Lawmakers Approve $125M In Funding For LACMA's New Building

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The L.A. County Museum of Art is tearing down four buildings to make way for a new $600-million structure.

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors Wednesday approved $125 million toward the project. It's part of a major push to revitalize what Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky calls the "living room of Los Angeles."

Museum CEO Michael Govan told the board the new 400,000-square-foot building will be erected where the Ahmanson Building, Bing Center, Hammer Building and Art of the Americas Building now stand: "The 1965 buildings are really ailing. They are not worth saving."

Swiss architect Peter Zumthor designed the structure, which is scheduled to be built beginning in 2019. Visitors will be able to step inside in 2023.

The rest of the museum will remain open during construction.

LACMA has doubled its exhibitions and its attendance to 1.2 million over the past seven years, according to Govan.

The board praised the museum head, hired in 2006, for expanding LACMA's vision and working with the community.

"You have really thrown the doors wide open," Supervisor Gloria Molina said.

The building isn't the only bit of exciting news going on at LACMA. The museum has recently received the largest gift of art in its history; the donor has included masterpieces by Bonnard, Degas, Picasso, Manet, Monet and Pissarro.

They're keeping the person's name a secret until Govan makes the announcement at a 10 a.m. news conference Thursday.

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