City unveils plan for Stern-designed African museum.Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced plans to build a major new facility on Fifth Avenue for the Museum for African Art The Museum for African Art is located in the neighborhood of Long Island City in the borough of Queens in New York City (USA). Founded in 1984, the museum is "dedicated to increasing public understanding and appreciation of African art and culture. , the only independent museum in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. dedicated solely to African art African art, art created by the peoples south of the Sahara. The predominant art forms are masks and figures, which were generally used in religious ceremonies. . The Museum, to be located at the corner of 110th Street, will extend the City's storied Museum Mile and create a "cultural gateway" to Harlem, generating substantial economic activity for the area. The City has committed $12 million toward the construction of the Museum, which is being designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects. Since its founding in 1984, the Museum for African Art has resided in rented space around the City and is currently operating in Long Island City, presenting off-site exhibitions and programming. Earlier this year, EDC EDC See: Export Development Corp. negotiated the sale of four parcels of land located between East 109th and 110th Streets to a partnership between the Museum, Sidney Fetner Associates and Brickman Associates. The City-owned parcels of land together with a site already owned by the Museum will allow for the creation of the new museum facility and residential building. The project is expected to generate approximately 150 full-time equivalent Full-time equivalent (FTE) is a way to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or a student's enrollment at an educational institution. An FTE of 1.0 means that the person is equivalent to a full-time worker, while an FTE of 0.5 signals that the worker is only half-time. jobs and 240 construction jobs. The Sidney Fetner/Brickman joint venture will also contribute $1 million to the City's Department of Housing and Preservation for the promotion of the City's affordable housing initiatives. As part of the Administration's efforts to revitalize re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. Upper Manhattan Upper Manhattan denotes the more northerly region of the New York City Borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary may be defined anywhere between 59th Street and 155th Street. , the Museum will serve as an important "cultural gateway" to Harlem, attracting tourists and generating economic activity for the community. The new building on Fifth Avenue will provide the Museum with 85,000 s/f, which includes state-of-the-art exhibition galleries, an interactive education center, a theater, a cafe/restaurant, an expanded gift shop devoted to African design, and climate controlled art storage and conservation facilities. The centerpiece of the Museum's education center will recreate African villages that will virtually transport children across the sea to a continent, a culture and history they may not have the opportunity to experience first hand. The development will also include a residential tower with 116 new units of housing financed by a private developer. Said Mayor Bloomberg, "For more than 20 years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time Museum for African Art has developed enriching educational programs and exhibitions throughout the City, providing a window into African art and culture which has a profound impact on New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . "Now at last, the Museum will have an extraordinary new venue on Museum Mile that will allow it to vastly expand its reach and service to New Yorkers and visitors from around the world. This stunning new facility will also serve as a new cultural gateway to Harlem." With a new home on Museum Mile, the Museum can present a permanent collection of the finest examples of African art, an expanded calendar of enriching visual and performing arts workshops, performances, and events, and expanded educational and community outreach programs. Construction of the Museum is expected to begin in the summer of 2007, with a completion date slated for late 2009. |
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