ROANOKE, VA.-Construction continues to progress on schedule for the new Art Museum of Western Virginia, with nearly 85% of the building’s exterior and interior completed.

First Floor - Installation of the radiant floor system, which utilizes a network of tubing through which dyed water assists in maintaining proper temperatures, is complete in the first floor atrium, concourse, café and theater lobby spaces. The concrete topping slab has been poured to encase the tubing. A two inch setting bed will be placed between the concrete topping slab and the travertine marble floor, which will be laid in the coming months.

Framing and drywall installation for the first floor spaces will continue through April and will be followed by painting in the spring. The first floor ceilings are mostly framed and drywall installation continues.

Installation has begun for the service elevator and continues for the atrium lobby passenger elevator, which will take visitors to the second floor galleries and third floor administrative offices.

Second Floor - Installation of the radiant floor system in the central hall has begun. In Temporary Galleries A and B, the plywood underlay for the maple floor is being installed. Installation of the maple floor is expected to begin in April.

Installation of drywall for the central hall and most of the 12,000 square feet of gallery space, with the exception of the New Media Gallery, is complete and smooth finishing has been applied. The American Art Galleries have been primed for painting. Painting of the walls and ceilings in the second floor galleries will begin in the spring.

Third Floor - On the third floor, installation of the access floor system is approximately 90% complete. Installation of carpet tiles will take place in June.

Framing continues for the administrative areas and is expected to be completed in the spring. Installation of drywall ceilings in the administrative offices, boardroom and reception is complete and will continue in the executive director’s office and the library.

Exterior - Installation of the stainless steel roof panels is nearly complete for Elements 3 and 5. Installation of the roof panels for the remaining elements will continue over the next few months. Exterior zinc wall panel installation continues on the north and west elevations. The exterior glazing for the concourse is nearly 90 percent installed.

Element 1 houses the atrium and lobby, concourse, museum store, and a portion of the café. Element 2 houses the first floor auditorium, theater and lobby, equipment platforms, primary mechanical spaces, and the second floor art galleries, including the contemporary gallery. Element 3 of the building design houses the library, boardroom, boardroom terrace, director’s

office, temporary galleries, Art Venture, and a portion of the café. Element 4 houses back of house mechanical rooms, housekeeping areas, art storage and the catering kitchen, third floor

reception and administrative offices, and several small galleries, including the prints and photography, regional decorative arts, Leiber handbag collection, and modernism galleries. Elements 5 and 6 together house the art loading and service docks, new media gallery and American art gallery.

A half scale model of the new Art Museum building’s roof at the intersection of Elements 3 and 6 is on exhibit in the Art Museum’s current facility as part of the Process and Promise in a New Art Museum exhibition. The Art Museum galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Admission is $3 per person Tuesday through Saturday and free on Sundays.