Press photos contributed by Dawn MoserArtsQuest’s Banana Factory, long the staple of arts performances, teaching and arts residency on the Southside, is demolished, beginning with the large front gallery.

The Banana Factory is no more. A new facility renamed the ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL is expected to be completed in 2026. The five-story building, replacing the existing collection of repurposed retail and commercial buildings, will house a 78,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art cultural facility costing $32 million. Among the amenities planned for the new building is an Air Products Artist 3-D Makerspace, a 125-seat black box comedy theater with bar, art educator lab, additional artist studios and classrooms, including designated sensory spaces, modern gallery spaces, dedicated meeting and hospitality venues and more. Named for a pair of longtime volunteers, the centrally-located Yeoman Family Volunteer Center will provide space for volunteer training and preparation.Compiled by Nate Jastrzemski