2201 N. Florida Ave.

Nick Cutro

The Renaissance Center for The Arts

  The story of the Renaissance Center for the Arts unfolds as one of imagination, dedication and personal sacrifice. In 1999, Tampa native Nick Cutro began his amazing journey to preserve Tampa's 93-year-old First Congregational Church, located in the city's oldest neighborhood, Tampa Heights (circa 1890).

Starting with only three walls, Cutro rebuilt the structure the old fashioned way, using authentic and recycled materials whenever possible. He began turning his vision into reality by rebuilding the collapsed wall with 16,000 reclaimed bricks. He then rescued two enormous, charred ceiling beams (made from 300-year-old trees) and transformed them into a performance stage floor.

In June of 2002, Cutro deeded the building and property to the Renaissance Center for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, which he founded in 1999.

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