N.C. Museum of Art

[urbanesq]

The NCMA's current facility is great, no question. It's also true that it would have been great to keep it downtown. As the museum has grown over the years, I've often wondered if it wouldn't be possible to have a facility downtown that had a couple of small, themed permanent collections and space for traveling shows, with the bulk of the collection being housed out at the really excellent Blue Ridge Rd. building. Can you imagine being able to stroll through a couple of galleries-- maybe the size of the Ackland in CH-- or sit in a sculpture garden on your lunch hour, or on a break from a conference session at the convention center?

[JTsaysToYou]

The NCMA's current facility is great, no question. It's also true that it would have been great to keep it downtown. As the museum has grown over the years, I've often wondered if it wouldn't be possible to have a facility downtown that had a couple of small, themed permanent collections and space for traveling shows, with the bulk of the collection being housed out at the really excellent Blue Ridge Rd. building. Can you imagine being able to stroll through a couple of galleries-- maybe the size of the Ackland in CH-- or sit in a sculpture garden on your lunch hour, or on a break from a conference session at the convention center?

Most of the time people think in all-or-nothing terms, but i really like your approach! They could maintain a downtown presence but keep the freedom the blueridge location has to offer. A win-win situation.

[DanRNC]

Story on economic impact of Monet exhibit

[ChiefJoJo]

The exhibition set a new attendance record at the art museum, attracting 214,177 people from all 100 counties in North Carolina, all 50 states and five foreign countries. Fifty-eight percent of the attendees came from outside the Triangle.

I'm pretty impressed with the numbers! I went two Saturday's before Xmas, which was probably a mistake with the tremendous crowds, but I did enjoy it nonetheless.

[dmccall]

Gosh, I can't believe people from Bertie County actually figured out how to make it there (just kidding). I think the majority coming from outside of the Triangle is a pretty impressive stat.

[architect77]

The NC Museum of Art's suburban setting seems appropriate for a state regarded for its natural beauty, and facilitates the enjoyment of nature and art together. Out-of-towners are most likely impressed.

And even visitors to the RBC Center get a genuine taste of the real NC, with its trees. I admit, the arena's location is somewhat peculiar, but I'll bet out-of-towners admire the landscape.

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

The NC Museum of Art's suburban setting seems appropriate for a state regarded for its natural beauty, and facilitates the enjoyment of nature and art together. Out-of-towners are most likely impressed.

And even visitors to the RBC Center get a genuine taste of the real NC, with its trees. I admit, the arena's location is somewhat peculiar, but I'll bet out-of-towners admire the landscape.

Now if we can just connect The NC Museum of Art and the RBC Center to downtown Raleigh with a form of mass transit?

[DanRNC]

It looks like construction of the NC Museum of Art expansion and renovation is in full swing now. Should be pretty impressive when its done.

Story

[carynative]

I don't think I realilzed until reading that how huge this project will be. I'm very excited. Will the old and new buildings be connected with an interior walkway. I couldn't tell from the renderings.

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

It looks as if the "new building" is going to be located right in front of the old building, and next to the road,(Blue Ridge), (also, they will have already taken down more trees then they will put back). It seems that the "soil" wasn't quite right for this building's first choice of land next door on the land that the State of NC gave them. It was land that was last used by the Polk Youth Center,(prison for those under 18?). And do you think they will give the Polk land back to the State of NC? Maybe they could keep it and use it for a Botanical garden or something similar that people wanted to put out in the Dix property? It is starting to look like a big beautiful piece of raw land being used solely for an old and new warehouse with no real planning. And a great big field next door where no taxes will be coming back to the city or state!

[Subway Scoundrel]

If I remember correctly, the site of the former Polk Youth Center was given to the Museum of Art and Larry Wheeler ain't about to give that back without a fight! It is my understanding that the land across the street from the NC Mus Art is the land that the gov wants to put not only the DENR office but others as well. I think that they need to sale that land, and build a mixed use project downtown to house those employees. Better for both worlds including Raleigh, because they can have that land finally bring taxes back in to the city.

I thought Mrs. Goodnight bought that property for $50M and donated it to the NCMA? I am pretty sure she had something to do with that peice and that is how the NCMA ended up with it.

[JeffC]

I thought Mrs. Goodnight bought that property for $50M and donated it to the NCMA? I am pretty sure she had something to do with that peice and that is how the NCMA ended up with it.

If you are talking about the Polk Youth Center site, that was an interagency transfer similar to how NC State ended up with the Centennial Campus property. I don't recall that a private donor was involved, though I'm not certain. For Goodnight to buy a piece of state property, even if it was to be donated to another agency, would require the approval of the Council of State...

[DanRNC]

That property was donated by Goodnight but don't know the specifics of the land purchase-transfer.

