PNC has donated the Lantern Building to the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.
The building at 600 Liberty Avenue currently houses the PNC Legacy Project exhibit, which highlights Pittsburgh’s history and PNC’s role in it. That will be moved to the Tower at PNC Plaza. As for the Lantern Building, the Trust said it will continue to use the gallery to showcase and enhance artistic programming, though exact plans are still unknown.
“We really are taking some time to really take inventory, assess the facility and determine what type of programming would best fit not just the space, but the area of town, so we’re really in the exploration space of all of that,” said Rona Nesbit, executive vice president for the Trust.
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust owns and operates several theaters, including the Benedum and Byham and has several art galleries.
“We’re also, in essence, responsible for the 14 square block area known as the Cultural District and we do a lot of services jointly with many other arts organizations,” said Nesbit.
But, the Lantern Building, technically, isn’t in the Cultural District.
“But many folks, and you hear people even using it as taglines, ‘in the heart of the Cultural District,’ I think those boundaries have become somewhat elastic,” said Nesbit.
PNC bought the Lantern Building in 2011 and have made several renovations including the installation of a green roof and LED lights to make the building more environmentally sustainable.
