Peabody Essex's New Gallery | Salem

Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

In the photo above, this is the brick-fronted building to the left of the front entrance. The museum wanted to buy it before it built the Safdie wing, but the owner refused. And there was a bit of a feud between the museum and he. The owner is now 85-86 years old, so it would seem inevitable that, sooner rather than later, the museum would make another run at acquiring this building and its adjacent (and small) driveway, and develop it. If the museum chose to extend the Safdie wing to the street, using the Marine Art Gallery land, then an additional 25-30,000 sq ft of gallery space could be created.. (I think the gallery owner has a residential unit on the second floor, and his gallery is on the first.)


SALEM — The Peabody Essex Museum has purchased the Marine Arts Gallery at 135 Essex St. for $1.4 million, after years of failing to close a deal on the property.
According to PEM Marketing Director Jay Finney, the owners, the Kiernan family, approached the museum six to eight months ago. A purchase agreement was signed this week. It allows the gallery to remain in the building for the next six months. In the meantime, the Kiernan family is expected to seek a new location on the North Shore.
"We've always been interested in that property, just 10 feet away from our front door," said Finney.
About 14 years ago, the museum was in the middle of a historic $200 million expansion when it ran up against an immovable object named Russell Kiernan, then owner of the gallery, who lived in an upstairs apartment and refused to sell his building to the PEM. Located on the edge of land where the museum was expanding, the Marine Arts Gallery was soon largely surrounded by museum construction equipment.
Kiernan, who died last January at age 86, was a kind of small business David taking arms against both the museum Goliath and City Hall. He not only declined to sell but brought the museum to court in unsuccessful efforts to stop the expansion.

My guess is that Safdie's included this site in his design knowing it would the museum would own it someday.

more at:
http://www.salemnews.com/news/local...cle_7ed0afce-1413-578e-b4f8-77b4387112e2.html
 
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Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

My guess is that Safdie's included this site in his design knowing it would the museum would own it someday.

more at:
http://www.salemnews.com/news/local...cle_7ed0afce-1413-578e-b4f8-77b4387112e2.html

The original architect for the planned major expansion, London-based Rick Mather, died during the early stages of design. In August 2013, a new architect was named, Ennead of New York. Because of Mather's death, and design re-start, the construction timetable was stated as being delayed about a year. But Ennead has yet to produce a rendering that has been publicly released.

My guess is Ennead is revising the expansion to take into account the future space that will be available from the Marine Arts gallery site. The site itself is about 4,400 square feet.

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The photo dies not show a parking alley and a small number of parking spaces between the Marine Arts Gallery and Safdie's main entrance to the museum.
One can see the curb cut though.

One might get 16-20,000 sq ft of building on the site, and perhaps some purpose-space that was to be in the 175,000 sq ft expansion will be moved to this site. Then too, the van Otterloo's were to have announced the future home for their Dutch Golden Age collection by now, and no word from them. Maybe the PEM will reproduce a double-wide canal house., or something from Delft. LOL Let the MFA try and top that.

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The image below is apparently from Ennead's entry in a design re-competition after Mather's death.

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Marine Arts Gallery with parking is at lower left. The new addition is outlined in the set of buildings to the right of the solitary tree. Building lower right is existing and preserved.
 
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Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

It would make sense to extend Safdie's wing to the Marine Arts site so that the temporary exhibit space on the second floor could be enlarged and exhibits would no longer extend over two separated rooms. I wouldn't be surprised if the special exhibit space could be programmed independently with extended hours when needed while the rest of the museum is closed.
 
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Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

Maybe I am crazy, but if I were running this museum instead of expanding on site I would be looking at building a satellite facility in Boston's seaport. Fair or not, This museum is limited in terms of it's international footprint by being in Salem. It would become internationally famous if it had a presence in downtown Boston or Cambridge.

