NAPLES, Fla. — Southwest Florida Music Education Center (SWFLMEC) announced Tuesday that it bought the Gaynor building, which used to be part of the Naples Hodges University campus, for $10 million.
SWFLMEC plans to use the 43,097-square-foot building as a facility for musically talented, neurodivergent young adults. According to a press release, the new, post-secondary center will have practice rooms, classrooms, a recording studio, a practice performance stage and administrative space. This building is supposed to accommodate up to 50 full-time students.
The plans for the campus also include adding a student dormitory, a performance site and more program space.
Jennifer Clark, Vice President of SWFLMEC, said that buying this building is one of the first steps in building a full campus.
“The availability of this property, with its proximity to I-75 and other educational partners, allows us to fast-track expansion of this unique program that will serve as a model for other programs nationally,” Clark said. “We are grateful for the donors who have supported the vision so far and look forward to engaging more supporters as we expand this program to more students while continuing to integrate it into the community.”
The new center is set to open in fall of 2024.
For more information on the project, email JenC@SWFLmusic.org or call her at 239-205-8258. You can also visit SWFLMEC’s website.
