Published: Aug 2, 2005
Lee Scarfone, the prominent Tampa developer for whom the University’s
Scarfone/Hartley Gallery is named in part, died in his sleep at his Tampa home
on May 28. He was 73. The son of Italian immigrants, Letterio Salvatore “Lee”
Scarfone was born in New Jersey, where he lived until moving to St. Petersburg
with his family when he was 16. He graduated from St. Petersburg High School in
1951, served four years in the Navy, then attended the University of Florida,
graduating with a degree in architecture in 1959.
Known as a dedicated
patron of the arts, Scarfone contributed funding to the 1977 creation of UT’s
art gallery, in addition to designing its interior. Gallery director Dorothy
Cowden said that Scarfone’s involvement with the gallery continued until his
death.
As head of Lee Scarfone and Associates, Scarfone left his mark in
the Tampa Bay area with major projects that included the Pinnacle condominium
building and the Bigelow mansion, both on Tampa’s Bayshore
Boulevard.
Scarfone had a reputation for allying himself with big
projects, and not only in the realms of development and construction. He amassed
a fortune as a design consultant for ARAMCO, an American and Saudi Arabian oil
company, in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
From 1982-86, he was a
co-owner of the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League. The
team’s other owners included actor Burt Reynolds, country music star and actor
Jerry Reed, and the primary owner, the late professional sports tycoon John
Bassett. Coached by Florida Gators legend Steve Spurrier, the team was
successful on the field and at the cash register, but folded when the league
went under.
Besides being a recognized patron of the arts, Scarfone also
was known to be an avid art collector. In 1981, he purchased the entire
collection of works by Tampa artist William Pachner. Earlier, he had been a
leader in the establishment of an art gallery at UT.
“He made it happen
here at the gallery,” Cowden said. “He scrambled and begged and borrowed to make
it happen. He loved art, and that’s one reason he supported it so
much.”
For more information, contact the Office of Public Information at
publicinfo@ut.edu or (813) 253-6232.