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Cultural center receives funding boost
It also represents the largest gift or grant to date for the proposed $32.7 million center on Liberty Avenue, across from Downtown's David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
"We consider it a lead gift, and we hope the rest of the funding community comes to believe as we do that this is a potential wonderful project for Pittsburgh," said Heinz President Maxwell King.
The grant will help pay for design and construction, and provide $500,000 for the nonprofit center's endowment. The fact that Heinz made such a large gift while the city and other cultural groups are struggling financially signals the importance of the project to the foundation, King said.
"It takes a tremendous powerful community asset, which is the African American cultural legacy of Pittsburgh, and puts it to work for the whole community," he said.
Heinz officials worked with the center's leaders to widen its scope beyond a visual arts museum. As a result, the center will offer a sixth theater in the Downtown. The facility is expected to attract 150,000 visitors a year.
The foundation further required that the center be built according to "green" standards for energy efficiency, sustainable building materials and a healthy interior environment.
Initially, King said, Heinz had questioned whether the African American museum should link with the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center in the Strip District. But the foundation eventually favored creating a free-standing building after the center had refined its business and programming plan.
Center officials welcomed yesterday's announcement.
"The Heinz Endowments play a leadership role within the foundation community," said Neil Barclay, CEO of the center. "Their support will show a great deal of confidence in the project, which we hope will encourage many of the other local foundations to join the campaign."
Center officials declined to disclose how much has been raised so far, but they are seeking $10 million from the state. The organization's fiscal 2003 tax return shows that it had raised $1.1 million from the public and government.
The center is to be built in the 900 block of Liberty Avenue, a block from the convention center. Barclay said the city's Urban Redevelopment Authority owns 10 parcels, which it bought for $6.6 million.
Nancy Washington, vice chairwoman of the center's board, said construction will start late next year or early 2006 and be completed in 2007.
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