[ChiefJoJo]

I had thought that Goodnight donated the money to the NCMA to help fund the expansion. WHy would there be a need to buy the land--Polk was already state-owned in the first place.

Here's the webpage on the expansion: http://www.ncartmuseum.org/whatsnew.shtml

In the image below, you can see Blue Ridge Rd on the far left:

[Beth Y]

I think that Blue Ridge is actually the road in the front (bottom?) of the rendering. The building in back being the current building, and the ampitheater and "Picture This" are in front of the current buidling to the right looking at the picture.

[ChiefJoJo]

I think that Blue Ridge is actually the road in the front (bottom?) of the rendering. The building in back being the current building, and the ampitheater and "Picture This" are in front of the current buidling to the right looking at the picture.

Beth, you're right. I can see the amphitheater to the upper right. For some reason, I was thinking the expansion was on the old Polk Center site towards Wade, but I guess it's not. Polk would have been a much better arrangement I think. I guess that makes it clear that the Polk would have been the site for Green Square.

[avery]

Beth, you're right. I can see the amphitheater to the upper right. For some reason, I was thinking the expansion was on the old Polk Center site towards Wade, but I guess it's not. Polk would have been a much better arrangement I think. I guess that makes it clear that the Polk would have been the site for Green Square.

I read somewhere that the soil or foundation would not work for the new museum at the Polk site. It was originally supposed to be constructed there. They then decided on its new location after the fact.

[Jones_]

I thought Goodnight just provided the money to tear down the Polk buildings....in exchange for what I am not sure....

[dmccall]

Yeah, Jojo, she's right. I had pictured it your way for months until I saw all of the excavation. I figured that the NCMA would actually USE the Polk Land for their museum expansion. They way it looks, they didn't need one square foot of the Polk land.

Here's a Google map close up of the area. The rendering is a view from the west based on the "Picture This" relationship to the existing museum building.

Back out of that image and you'll see that all of that Rex area is labeled "Tysonville". Anyone have any ideas what that's all about? I've never seen any signs in that area referring to a Tyson.

[Jones_]

Yeah, Jojo, she's right. I had pictured it your way for months until I saw all of the excavation. I figured that the NCMA would actually USE the Polk Land for their museum expansion. They way it looks, they didn't need one square foot of the Polk land.

Here's a Google map close up of the area. The rendering is a view from the west based on the "Picture This" relationship to the existing museum building.

Back out of that image and you'll see that all of that Rex area is labeled "Tysonville". Anyone have any ideas what that's all about? I've never seen any signs in that area referring to a Tyson.

[historic digression] Tysonville is one of those communities like Millbrook and Six Forks that formed around some sort of economic impetus(mill, railroad, crossroads) but never grew large enough to become a town. I know little about Tysonville but there are at least two cemetaries nearby, one with alot of Tyson family members on Blue Ridge Road (just before it starts down the hill towards the mall)has a big sign up. I checked out the dates and of the marked graves only a handful were born before the civil war. The other appears to be a freedmans cemetary around where Glen Eden crosses Blue Ridge with very few stone markers but large in size. I would guess, located at the top of ridge, it probably grew up in relationship to the mills that operated on Crabtree down the hill. Crabtree flooded enough so people were smart enough (back then anyway) to know not to site there communities in the flood plain[/historic digression]

[DPK]

[historic digression] Tysonville is one of those communities like Millbrook and Six Forks that formed around some sort of economic impetus(mill, railroad, crossroads) but never grew large enough to become a town. I know little about Tysonville but there are at least two cemetaries nearby, one with alot of Tyson family members on Blue Ridge Road (just before it starts down the hill towards the mall)has a big sign up. I checked out the dates and of the marked graves only a handful were born before the civil war. The other appears to be a freedmans cemetary around where Glen Eden crosses Blue Ridge with very few stone markers but large in size. I would guess, located at the top of ridge, it probably grew up in relationship to the mills that operated on Crabtree down the hill. Crabtree flooded enough so people were smart enough (back then anyway) to know not to site there communities in the flood plain[/historic digression]

Jones, you're like full of random historic Raleigh info. If we ever meet, I'm buying you a beer.

[Beth Y]

I distinctly recall earlier renderings that showed it on the Polk property, parallel with BRidge. Am not sure what precipitated the move to the area between the current museum and the street. Could be an issue with the land/soil. Could be a desire the maximize sculpture garden/ museum park expansion area. Could be that it was easier to provide the underground link between the two buildings for staff/art movement and to allow the current parking to access both buildings, etc. Knowing Larry Wheeler, there is a grand thought out plan.

[dmccall]

Beth, I think you are referring to the generation of renderings that produced this one:

[DanRNC]

There are construction photos here.

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

I wonder what they are going to do with all of that unused land now?