This museum is closer to downtown Boston than the Getty is to downtown LA, but because it is technically Salem it sometimes gets forgotten about by visitors in the Boston museum scene (I think Locals know it, but national and international travelers I am talking about). The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry is about 10 miles south of downtown Chicago in Hyde Park, which is comparable distance but, again, is still technically Chicago

For this museum to take next step and become a true international museum, which it deserves to be based on collections, it needs to have a presence in Boston and be considered a part of Boston's cultural landscape. Fair or not, Boston is a world class city and being considered a "Boston Museum" would foster a reputation to the world about this museum. They could even run a ferry from Downtown to the full museum in Salem.
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

^ Or the blue line needs to get extended to Salem
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

^ Or the blue line needs to get extended to Salem

I don't think that necessarily addresses the issue, but then again, I don't think it's a huge problem if the PEM folks aren't worried. They seem to have plenty of money. They probably get a more informed and engaged visitor base, since people can't just "wander in" to the museum.

It's also worth pointing out that the PEM as a destination brings a lot of attention and visitors to Salem. Where it is, it is considered a hidden jewel, and its obscurity is part of the attraction to a lot of people.

I'm also not sure that the PEM's collection lends itself well to small galleries. They host art exhibits, but a lot of their primary holdings are physical objects that take up a lot of space (houses, boats, etc).
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

Maybe I am crazy, but if I were running this museum instead of expanding on site I would be looking at building a satellite facility in Boston's seaport. Fair or not, This museum is limited in terms of it's international footprint by being in Salem. It would become internationally famous if it had a presence in downtown Boston or Cambridge.

This museum is closer to downtown Boston than the Getty is to downtown LA, but because it is technically Salem it sometimes gets forgotten about by visitors in the Boston museum scene (I think Locals know it, but national and international travelers I am talking about). The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry is about 10 miles south of downtown Chicago in Hyde Park, which is comparable distance but, again, is still technically Chicago

For this museum to take next step and become a true international museum, which it deserves to be based on collections, it needs to have a presence in Boston and be considered a part of Boston's cultural landscape. Fair or not, Boston is a world class city and being considered a "Boston Museum" would foster a reputation to the world about this museum. They could even run a ferry from Downtown to the full museum in Salem.
Many years ago, before the renovation and expansion, the museum actually considered relocating to downtown Boston. They ultimately decided to stay in place, but did put a small collection in the Marriott Custom House Tower, which according to Fodor's still remains:

The magnificent Rotunda Room sports maritime prints and antique artifacts, courtesy of the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem.
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

Crystal Bridges (another Safdie design, as it happens) is in Bentonville, Arkansas and I'd say a lot of people consider that a world class museum, and Bentonville is way the hell away from anywhere with 'cultural significance.'
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

Many years ago, before the renovation and expansion, the museum actually considered relocating to downtown Boston. They ultimately decided to stay in place, but did put a small collection in the Marriott Custom House Tower, which according to Fodor's still remains:
I believe the Boston location was the waterfront, and the proposal was basically to split the museum's collection in two. However, I think the conclusion was doing that would make the sum less than the whole of the parts.

Money is no object, as this WSJ article points out.
http://www.pem.org/press/news/235-the_wall_street_journal_features_pem
^^^ which incidentally compares the PEM and Crystal Bridges as being the only two-of-their-kind with respect to endowment income. (And Ned Johnson is descended from an old Salem family. As was Isabella's Stewart's husband.)

____________
When the Safdie gallery was built, the city allowed the museum to close off a street (and move two brick houses) provided that the street became a garden path. The garden path is to the immediate left of the Marine Arts Gallery.

Assuming the PEM can get 15-20,000 sq ft of additional gallery space out of the Marine Arts Gallery site, then with the new Ennead gallery, total gallery space would be 175-180,000 sq ft, compared to MFA's 220,000+ sq ft.
 
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Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

I believe according to THe Globe the MFA has almost 700000 square feet in gallery space with the opening of the Art of Americas wing.

The peabody Essex Museum gets 250000 visitors per year. Put a facilty in Boston and watch them get 1000000 a year no questions asked. Too bad they did not go for it.

They should look at success and increase in international prominence of Barnes since moving to downtown Philadelphia
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

At the very least, they should have a ferry from Seaport that could take tourists to Salem. Give them some presence in Boston/Camridge. Like I said it is about 15 miles from PEM to Downtown Boston ( Getty is 17 from downtown LA).
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

At the very least, they should have a ferry from Seaport that could take tourists to Salem. Give them some presence in Boston/Camridge. Like I said it is about 15 miles from PEM to Downtown Boston ( Getty is 17 from downtown LA).

