Albany Museum of Art names LRA Constructors as General Contractor for Downtown Relocation Project

The new Albany Museum of Art in downtown Albany will offer families opportunities for creative fun in a warm, welcoming space. LRA Constructors, Inc., has been selected as the general contractor for the adaptive reuse project that will double the AMA’s current usable exhibition, programming, and event space. (Photo: Albany Museum of Art)

[For Release January 30, 2026 – Albany, GA] ─ The Albany Museum of Art has named LRA Constructors, Inc., as the general contractor for the museum’s adaptive reuse construction project in downtown Albany. LRA Constructors will provide preconstruction and construction services for the museum’s move from its current location at 311 Meadowlark Drive to the former Belk Department Store at 128 and 146 West Broad Avenue.

“As president of the Board of Trustees for the Albany Museum of Art, I would like to thank everyone who participated in the selection of LRA to construct what will become the crown jewel of Southwest Georgia,” R. Ripley Bell, Jr., said in announcing the selection.

LRA Constructors was one of three firms named finalists by the AMA on September 30. The other finalists were JCI General Contractors, Inc., and Pellicano Construction, Inc.

“We are delighted to award the contract to LRA Constructors, and we look forward to working closely with them as we move forward in realizing this exciting next generation of the Albany Museum of Art,” AMA Executive Director Andrew James Wulf, Ph.D., said. “We are grateful to all three finalist teams for the professionalism, preparation, and vision they brought to this process.”

LRA officials will work directly with Aaron & Clements, the Columbus, Ga., firm that the AMA hired in December to represent the museum through all aspects of the project delivery process.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to become a partner on this significant project for the Albany Museum of Art and the Albany community,” LRA Constructors President Jake Reese said.  “The museum and all involved have put in a tremendous amount of work to get to this point, and we look forward to joining this impressive team.”

With the general contractor now on board, Wulf said the AMA is ready to move forward toward groundbreaking, which is expected in late spring.

“It has been a long road to get to this point, but we have traveled it deliberately to ensure that this new museum serves not only today’s Albany and Southwest Georgia, but many future generations,” he said. “We have the privilege of creating a legacy for our region, and we want to make sure it will stand the test of time.

“Our local governments have shown they have vision for the future of downtown, with the city of Albany providing $4 million in SPLOST funds and Dougherty County $3 million in SPLOST funds. The Bunzl Foundation has generously donated $3 million, and we have received $1 million in private contributions to date. Historic Tax Credits are an important part of the project’s financing plan.”

Wulf said many people have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to get to this point in the process. He thanked the AMA Capital Campaign committee members: Mark Taylor, Marsha Taylor, Kianda Addo, Smith Wilson, Matt Reed, and Kelly Lane.

“Their buy-in to this project was crucial to our successfully securing a sound financial foundation that allows us to break ground and start building,” Wulf said. “As we move into the public portion of the campaign, their continued energy, focus, and dedication will be even more critical in propelling us to our ultimate goal.”

Wulf also recognized DLR Group. The Washington, D.C., design firm has been a close partner since the inception of the relocation project shortly after the former Belk building was gifted to the AMA by Albany businessman Robert Brooks, Sr., and his family. DLR officials assessed the building, created a master plan for using the new space, ensured that historical restoration needs were met, and reviewed the extent of grant and tax credit opportunities that could be used in the project.

“We are thankful to be working with DLR Group and, in particular, Monika Smith and Rich Hubacker,” he said. “Their process has been collaborative and remarkably attuned: calm, considerate, and rooted in listening. That’s why this process feels different. It’s not just about designing a building. It’s about making sure the museum’s mission and values will be woven into the very fabric of the new space.

“The Albany Museum of Art is moving downtown because we want to be a place where people feel they belong. Our new building will be a civic commons for the people of Albany. It will be a place to gather, to meet new people and friends, to take a minute for yourself. It will be a place of refuge and inspiration for those who need it. This larger AMA will continue to inject energy into downtown by inviting visitors from everywhere into the heart of the city, further solidifying that Albany is on the comeback trail.”

The most recent physical sign of progress in the relocation is signage that was installed in December on the fencing surrounding the downtown building and construction area. Made possible by a donation from AMA Capital Campaign members Mark Taylor and Marsha Taylor, the 400 feet of signage displays images created by DLR Group that illustrate exterior and interior scenes that will come to life when the new Albany Museum of Art opens.

Once started, the construction phase is expected to take two years. While the downtown location is being renovated, the Albany Museum of Art will continue to bring the art of the South to the world and the art of the world to the South at its current location at 311 Meadowlark Drive.

“We shall have a full schedule of art exhibitions, educational programming, and art-inspired events at our current location,” Wulf said.

Updates on the downtown project, as well as current exhibitions, programming, and events, can be found on the AMA website, www.albanymuseum.com, and on the AMA’s social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

AMA EXHIBITIONS 

• Familiar Rhythm: Time, Nostalgia, and Memory, featuring works of Maiya Lea Hartman, Larry Cook, and Kimberly Anderson, is Jan 22-May 2, 2026, in the Haley Gallery.
• Wadsworth & Jae Jarrell: Art Making / World Making is Jan 22-May 2, 2026, in the East, Hodges and McCormack Galleries.
• Still Waters, works from the permanent collection, is Jan 22-April 25, 2026, in the West Gallery.

About The Albany Museum of Art

 The Albany Museum of Art is located at 311 Meadowlark Drive in Albany, Ga., adjacent to Albany State University West Campus, just off Gillionville Road. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Albany Museum of Art is open to the public 10 am-5 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays.  Admission is free.

For more information about the AMA please visit our website, www.albanymuseum.com, or call 229.439.8400. Be sure to follow AlbanyMuseumOfArt on Facebook and AlbanyMuseum on Instagram.

Copyright 2026 South Georgia News. All rights reserved.