end of June, which is just around the corner," Godbey said.
In a statement sent to 10 Tampa Bay, a spokesperson for the school said, "New College has terminated the month-to-month occupation of the New College property by the Car Museum due to the record growth of the incoming class."
The statement provided no further explanation about plans for the property and further inquiry didn't yield a response.
The school has been in the spotlight this year over leadership changes and curriculum changes that have upset students, faculty and many in the community.
The museum's owner said there are 150 classic cars and around 3,000 other historic items and memorabilia in the building. But with the eviction notice, finding a new home and moving all of the items from inside the museum with a little over a two-week window is a hefty task.
"It's kind of self-evident. If you look around, this is not something you can do in a week or a month's time. We have to identify a structure, probably renovate, go through negotiations and plan the whole process of moving and it's a challenge, a total challenge," Godbey said.
The museum sees around 30,000 car enthusiasts every year and is among the top-listed car museums in the state.
Godbey said until they find a suitable structure in a prime and equally accessible yet-to-be-determined location, the plan is to be ready to adapt to the new dilemma.
"We will navigate through this, it's a matter of time isn't it, and we need more time," Godbey said.
The museum has until June 30 to vacate the property and the management said they have asked for an extension to effect the relocation but are yet to hear back.