"Getty is 17 mi from downtown LA" -- But anywhere in LA is 17 mi [or 5 freeway exits] from anywhere else that's why its LA

Perfect Solution

Talk to Steve Wynn -- put a branch of the PEM in Wynn Everett -- Ceasar's in Vegas has had some museum's art on long term loan, as does Bellagio today

Run a water shuttle from PEM Everett to PEM Salem with stop-over at the Seaport
 
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Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

Assuming the PEM can get 15-20,000 sq ft of additional gallery space out of the Marine Arts Gallery site, then with the new Ennead gallery, total gallery space would be 175-180,000 sq ft, compared to MFA's 220,000+ sq ft.

Is this figure for the museum building alone or does it include all the house museums?
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

Is this figure for the museum building alone or does it include all the house museums?

PaulC -- the houses are not that large -- so that as long the total doesn't include the land around the houses the error would be only a handful of k-sq ft
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

Whiglander your a genius! I thought the same thing. I was surprised the Globe article on Sunday made no mention of a museum for WynN Casino. With all his talk of non gaming activites at the casino I was surprised. A PEM satellite gallery in Everett would be a great addition.

How can we get this idea to Wynn? Letter? Petition? Singing Telegram?
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

Whiglander your a genius! I thought the same thing. I was surprised the Globe article on Sunday made no mention of a museum for WynN Casino. With all his talk of non gaming activites at the casino I was surprised. A PEM satellite gallery in Everett would be a great addition.

How can we get this idea to Wynn? Letter? Petition? Singing Telegram?

Perhaps Steve is already on the forum?
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

PaulC -- the houses are not that large -- so that as long the total doesn't include the land around the houses the error would be only a handful of k-sq ft

But there are 22 structures:
http://www.pem.org/collections/10-architecture


According to this pfd(page 8) they will be going from 122,0000 sqft to 160,000 sqft of gallery space

http://www.pem.org/aux/pdf/visit/PEM_fast_facts_booklet.pdf

Acording to this, http://mfas3.s3.amazonaws.com/facts.pdf, the MFA has 221,267 sqft of gallery space
 
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Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

PEM isn't worried about not having a Boston walk-in crowd... why are we?
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

Paul C., that's where I got my numbers from. The Ennead gallery is 175,000 gsf, but the net gain in gallery space is 40,000 sf. None of the PEM's historic house collection is a gallery, though there was art on the walls of the Phillips Library before its ongoing renovation..

There is a ferry that runs between Long Wharf and Salem, but it is seasonal (not an enjoyable trip on a windy February day). Salem is spending state money to expand the size of the ferry dock, and with, state and private money, is constructing a cruise ship dock next to the ferry dock. (Salem harbor has a dredged depth of 32 feet, and Boston harbor, south of the runway at Logan) has a dredged depth of 35 feet, so it can accommodate cruise ships of some size.)

The curious thing about the new gallery is that it is priced at about $200 million (some of which is already spent on utility infrastructure) and an additional $100 million is to be spent on exhibiting whatever is to be exhibited. Do they have in mind recreating a Dutch merchant's house? The PEM has never indicated what exactly is going to be exhibited in the additional gallery space
 
Re: Peabody Essex's New Gallery

Shifting gears at the Peabody Essex.

New building is about 40,000 sq ft; a new facility for conservation and storage (80,000 sq ft) to be located within 20 miles of the museum, location to be chosen (although architect has been selected). Original proposal was for a new wing with 175,000 sq ft of space.

All existing galleries to remain, so the net new gallery space is about 13,000 sq ft, or a third of the net new gallery space in the original proposal. The original plan involved tear-down of some of the oldest galleries. No mention of the van Otterloo collection. Also, no mention of what PEM plans for the recently acquired marine art gallery site abutting the museum to the east..

Total cost is $200 million, for 55,000 sq ft less, and even with a splitting off of the conservation center, which should be less expensive, construction-wise. Methinks there is another shoe to drop with regard to the marine art gallery site.

Wonder if PEM would put the conservation center in Boston, and perhaps build it in conjunction with another museum.

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http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...ansion-plan/BNv2RGtv5gyFSm8Mdm8bvK/story.html

http://www.pem.org/about/expansion

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^^^ Asiatic garden moved from north side of property where new gallery will be built to what looks to be southwest corner.
 

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