A massive salvage operation is currently underway to rescue thousands of abandoned artworks and valuable materials from Philadelphia's University of the Arts, which abruptly closed last year, leaving behind a treasure trove of student and faculty creations in its wake.

Anderson Hall on South Broad Street, once a bustling hub of creativity housing classrooms, art studios, libraries, a printmaking studio, and a woodshop, now stands as a nine-story ghost town filled with whatever students and faculty couldn't carry out during the university's final chaotic days. The building was sold earlier this year for $8.5 million to Dwight City Group, LLC, which has ambitious plans to transform it into a mixed-use residential and commercial tower.

George Mathes, owner of Thunderbird Salvage, has been granted access to the abandoned building and is leading a race against time to preserve the artistic legacy left behind. Along with his dedicated 10-member crew, Mathes is working frantically to stay one step ahead of construction crews who are determined to clear everything out and throw it away.

"There was so much stuff in here. Nobody got all of it. Nobody was willing to take all of it. It was too much," Mathes explained, surveying the overwhelming collection. "There is a lot of art left in here."

The salvage operation involves cutting padlocks off student lockers, methodically going through flat file drawers, and opening locked closets to locate thousands of abandoned pieces of art that span decades of creative work. The discoveries have been remarkable in both scope and quality.

Among the rescued items are monumental-sized paintings measuring 4 feet by 8 feet, small and exquisitely detailed portraits, artist proof prints, original graphic design posters, and reams of life drawing sketches. There's also a rack of clay busts that were never fired, representing unfinished dreams and interrupted artistic processes.

"There's stuff from the 1980s and 90s that I found in some drawers. That was in the drawers since that time period. Nobody opened it to look," Mathes noted, highlighting the historical significance of some finds. "We're scanning all the places that nobody's got into, because it's going to be trashed."

The Thunderbird crew has pulled out dozens of letterpress printing trays filled with block letters in various fonts, a room full of anatomical drawing models used for life drawing classes, and literally a ton of aluminum printing plates. In the woodshop, they're hoping to retrieve several drill presses and a woodworker's jointer table, though they're still figuring out the logistics of removing such heavy equipment.

Thunderbird Salvage has extensive experience cleaning out countless homes throughout Philadelphia and several high-profile buildings, including the historic Bok Building in South Philadelphia and the personal mansion of Father Divine in North Philadelphia. In the coming months, Thunderbird will also be tasked with clearing out Hamilton Hall, another University of the Arts building located across the street from Anderson Hall that was sold to the redevelopment group Scout. Mathes expects to discover another significant trove of abandoned art there as well.

The ultimate goal of this extensive salvage operation is to find permanent homes for everything recovered. Much of their discoveries will be sold at Thunderbird's store in the Kensington neighborhood. Some pieces will be diverted to various auction houses throughout the Philadelphia area, ensuring they reach collectors and art enthusiasts who will appreciate their value.

"We appreciate all this old stuff that was part of the history of this place and the city," Mathes reflected on the cultural significance of their work. "There's a lot of art and artifacts from the past that people spend a lot of time making. To be able to have the opportunity to save all this stuff, we're going to put our time into it. It's really cool to go through it."

In a heartwarming gesture, Mathes is giving former University of the Arts students and faculty members a chance to reunite with their abandoned artwork. If an artist can prove that a piece belongs to them, they can reclaim it free of charge, providing some closure after the university's sudden closure.

The salvage operation gained significant attention when Lucca Voltoio, a member of the Thunderbird team, posted videos of the inside of Anderson Hall to the company's Instagram account. The response was immediate and overwhelming. Within just 30 minutes, the first video had generated 100 comments. Days later, his videos offering to reconnect artists with their abandoned artwork have been viewed over 350,000 times, generating over 7,000 likes and 700 comments.

"A lot of people here didn't get a good farewell when it closed down and they were probably just reminiscing on that," Voltoio observed about the emotional response. "It blew up because they're sending it to their friends who was a part of the community."

The social media response highlighted the deep emotional connection that former students, faculty, and staff still feel toward the institution and their creative work. Many commenters shared memories of their time at the university and expressed gratitude that someone was taking the time to preserve these artistic legacies.

People who can demonstrate ownership of particular works will be given those pieces free of charge, providing an opportunity for artists to reclaim their creative output. The remainder of the collection, along with furniture, tools, books, and art supplies pulled from Anderson Hall, will be made available to the public at the Thunderbird Salvage store in Kensington on August 16.

The salvage operation represents more than just a commercial venture; it's a cultural preservation effort that recognizes the artistic and historical value of what might otherwise be lost forever. The University of the Arts had been a significant institution in Philadelphia's creative community for decades, and its sudden closure left many in the artistic community feeling displaced and disconnected from their creative roots.

The rescued materials include not just finished artworks but also the tools and supplies that enabled creativity – letterpress kits, anatomical models used for drawing classes, woodworking equipment, and countless other items that supported artistic education and creation. These materials represent the infrastructure of artistic learning and will find new life in the hands of other artists, students, and creative institutions.

As the construction crews prepare to begin their transformation of Anderson Hall into residential and commercial space, the Thunderbird salvage operation serves as a bridge between the building's artistic past and its commercial future. The rescued artworks and materials will continue to inspire and enable creativity long after the building itself has been repurposed.

The success of this salvage operation demonstrates the community's commitment to preserving artistic heritage and supporting artists, even in the face of institutional collapse. It also highlights the resilience of the creative community and their determination to ensure that artistic work, regardless of its creator's circumstances, is valued and preserved for future generations to appreciate and learn from.