Charlotte County commissioners will get their first detailed look Jan. 27 at long-awaited plans for a new Charlotte County Cultural Center, marking a major step toward replacing the hurricane-damaged facility that once served as a central hub for arts, education and community life. 

The presentation is scheduled during the Board of County Commissioners meeting Jan. 27, which begins at 9 a.m. in Room 119 of the Charlotte County Administration Building, 18500 Murdock Circle in Port Charlotte. 

The original Cultural Center, located on an 8-acre site on Aaron Street, was shuttered after Hurricane Ian in 2022 caused extensive damage. The complex had operated since 1960, hosting live theater, dances, musical performances, card games, adult education classes, veterans services, community meetings and private events, as well as a restaurant that served daily lunches. 

Before Ian struck, the county had already begun planning renovations to the aging facility. After the storm, residents repeatedly urged commissioners to move quickly on rebuilding, citing the center’s importance as a primary gathering and social space, particularly for older residents. 

Since the closure, only the Port Charlotte Public Library portion of the complex has remained open. That library is expected to continue operating until the new Mid-County Regional Library opens later this year on Forrest Nelson Boulevard. 

Facilities Director Travis Perdue is expected to outline several redevelopment options, addressing library space, multipurpose rooms, outdoor areas and a new theater. The county launched a public survey and hired a market research firm to collect community input, which indicated strong support for a new performance venue dedicated to arts and cultural programming. 

Consultants recommended a 500-seat, sloped-floor theater designed to accommodate live performances, lectures and community events. 

Plans for the new library include administrative offices, adult, teen and children’s areas, multipurpose and study rooms, a drive-up book drop, a Friends of the Library bookstore and a circulation lobby. A Historical Center and Archives section, staffed by an on-site historian, also is proposed. 

Additional public feedback highlighted interest in fitness facilities, creative and enrichment spaces, rental areas for functions and events and outdoor gathering areas. Walking trails, green space and a historical exhibit component are included in all proposed options. 

Commissioners will review multiple redevelopment scenarios, including one that incorporates a public-private partnership. That option would feature a three-story parking garage and affordable housing units. Another design would include a two-story parking structure, while a third would maintain surface parking. The latter two options would not include affordable housing. 

County staff is recommending full demolition of the existing structures rather than partial demolition that would preserve the library. Partial demolition would cost about $5 million and take roughly 18 months, while full demolition is projected at $1.8 million and would take six to eight months. 

The county has received $2.22 million in insurance proceeds related to Hurricane Ian, with demolition costs projected at $2.12 million in fiscal year 2026. The master planning and programming phase of the project was completed this month. 

Design work is budgeted at $3.5 million for fiscal year 2027, followed by an estimated $52.75 million construction phase in 2028. Funding would rely in part on extending the county’s 1% local option sales tax for an additional six years, subject to voter approval in a November 2026 referendum. 

Perdue previously told commissioners the Cultural Center project could be completed by spring 2030. 

Historically, the Cultural Center was operated by a nonprofit organization under a lease agreement with the county, which owns the land and buildings. That nonprofit ended its lease in 2021, citing financial challenges during the pandemic. County officials have not yet determined whether the rebuilt center will be operated by the county or managed by an outside organization. 

The Jan. 27 presentation is expected to provide commissioners and residents their clearest picture yet of how the new Cultural Center might take shape and how long the process could take.Â