Goodnight Raleigh - a look at the art, architecture, history, and people of the city at night

Construction Begins on the Contemporary Art Museum

Construction crews recently began working at the future home of the Contemporary Art Museum on 409 West Martin Street. Within the past few days, the banner in the photo above was put up on the front of the building.

The 1920s-era building in the Warehouse District has had a sign designating it as the future home of CAM for a couple of years, but movement really began late last year, after designs were completed by Clearscapes and Pugh + Scarpa:

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.

– CAM, Dec 09

The loading dock and the awning over it on the east side of the building have already been removed. Below is a rendering of how this same view will look once completed.

The sweeping angular roof line is a bold and beautiful nod to the future resting on the side of a historic building. It will give shade to an outdoor space where a surface parking lot now exists.

This is the only structure in the Warehouse District with the distinct aluminum window shades typically seen on period residential construction in the 50s, and it will be interesting to see if these remain part of the final design. My guess is that they will likely be taken off, much like the ones on the Lulu Building were.

Sandwiched between Flanders Gallery and Designbox, the area is quickly transforming from a quiet relic of Raleigh’s manufacturing past in to an emerging arts district.

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