A bold mural on the side of the Ascent luxury apartments on Davis Boulevard and US-41—nicknamed "The Kleenex Box" by some locals—is coming down. But art advocates say it's doing exactly what art is supposed to do: spark debate, get people talking, and bring the community together.
Amanda Jaron, president of the Bayshore Arts District non-profit, isn't giving up without a fight. She put together a petition to keep the mural, painted on the Ascent luxury apartments in East Naples.
In just two weeks, she’s gathered 720 signatures, hoping commissioners will listen to the community.
“People are talking. So this mural is doing exactly what art is supposed to do, which is, you know, generate energy, create excitement, create conversation, and get people really engaged in the community," Jaron said.
Locals seem to agree. Tyler Novak, who’s lived in Naples his whole life, told us, “I don’t mind it. I don’t see anything wrong with it. I think it’s great for the community.” He added, “It adds a spark to the community. We’re close to the Bayshore District, and we’re trying to turn that into an art district. So I don’t agree with taking it down."
Alexis Cummings, who drives by the mural every day on her way to work at Serenity Bait Company, said she doesn’t hate it. “I like the idea of having artwork in Naples. In Naples, everything does kind of look the same,” she said.
But after seeing the original design for the building, she pointed out, “It’s very Naples. All has to fit into one and kind of look the same as everything else—very monotone. I think they should keep it the way it is and let them be different.”
The original design for the Ascent was approved by the Collier County Commission before construction began. But once the floral mural was revealed, local officials pushed back, even threatening legal action against the developer. They warned that a code enforcement case could be opened to take the art down.
And it worked.
District 4 Commissioner Dan Kowal told NBC2 that the developer reached out last week, calling the mural an honest mistake. The developer has agreed to remove it and return to the original design.
As of now, there’s no exact timeline for when the mural will be repainted.