11/29/17 – Gafcon Helps Launch Wende Museum, Which Merges Cold War Art and Creative Redevelopment
New museum preserves art of the Soviet era in the historic Armory Building

CULVER CITY (Wednesday Nov. 29, 2017)---The new Wende Museum of Cold War art is ready for public visiting following the grand opening on November 19th. The museum is located in the redeveloped National Guard Armory Building at 10808 Culver Blvd.

Led by Gafcon Inc., a construction project management firm with offices in Los Angeles and San Diego, the Armory building has been repurposed as a 7,000 square-foot exhibition space for art of the Cold War era.

“The history of the Cold War is now more relevant than ever and we are so excited to open the new Wende location in the historic Armory building. Gafcon and its stellar associate John Colangelo transformed the overlooked structure into a world-class cultural campus that will educate and engage present and future generations. Our partners at Gafcon helped to make it happen,” said the museum’s Executive Director, Justinian Jampol.

The Wende Museum of the Cold War was founded by Jampol to preserve cultural artifacts of the Cold War era and promote a broader understanding of world events and culture between 1945 to 1991—it also draws comparisons to contemporary events and issues.

The Wende has continued growing its collection since the 1990’s and now programs exhibitions, events, conferences, film screenings, and other activities in partnership with institutions throughout the United States and Europe.

Culver City Mayor Jeffrey Cooper reflected on the process of invigorating the historic Armory site: “When Justin Jampol came to the city looking for a new location to locate his world-renowned museum, his knowledge and passion made it clear to me that the Armory was the perfect location to house the Wende.”

“Gafcon was able to effectively coordinate with the Wende, as well as city staff, to cultivate the site’s historical significance and develop the property into an exciting new landmark for Culver City,” added Mayor Cooper.

“We received a call to join this effort late in the process and put our best team members on the job to ensure it was ready in time for the grand opening. The Wende really brings the Cold War to life and connects history to current events in an exciting way. I believe it will be a major sense of pride for Culver City,” said Yehudi Gaffen, CEO of Gafcon Inc.

The Wende had previously partnered with Gafcon on an exhibit for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. This outdoor exhibit erected 10 actual concrete sections of the Berlin Wall across Wilshire Boulevard, which were ceremoniously toppled to commemorate the anniversary.

“We were delightfully overwhelmed by the response to the museum and the excitement and energy of our opening. I’ve been gratified by the generosity of my fellow Board members and the diverse perspectives that have made this museum possible,” said Dennis Slon, Chair of the Wende’s Board of Directors.

“Perspectives on the Cold War have changed immensely, even during the time we’ve been working on this project,” Slon added, “World events from the Cold War era are more interesting and relevant than ever today. Justin and the Wende are able to view these historical documents through a lens not only of history but how governments and cultures reflect their times through the media they disseminate.”

More information on the Cold War Culver City project can be found at https://www.coldwarculvercity.org.

Gafcon is a leader in construction project management with major projects throughout California and worldwide. Gafcon delivers complex projects to power vibrant communities. For more information, visit www.gafcon.com