Don't be misled by the debris on the floor or the scaffolding hugging the walls. The old Equitable Gas Building lobby at 420 Boulevard of the Allies will soon be the gallery for the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. The piles of ceiling tile and sheetrock will be replaced by a 30,000-volume library more than three times larger than the one at the school's current Penn Avenue location. The rolls of pink insulation that crowd the first floor will make way for new photography, video and audio facilities. The new site, able to hold another 1,000 students, is key to the institute's future.
Growth is dependent on adding new facilities and updating the school's technology.
The new building and its many amenities were instrumental in its gaining state approval recently for four new bachelor's degree programs. And Pry hopes the addition of those programs will attract more students. Last year, the Art Institute received state approval to offer baccalaureate degrees. The bachelor's program began in January, and Pry expects enrollment to grow from 2,500 to 3,000 in three to five years. Currently, the Institute offers 4-year degrees in industrial design, media arts and animation, graphic design and interior design.