‘Momentous time:’ Oceanside Museum of Art and city sign new agreement

An amended lease along with new city and state funding will allow the Oceanside Museum of Art to renovate and expand its Pier View Way campus by moving into the city’s next-door Fire Station No. 1 built in 1929.

The agreement marks a “momentous time” for the 30-year-old museum, said Allyson Handley, a member of the OMA’s board of directors and president of the executive committee.

“This will enable us to flourish,” Handley said. The expansion will boost the present 20,000-square-foot campus to 30,000 square feet with additional space for classrooms, rotating exhibitions, and a permanent collection to showcase the region’s artists.

The museum’s lease of the city’s property began Oct. 6, 1997, and goes through Oct. 5, 2052. The amended lease approved Dec. 3 by the Oceanside City Council gives OMA two optional extensions of 22 years each, for a combined total term of up to 99 years.

The council also agreed to contribute up to $1.5 million toward the renovation of the fire station, with the museum to raise the rest of the money needed.

The fundraising received a huge boost Dec. 9 with state Sen. Catherine Blakespear’s announcement of $3.59 million in state funding for the museum.

“This investment will not only expand access to the arts for local residents, improving the quality of life for the community, but will continue the growth and development of downtown Oceanside into a center for culture and tourism,” Blakespear said.

Bl...