BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - After years of planning, the Albright Knox Art Gallery officially broke ground on a massive $160 million expansion.
Friday's ceremonial event also featured a $10 million investment from DoubleLine Capital investor Jeffrey Gundlach, who has donated $62.5 million for the expansion project.
Here's a look at some of the renderings of the new @AlbrightKnox , which will be rebranded as Buffalo AKG Art Museum when it re-opens in 2022. Groundbreaking was held today pic.twitter.com/2CLUgKMNPI
— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@NewsRadio930)
November 22, 2019 "Let's light this candle and may it burn brightly for generations to come for all of the people of the great City of Buffalo," he said. "We're taking this all the way home, baby! All the way home. Let's go Buffalo! Bring on the construction team."
The expansions include a building on the north end of the campus which will include 30,000 square feet of space for special exhibitions and art collections. It will have a wraparound promenade that serves as a connection to the nearby landscape. There will also be a new education wing
Three new buildings will be added to the Albright Knox campus on Elmwood Avenue by Buffalo State College. The three new buildings will be named after Gundlach, the Knox Family, and the late M&T Bank President Bob Wilmers.
There will also be underground parking, an Indoor Town Square, and new space for year-round engagement. It's the first expansion of the art gallery since 1962.
Ground is officially broken pic.twitter.com/TlsWr3ZjP9
— Mike Baggerman (@MikeBaggerman)
November 22, 2019 The Albright Knox Art Gallery closed for construction on November 4. Fans of the art gallery who still want to view some of the artwork can visit Albright Knox Northland when it opens on January 17.
