The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
As the Art Institutes group of schools looked for a Hampton Roads location, one stood out: Virginia Beach's Town Center.
The site, with its proximity to restaurants and retail, beat out spots in Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk and other areas to become home to a media design and culinary school, said Frank Covaleskie, southeast group vice president of Education Management Corp., which owns the schools.
"When we were looking for a location, obviously visibility and access is very important," he said. "We looked at a number of properties across the general area, and this one was the most intriguing."
School officials were joined by city leaders, U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye and at least 120 others Thursday evening for a grand opening at The Art Institute of Virginia Beach. The school occupies 35,000 square feet in Two Columbus Center at 4500 Main St.
With a red carpet and flags outside, Mayor Will Sessoms came in beaming and shaking hands.
"We're happy that you've situated at Town Center, a place where people live, work, dine and learn," he said during prepared remarks, emphasizing the word "learn."
The school, a branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta, is the 46th school in the group. Classes began last month in advertising; culinary arts management; fashion and retail management; Web design/interactive media; and four other programs.
Sixty-three students are enrolled; tuition for a bachelor's degree runs about $90,000.
The school wants to be a partner in the community, President Marilyn Burstein said.
Work from 20 local artists was on display in a gallery. Almost all of the faculty were hired locally, Burstein said. The curriculum is designed to get students jobs.
Burstein was previously in leadership positions in the group's schools in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Charleston, S.C., where enrollment went from 57 in 2007 to nearly 700 last fall.
"If we see the same type of growth here that we saw in Charleston, I'll be extremely pleased," she said.
Patrick Wilson, (757) 222-5150, patrick.wilson@pilotonline.com
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How ironic, an expensive art
How ironic, an expensive art school in an area that places almost no value on artists. I think it's a little F'd up that a designer with over 15 years of professional experience should be expected to take a position that pays barely 25K/yr, if they can even find that. You can't just have a couple tall buildings and some fancy cars, VB, you gotta back it up with a salary base. Good luck on your big-city efforts, losers.
Great Idea
I wish them all the best. Lots of tax revenues will be accumulated by such high tuition! I hope they recruit lots of students from other states too!
Maybe some of our college students can help me with this one.
The article said that: "...tuition for a bachelor's degree runs about $90,000..." That's a little over $22,000 per year.
What does a year's tuition (no room and board) cost at TCC, or U of V, or ODU? It seems extremely high to me.
Anyhow, it's nice to see that with the art school, the cooking school and whatnot in the so-called Town Center, at least we're starting to fill up some of that vacant space. In truth, I don't care if they put a Clown School in there, as long as the taxpayers don't end up paying for it.
A couple reasons
One big reason is a big chunk of your tuition is not being paid by tax money. The other is how much instructor time you get and the expensive supplies you need for an art degree.
Not so fast...
This is a private educational institution that is occupying space that was already built. Were there some incentives to bring them to VB's fake downtown? Likely, but such things are always offered when attracting any new business to a market they did not previously have a presence in. If you want your local economy to grow, you need to bring in new business.
While there may have been other business options to attract to this location, I do feel this is a great addition to the area. Maybe downtown Norfolk would have been better suited to host AI. However, if VB can get on board with light rail, that will be less of an issue if the region is better connected.
My brother went to the Art Institute in Pittsburgh. I do feel it is a bit overpriced, but then that is to be expected with a private institution. It proved to be a great experience for him. I hope the same for anyone that chooses to go to the VB campus.
Town Center
Awright!!!! how much did the city pay them to move here?
Budget Cuts...
I'll give this VB Arts Center (6) months before they realize it was a bad (financial) move and it'll close down for budget cuts. How much more senseless (and wasteful) spending can they do here now? For what they put in that Arts Center.....they could've spent that money on fixing the roads and other areas that needed that money. Another VB poor financial management and why VB will never continue to grow because VB is considered a "revolving-door" city and nobody stays here permanently..... Ahhh....this area in VB is becoming just as popular as the "uninvited guest".
Art Center
I personally think that the Art Center was a great investment. I think that we often undermine the importance of
art education schools and museums that educate our society and make us a more cultured people.