GLASS CENTER GIVES $15 MILLION EXPANSION PROGRESS REPORT
The doors are open again after six weeks of major demolition and reconstruction at Pittsburgh Glass Center (PGC), one of the top public access glass art centers in the US. The $15 million expansion is not complete, but everyone is welcome to take a glass class, watch glassblowing demonstrations, and explore the growing facility.
PGC began construction of the $15 million expansion in March 2023. Despite the disturbance, PGC saw major growth and earned $1,088,000 in 2023, a 9% increase from 2022. Class registration excelled during construction and reached $860,000 for 2023, breaking all previous records. In 2023 PGC also paid over $450,000 to artists by employing them as instructors to teach workshops and classes; hosting artist residencies; and selling their work in the retail space and through exhibitions in the Hodge Gallery.
Transparent Transformation
From the outside, it's a transparent transformation expanding up and over the parking lot and adding a third floor. Indovina Associates Architects designed a plan that would allow PGC to add 11,000 square feet and nearly double its capacity to keep up with the increasing demand for glass programs and studios and allow space for more community programming. The additional 11,000 square feet allow PGC to more than double the number of people that visit the facility each year and grow the student base from 9,500 to 12,000.
PGC began construction in March 2023 and less than a year later there is a new glass house. The nonprofit, public access education center, art gallery, and glass studio is working with general contractor The Albert M. Higley Co. to complete the construction part of the project on time so that PGC can offer classes again in February. Many more developments are expected in subsequent months. A public reopening celebration is planned for October 2024.
Colorful Content on Penn
New, high-thermal efficient glass, VacuMax™ Vacuum Insulating Glass (VIG), and Solarban® 72 Starphire® glass panels donated by Vitro Architectural Glass were installed on the front of the building along with colorful glass panels. VacuMax™ VIG is a newly designed product that rivals the thermal performance of traditional walls, delivering world-leading insulating value on a scale previously unachievable with conventional glazings. It’s the first implementation of this newly designed product in the region.
“From the start, Pittsburgh Glass Center has been committed to reducing its energy consumption and doing all that we can to reduce our carbon footprint. A grant from the Frankenthaler Foundation and partnership with Vitro Architectural Glass allows us to truly make a difference for the environment inside and outside of our building. Immediately visitors and staff will benefit from the warmth that this technology provides,” said Heather McElwee, the Randi and L. Van V. Dauler Jr. Executive Director.
The colorful glass panels in five warm shades repeat down the skinny return of the sawtooth curtain wall on the outside of the building and spill into the new second-floor classroom. The effect is a “sunset” fade as you drive or walk down Penn Avenue.
The Solarban® 72 Starphire glass by Vitro offers brilliant clarity and true-to-life views of the outdoors. The new flexible classroom space will enjoy amazing views through this curtain wall of glass and can accommodate hands-on group experiences such as making fused tiles and mosaics, as well as community meetings, public lectures, and exhibitions.
Going Up
The third floor will be home to a second glassblowing studio specifically for professional artists who live in Pittsburgh and rely on PGC to make a living, a spacious outdoor patio facing Penn Avenue, and administrative offices. The third floor, opening in May, will be open to the public to explore and watch glass artists at work. This new studio will be the main venue for glassblowing demonstrations during free open-house events at PGC.
Third Floor Outdoor Patio
The Vitro Patio is a large outdoor deck overlooking Penn Avenue into East Liberty will serve as an overflow area for increased capacity for the growing attendance at glassblowing demonstrations and a place for students to take a break and enjoy the fresh air.
An accessibility and inclusion grant from Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD) makes PGC accessible to all visitors including people with physical disabilities and limited mobility using a new elevator and wheelchair lift. This includes 100 percent of the free, ongoing programming such as exhibitions, open-house glassblowing demonstrations, and self-guided tours.
Bright, Beautiful Boutique
A bright retail boutique, supported by the Hans and Leslie Fleischner Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation, will open on Penn Avenue this spring. It will showcase both aspiring and established glass artists, makers, and designers.
“With properly staged products in a dedicated retail footprint, PGC will become a shopping destination for art, giftware, and home decor. Providing a welcoming first impression for visitors, the store will provide increased revenue to support all PGC programs and build visibility for local artists,” said McElwee.
Expanded Art Studios
PGC doubled the size of the kiln, flame, and cold studios to make room for more students and add room for visiting artists in residence to experiment with glass and display their art. New additions coming later this spring include a second glassblowing studio dedicated to professional artists, a neon studio, and a fabrication lab with new technology such as 3D printing and water jet cutting.
“Expanded facilities will be transformational for Pittsburgh Glass Center, the East End of Pittsburgh, the constituents we serve, and the wider international glass art community as they will strengthen our capacity to advance a more diverse, vibrant, and accessible glass art community,” said McElwee.
Renovation of a Second Building on Penn Avenue
This spring, PGC will begin renovation of a second 6,500-square-foot building located at 5431 Penn Avenue, at the corner of North Graham Street and Penn Avenue, two blocks away from the existing facility. This building, the former Horoscope Lounge, will be transformed into a flexible space for emerging artist exhibitions and community programming, as well as additional housing for technical apprentices and visiting artists.
Nearly $13 Million Raised
To date, the Shattering Expectations capital campaign, chaired by Jim and Kathe Patrinos, has raised nearly $13 million of the $15 million goal.
Stop By, Explore, Get Ready for More
Pittsburgh Glass Center is free and will be open to the public starting Feb. 6:
Tuesday – Saturday 11am-7pm
Sunday 11am-4pm
Monday Closed
Visitors can take a class, watch glassblowing demonstrations, and explore the newly expanded space. In the next few months, PGC will put the final touches on the building and install glass equipment to open more of the expanded space.
The next free Hot Jam Open House is scheduled for Friday, March 1 from 6 to 9pm.
“Myth-Science of the Gatekeepers”, a new exhibition in the Hodge Gallery, will open on Friday, May 3. It features a collection of 16 glass sculptures of Black same gender loving men cast as ancient Egyptian deities by Rainbow Serpent, a Black LGBTQ arts collective led by Marques Redd and Mikael Owunna.
A public reopening celebration is planned for October 2024.