Strong expansion could be in the works 

Rumors have been circulating for weeks now that the Strong museum is considering an expansion. It makes sense, given the land that will be available once the nearby section of the Inner Loop is filled in and ready for development.

Strong Director of Development Shane Rhinewald says that an expansion is possible, but that the museum hasn't decided whether it'll respond when the city starts soliciting development proposals this month.

Strong representatives met members of the Park Meigs Neighborhood Association, area landlords, and other interested parties recently to discuss the Inner Loop land, says Thomas LaDuca, president of the Park Meigs group.

LaDuca says that Strong seemed to be trying to take the neighborhood's temperature on a possible expansion.

One issue that LaDuca and others raised is the "asphalt city" that surrounds the museum. An expanded museum would obviously need even more parking, he says, which would exacerbate the issue.

Meeting participants also brought up the perils of crossing Monroe Avenue and Chestnut Street on foot to get to the museum. It's dangerous, LaDuca says, and something needs to be done.