NEW YORK— The City Planning Commission of New York unanimously approved the Whitney Museum's downtown expansion project yesterday, reports Lee Rosenbaum on her blog CultureGrrl. Commissioners expressed enthusiasm for the project, calling it "an unparalleled partnership" (between the Whitney and the coming High Line park), a "creative design," and a development that is "changing the neighborhood in a wonderful way."

According to Albert Fredericks, a lawyer for the Whitney, the project will mostly likely be presented to a City Council subcommittee at the beginning of next month, followed by a final vote by the full council a week or two after that. The City Council vote will be the last of the required government approvals.

The Whitney's downtown space is being designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Renzo Piano. To be located on Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking district, the building is expected to open at the end of 2012 or the beginning of 2013.