“We did an expansion, and then we did a renovation,” says Baum School of Art Executive Director Shannon S. Fugate.

The Centennial Expansion and Renovation Project is in its final stages at the Russell E. Baum Building, erected in 1987 at 510 W. Linden St., Allentown.

Construction began with the May 15, 2025, groundbreaking ceremony at the building’s southeast corner where a three-story addition was erected from the ground up and additional stories were built over a one-story office by North Star Construction.

The addition’s new first floor gallery became the “aesthetic” template. A new hallway has a wooden vertical hanging system for displaying student art work.

The existing first-floor enclosed inner gallery was reconfigured. The gallery across the lobby was expanded into community meeting space when the wall separating them was eliminated.

There are expanded and upgraded classrooms for ceramics, along with updated office and kitchen areas.

The rehabbed second floor houses classrooms for children and teens. Facilities are “kid-sized” for the youngest students in one of the two classrooms.

There’s a new classroom for older youths.

“The cool thing about this classroom, I think, is that the kids get an eye-level view of the horse right out this window,” says Fugate as she looks at the 12-foot replica of Leonardo Da Vinci’s equestrian statue outside.

Improvements were made to the grounds around the sculpture. The school has an additional ADA ramp.

The dedication of the “Mr. Imagination Center for Creativity” is taking place Oct. 25.

“This classroom is actually going to be named to honor the memory of Mr. I,” says Fugate.

Salvaged pieces from Mr. Imagination’s Banana Factory mosaics are being incorporated into the space.

Sixteen new colorful iMacs and 30 iPads have been installed in the renovated computer lab on the second floor.

The jewelry and metals studio was modernized.

A former darkroom is being converted into a maker space, which will include 3-D printing.

A library-photo studio is in the works.

An interior ramp leads to two new restrooms and a newly-built classroom over what was once the roof of the school.

Stepping off the elevator, Fugate explains how a large open space on the third floor was subdivided into a lobby area with an additional restroom and dedicated doorways to the fashion classroom and art storage areas.

The fashion classroom was updated with new cutting tables, sewing tables and a nook for a washer and dryer.

All classrooms are now equipped with double sinks, durable flooring and acoustic ceiling panels.

Adjacent to the fashion classroom is the new painting and drawing studio. In addition to new track lights for the models, fluorescent fixtures have been replaced with LED lighting.

Lighting and HVAC systems throughout the school have been updated.

Even the stairway from the school lobby to the second floor was upgraded.

Fall classes are in session.

The “Baum Legacy Exhibition” opened Sept. 17 and continues through Oct. 17.

The exhibition pays tribute to the legacy of the school’s founder, Pennsylvania Impressionist Walter Emerson Baum and his impact as artist and art educator.

The exhibition has artwork by Walter Baum, his students and members of his family including:

Edgar Baum, Harvey Baum, Marian Baum Grim, Nolan P. Benner, Jr., John E. Berninger, Clarence Dreisbach, Lee Everett, Ellen Grim Harter, R. Charlotte Treichler Harris, Ann Elaine Harris, Walter Mattern, Grace Whitehead Phillips, D. A. Schreiber, Richard Schantz, Alvena Seckar, Melville Stark, Bette Treichler, Jerry Quier, Ann Yost Whitesell, Jeanne Wolf and Kenneth Wolf.

Dr. Martha Hutson-Saxton, Judith A. Harris, Holly Harter and the Baum and Grim families planned the exhibition.

What is “essentially a new school” is expected to be ready for the 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 17 Baum School of Art Centennial Gala.

“We added about 5,500 square feet of new space, and fully renovated the existing 25,000 square feet of space,” says Fugate.

This includes three new classrooms, a new gallery and six new restrooms. Existing spaces were upgraded or completely repurposed.

At a cost of around $7.3 million, financial assistance was provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro, and a Local Share Account grant through the Commonwealth Financing Authority.

Leading donors were J.B. and Kathleen Reilly, Bob and Sandy Lovett, and the Uncommon Individual Foundation.

With more than $6.5 million already raised, the Baum School seeks $800,000 in donations “to fully fund the project.”

Information: The Baum School of Art, 510 W. Linden St., Allentown. Gallery hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday. 610-433-0032, https://www.baumschool.org/

“Gallery View” is a column about artists, exhibitions and galleries. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com