The Denver Art Museum will move forward with the $150 million renovation of its iconic North Building later this year — whether or not a crucial city bond package passes in November.
But it would be a much longer and more modest process without it, officials said Tuesday.
“We’re very optimistic, but you always have to prepare and be realistic,” museum director Christoph Heinrich said. “We just had a meeting today looking at what could be deferred, and if this is something we could do over 10 years instead of two years. The scope would switch dramatically, and we would have to continue fundraising like crazy.”
About a quarter of the cost of renovating of what is often referred to as the Gio Ponti building — after the Italian architect who designed it — would come from the city’s $937 million General Obligation Bond, which the Denver City Council–this week approved—to send to voters in November.
If Denver Art Museum’s $35.5 million slice of the bond is approved, museum officials have promised to match every public dollar with approximately three private dollars.
“I feel very comfortable saying that if voters approve this, then we really can get the shovel in the ground the next day after the election,” Heinrich said.
Museum officials have been touting renderings of the overhaul and periodically announcing fundraising milestones for the project since last year. Those include a gift of $25 million made in December by board chairman and philanthropist J. Landis “Lanny” Martin and his wife, Sharon — the museum’s—largest single gift.—
Private fundraising has been underway for five years. The current plan calls for the renovation to finish at the end of 2021 — just in time to coincide with the building’s 50th anniversary.
The $35.5 million in city money is crucial to the project, given its half-decade scope. But passage is far from assured.
Despite voting to approve a similar, $550 million infrastructure bond and tax increase in 2007, Denver voters barely missed killing the $70 million portion that raised revenue to expand cultural facilities.
The money — $40 million for expanding Boettcher Concert Hall and another $30 million for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science — generated the most controversy among detractors at the time. The lessons from that election are still on the minds of museum donors and fundraisers, Heinrich said.
“We’ve been wondering, ‘Should we go ahead and really clear the (North) building, or should we wait until Nov. 8?’ To clear a building of that size really takes a lot of time, with 45,000-50,000 objects, and it’s much more efficient to do it all at once,” he said.
Denver Art Museum and other cultural institutions are among those contributing to a campaign to ensure passage of the bond package. As of last month, nonprofit groups, developers, city contractors and others had already donated nearly $500,000 — including $50,000 from the art museum.
“That money comes from our private funds that we have, as well as some trustees and supporters chipping in,” Heinrich said.
In February, Anna and John Sie donated $12 million for the overall renovation, including a striking, 50,000 square foot welcome center. The capital campaign has gathered about three-quarters of its $150 million goal.
Museum officials have said the renovation will update the 210,000-square-foot building’s infrastructure as well as its permanent-collection displays, making them more accessible to visitors and school children.