Friends of Barnes still trying to stop move
The Friends of the Barnes Foundation are the kind of friends who will go to some lengths to keep their friend from moving away. The advocacy group is opposing the Barnes Foundation’s art collection moving from Lower Merion to the the Parkway in Philadelphia.
The Friends of the Barnes Foundation are the kind of friends who will go to some lengths to keep their friend from moving away. The advocacy group is opposing the Barnes Foundation’s art collection moving from Lower Merion to the the Parkway in Philadelphia. Yesterday, they asked the Delaware River Port Authority to pull its support, and funding, from the relocation effort.
Credit: Commonwealth Media Services
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[audio: 090520pcbarnes2.mp3]
Sandy Bressler of the Friends of the Barnes told the DRPA board that its half million dollar pledge toward the expected 150 million dollar project is not consistent with the DRPA’s regional development goals.
Bressler: The move of the Barnes art collection is in effect a zero sum game, because what Philadelphia might gain, Montgomery County will definitely lose.
The DRPA chair said the decision was made 6 years ago and presumed that it was with good reason.
Retired Judge Arlin Adams was a legal consultant for the Barnes Foundation. He says the Friends’ effort to keep the collection in Merion faces long odds.
Adams: There would be an enormous number of hurdles to jump over. Offhand I can’t see how they can do it.
The Barnes move has the backing of the Court of Montgomery County, the Governor, and two major private foundations, Lenfest and Pew.
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