Despite shifting event locations because of construction, the Wexner Center for the Arts has remained successful in attracting visitors.

Since the summer of 2002 the Wexner Center galleries have been closed for renovations. Construction for those renovations began early in February. The renovations are expected to be completed by November 2005.

Due to the galleries closing, Wexner Center exhibitions have moved away from the center and have changed the atmosphere inside the art center.

“There’s not as much foot traffic during the day,” said Karen Simonian, spokesperson for the Wexner Center. “It’s been quieter.”

Exhibits and events have been in galleries at the Belmont Building, COSI, and the Columbus College of Art and Design. Places that are not the most convenient spots for the campus community, Simonian said.

Construction is being done on the glass wall and skylight of the Wexner building. The new glass being installed will improve control of the light that flows into the galleries. Also, the new glass will have greater insulation capabilities that will allow better climate control in the galleries.

The window improvements will preserve the art on display in the galleries better by controlling the amounts of light and heat entering the building, Simonian said.

Renovations on the lower lobby of the Wexner Center will take place as well. These renovations will take place this summer and will revamp the café and its kitchen, said Micheal Steinhilber, chef manager of the café.

The bookshop downstairs will also get a little sprucing up as well, Simonian said.

With all the sprucing up taking place, the Wexner Center has had to look to the Belmont Building, located at 330 W. Spring St., as its primary gallery space. The building is located downtown in the Arena district.

The Belmont Building has served its purpose well as a satellite gallery space, yet its distance from the Wexner Center makes attracting attention difficult.

“Anywhere away from where we live (at the Wexner Center) presents a challenge,” said Darnell Lautt, spokesman for the Wexner Center.

Event attendance is down by about 10 percent, he said.

When the galleries were open at the Wexner Center, students, faculty and staff tended to stroll in and look around during their leisure time. Attracting loiterers is the business of an art gallery. But strolling in to take a leisurely gander at the Belmont Building is not so easy, Lautt said.

In response the Wexner Center has come up with special events to attract attention. About a year and a half ago, the 12 1/4 Circle, a section of Wexner members, started a program called Art After Hours. This program set out to create social events centered around Wexner shows. By doing this, new attention was attracted from a different audience, Lautt said.

Wexner marketing has also sent out postcards and distributed Wexner Center coasters around the Arena District bars and restaurants to get the word out, Lautt said.

But with all the apparent challenges it presents, the Belmont Building is not as bad as it seems. It has still received some good responses from Wexner Center members, Lautt said.

The building also has some distinct characteristics of its own. It has plenty of space to house the Wexner events and “it has a rough-edged, industrial look” like that of a New York styled gallery, said Claudine Isé, associate curator of exhibitions for the Wexner Center.

Isé has not had the chance to mount an exhibition in the galleries at the Wexner Center, but she said she is looking forward to bringing the shows back to the center. In fact, many Wexner Center members are looking forward to being back home at the Wexner Center.

The Belmont Building is nice and serves its purpose well, but “it’ll never compare to having art here (at the Wexner Center on campus),” Simonian said.

“We’re just really excited to bring (the shows) all back under one roof,” Lautt said.