Walker Art Center official resigns

The Walker Art Center's second-in-command resigned abruptly Thursday, less than six weeks after the contemporary art museum opened a $70 million addition for which it is still raising money.

Ann Bitter, the center's deputy director and chief operating officer, will depart Aug. 31. She plans to return to consulting in strategic planning, the same work that she did before joining the Walker's staff in August 2002.

Bitter's surprise departure comes at an awkward moment in the Walker's development. Its addition has received rave reviews, but the building's experimental architecture and midconstruction design changes forced the museum to cut costs by leaving the offices unfinished. Completing them and an adjacent sculpture garden are expected to cost up to $5 million more.