In cities throughout the country the arts have consistently been a vital component of urban renewal. CAM will serve Raleigh’s downtown renaissance by establishing itself as the visual arts anchor in the warehouse district. CAM’s programming and facility will confirm its role as an urban cultural center, a downtown meeting place and a catalyst for change vital to the region’s urban renaissance.
The current transformation of CAM into a world-class cultural venue is the perfect complement to the other magnificent projects currently under development in downtown Raleigh.
Click here for more info on the Contemporary Art Foundation and the CAM building project...
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Contemporary Art Foundation
In February 2006, CAM announced the creation of the Contemporary Art Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization separate and distinct from CAM. This move separates CAM’s programmatic functions from its capital fundraising responsibilities and strengthens both efforts in significant ways.
The Foundation is the sole owner of the 409 West Martin Street property. Its primary goal is to raise the additional capital required to transform the site and create and maintain a museum home for CAM. In the longer term, the Foundation will support contemporary art beyond CAM.
The Development of the Site
As of December 2009, our architectural team of Clearscapes and Pugh + Scarpa have finished their design work,
the City of Raleigh has approved our building
permit, and we have selected C.T. Wilson as our
general contractor. We anticipate starting construction
in the first quarter of 2010 and opening the museum in 2011.
The renovated warehouse structure will be an approximately 20,000 square foot facility which will accommodate all of CAM’s operational goals, including 3 galleries and dedicated educational spaces. In addition, included in the capital campaign budget are expenses for the entire museum upfit and provisions for establishing an endowment fund for future support.
The CAM warehouse renovation incorporates sustainable building practices, embodies the principles
of sound land-use planning and promotes historic
preservation. CAM’s new home will be located in an
early 20th century structure that is part of the Depot
National Register Historic District. The Depot
District contains Raleigh’s only significant collection
of buildings related to the heyday of railroad
transportation and shipping in the Capital City.
By recycling this important building, CAM preserves an important part of Raleigh’s history
and demonstrates its commitment to sustainability and leadership in community preservation.
Design History
In the fall of 2006, the Contemporary Art Foundation selected the architectural team of Clearscapes and Pugh + Scarpa.
Clearscapes, based in Raleigh, is a multi-disciplinary design firm that focuses on cultural facilities, higher education, urban mixed use, and large scale public art. Current work includes the new Raleigh Convention Center, and four performing art theaters. Pugh+Scarpa is an architecture, engineering, interior design and planning firm founded in Santa Monica, California. The firm was recently chosen to receive the presitigious 2010 AIA Architecture Firm Award. The firm has received thirty-five major design awards, is one of ten worldwide finalists for the World Habitat Award, and presently has work on exhibit at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.