The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that the Warhol Museum has dropped plans to establish an annex on the Lower East Side as part of the Essex Crossing development project:
Eric Shiner, director of The Warhol, said in a statement Friday night that “The Andy Warhol Museum, which had been exploring its participation in the Essex Crossing development in lower Manhattan, has determined that it will not proceed with the project. Despite the efforts of both the museum and the developers, an internal study of business and other operational considerations led the museum to this decision. “The Warhol will continue to participate in programs, exhibitions, and special projects in New York City through its longstanding collaborations with a variety of New York-based arts organizations.”
The 10,000 square foot museum was supposed to serve as a major attraction for the large residential and commercial project on the former Seward Park urban renewal site. Â The developers, Delancey Street Associates, had agreed to pay the building costs for a stand-alone facility on site 1, with entrances on Essex and Ludlow streets. Groundbreaking was scheduled for late summer.
In a statement, Risa Heller, a spokesperson for the developers said:
For the past two years we have worked closely with The Andy Warhol Museum to find a way to bring Andy home to New York’s Lower East Side. We have dedicated tremendous time and resources and offered them a very generous multimillion dollar package to make this work. We found out today and are surprised and disappointed that they are unable to see this through. We are hard at work looking for another exciting use for this great space.
Site 1 also includes a separate residential and commercial building, including 55 condominium apartments and a below-grade bowling alley entertainment complex. It remains to be see whether the setback will delay the start of phase 1 construction was set to begin several months from now on site 1, 2, 5 and 6.
Bummer
I was really looking forward to the Warhol in this area which is full of art galleries. Hopefully, something else of that caliber can take its place.
watch out…the Moelis brothers of L&M are all spin and fluff…they love chain stores, hate small biz. Just look at how they kicked out ess -a bagel out of their space.
What’s the real reason or reasons behind the decision?
I’m with you. Was it a bait and switch by L&M or did the notoriously schizoid “The Warhol” pull one of their goofy curator tricks? With these players, who knows?
BTW, the Warhol being located in Pittsburgh is like having the Keith Haring museum in Wasilla.
Who’s Warhol?