1. Bronx Museum of the Arts
The Bronx Museum of the Arts is a cultural center and embodies many of the forces of history at work in the Bronx. It is located on the Grand Concourse in the heart of the South Bronx, which was once known for urban decay but is now associated with urban revival.
The museum currently consists of two buildings. The South Building is a former synagogue revamped as the home of the museum in the mid-1980s. Two decades later, in 2006, the museum expanded with the construction of the adjoining North Building, by Arquitectonica, a Miami-based firm with strong connections to Latin America. With its rippled metal facade and interstitial windows, its Postmodern design has become locally iconic.
In May 2016, the Bronx Museum of the Arts announced plans for a major renovation and expansion designed by Venezuelan-American architect Monica Ponce de Leon. Only time will tell how these changes will play out. Hopefully, the North Building will remain as a reminder of an era when Postmodern architecture symbolized the Bronx’s revitalization.
Next, read about the Bronx’s Grand Concourse architecture, 10 Pre-War Apartment House Gems of the South Bronx NYC, and places to discover in Mott Haven. Contact the author @Jeff_Reuben