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Whitney Museum of American Art. Photo by Sergio Calleja.

Whitney to build second museum in New York City

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson
Whitney Museum of American Art. Photo by Sergio Calleja.
Whitney Museum of American Art. Photo by Sergio Calleja.

NEW YORK (AP) – The Whitney Museum of American Art plans to built a second museum in New York City.

It would be designed by architect Renzo Piano near the entrance to the High Line. The park was built on an abandoned elevated railway in Manhattan.

Last month, the Whitney signed a contract to buy the city-owned land for $18 million. That’s about half the appraised value – an indication the city wants to attract visitors to the downtown meatpacking district.

It would be twice the size of its building at Madison Avenue and 75th Street.

The museum says it wants to show more of its permanent collection.

Under the deal, it has five years to begin construction.

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On the Net: www.whitney.org

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Information from: The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-ES-10-12-09 0944EDT