The Saint Louis Art Museum has announced a delay to the start date of its $125 million, David Chipperfield-designed expansion in Forest Park, originally intended for late 2008.

“With the current disruption in the financial markets, we believe it is in the best interest of the museum and the St. Louis community to temporarily delay our expansion,” said John D. Weil, president of the museum's Board of Commissioners. “We will set a date for our groundbreaking once the market stabilizes.”

During the past four years, the museum has received commitments of more than $120 million toward its initial capital campaign goal of $125 million.

The expansion will provide new galleries, public space, and collections support along with a new parking garage. Once begun, construction is anticipated to take approximately two years.