Andy Warhol Annex at Essex Crossing: Developers Picking Up the Bill (original) (raw)

Rendering: Andy Warhol Museum.

Over the weekend, some new details dripped out concerning one of the more prominent attractions coming to the big Essex Crossing project. The 1.9 million square foot mixed use development near the Williamsburg Bridge is scheduled to break ground next spring.

At its gala Saturday night, Andy Warhol Museum Director Eric Shiner told guests that the Pittsburgh-based museum was moving forward with plans for a 10,000 square foot annex as part of Essex Crossing. While the museum was included in the grand plan for the former urban renewal site announced last September, Andy Warhol execs have been largely silent about their potential involvement.

But in the past week Shiner told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “the partnership has been formed and we’re moving forward with our plans to open the branch in New York,” while adding, “there’s still much work to be done to finalize the project and plans and designs.”

More from te Post-Gazette story:

Having a New York presence “is like having a chance to exhibit more of the collection to a wider, more international audience and to encourage more people to come to Pittsburgh to see everything we have as well,” Mr. Shiner said. “New York is the amuse bouche and Pittsburgh is the main course.” … Mr. Shiner said negotiations for this project began in 2012. David M. Hillenbrand, the president and CEO of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, approved the initiative, as did Joel Wachs, president of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Delancey Street Associates (the Essex Crossing developers) will pay for the cost of building the museum branch, which has a target opening date of 2017. For the first five years of the museum’s existence, the developers will pay for any operating deficits.

The museum will be located on site #1 of the Seward Park development area, bordered by Ludlow, Broome and Essex streets. The developers are expected to unveil their final renderings in September (the drawing you see above was simply a mock-up prepared for their successful bid). The Warhol Museum is celebrating its 20th year in existence. The Pittsburgh location is about 88,000 square feet.