openstudios Hudson Square
March 31, 2012

The second event in the openstudios series was held in Hudson Square. Organized in conjunction with The Architect's Newspaper and the Hudson Square BID, architecture & design studios will opened their doors. Participants learned about each firms projects, inspirations and working methods during a self-guided afternoon tour. Following the event, a reception was hosted by SUPERSTRUCTURES Engineers+Architects.

 

Long Island City Factory Tour: Edison Price
March 9, 2012

OHNY and curator, architectural critic and educator, Nina Rappaport organized a tour of Edison Price Lighting factory in Long Island City. Nina's research explores how architectural and urban design can address manufacturing issues in cities. Representatives and lighting engineers from Edison Price provided a behind-the-scenes look at the lighting design company and factory. Read more on our blog.

 

openstudios DUMBO
February 25, 2012

OHNY kicked off its new openstudios series in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Organized in conjunction with The Architect's Newspaper, Two Trees Development and the DUMBO Improvement District, over twenty-five architecture & design studios opened their doors. Participants learned about each firms projects, inspirations and working methods during a self-guided afternoon tour. A reception was hosted by Garrison Architects in the evening. Read more on our blog.

 

EverGreene Architectural Arts Conservation & Restoration Tour
February 21, 2012

OHNY and EverGreene Architectural Arts teamed up to present a tour of the studio’s design, mural and conservation space. Participants saw work in progress including studies, drawings, color boards, renderings, models, samples, attachment system design and mockups. EverGreene employees provided an in-depth look at how the conservation, restoration and design of new architectural elements is a balancing act between 21st century needs and a commitment to historical authenticity.

 

Architecture & Design Scavenger Hunt
February 11, 2012

OHNY and Docomomo US teamed up to present a scavenger hunt across Manhattan and beyond. Hunters spent the day exploring the city and taking photographs in front of examples of modern architecture and design. They learned about the historical buildings, spaces and found out about the architects and designers that have made major contributions to the cityscape. Each team competed to get the most points to win exciting prizes. The hunt started at Room & Board in SoHo and ended at Spring Natural Kitchen on the Upper West Side. Read mroe on our blog.

 

Battery Park City Green Tour
January 21, 2012

OHNY and licensed tour guide, Bob Gelber, hosted a walk in Battery Park City, the first mandated "green" neighborhood in New York City. Participants learned about LEED certification rules and levels. The highlight of the tour was a behind-the-scenes tour of Riverhouse, a luxury, Gold LEED certified building. The tour ended at the Irish Hunger Memorial, the only "living memorial” in New York City.

 

Marriott Marquis Tour
January 19, 2012

OHNY, Portman and the New York Marriott Marquis hosted a behind-the-scenes tour of the New York Marriott Marquis led by Mickey Steinberg, Development Director of the hotel during its construction. Visitors saw the monumental atrium, hotel kitchens, the Broadway Ballroom and the exclusive JW Marriott Suite. The tour concentrated on the design and development of the building that helped to ignite the revitalization of Times Square. Read more on our blog.

 

Woolworth Building Tour
November 16, 2011

OHNY and Control Group were proud to present an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Woolworth Building led by resident historian Roy Suskin. Tour stops included Frank Woolworth’s original office, the 43rd floor observation deck, the vault and the indoor swimming pool, among others. The tour concluded with a complimentary drink at The Wooly. Read more on our blog.

 

The Standard New York Tour
October 28, 2011

The eighteen-story, concrete and glass structure defines the identity of the Standard Hotel and engages its urban context through contrast. The building straddles the High Line, an abandoned section of a 75-year-old elevated railroad line, which passes over the Meatpacking District and today is the city’s newest linear public park. The tour, led by Ennead Architects, featured the lounge on the 18th floor, pool, rooftop and other areas of the hotel not accessible to the public.

The program was organized by openhousenewyork in affiliation with Archtober.

 

Lower East Side Walking Tour featuring the Switch Building 
October 17, 2011

The 2009 AIA Merit award Switch Building by nArchitects was the first in a wave of outstanding architect designed residential buildings built on the Lower East Side. In the vicinity, 115 Norfolk Street by Grzywinkski+Pons and Bernard Tschumi's big Blue glass building make Norfolk street an innovative design hub of lower Manhattan.  The Lower East Side has long been a place of housing experimentation. This tour examined new housing prototypes in the area with nArchitects. 

The program was organized by openhousenewyork in affiliation with Archtober.

 

7 World Trade Center Tour
October 3, 2011

7 World Trade Center is NYC's first LEED certified office building. The tour focused on the design features of the building and included a visit to the WTC Marketing Center on the 10th floor, which has large-scale models and interactive videos about the project and the surrounding buildings. The tour ended on the 48th floor, one of the high raw floors of 7 WTC with exceptional, sweeping views of the city. Read more on our blog.

The program was organized by openhousenewyork in affiliation with Archtober.

 

OHNY Sunset Boat Tour
September 19, 2011

Highlighting on the cruise ship industry in NYC, the tour featured a waterside view of the Queen Elizabeth. Bill Miller, renowned ocean liner expert, discussed life on board the transatlantic ship and the history of the ocean liners of the past. Maritime photographer and licensed captain Jonathan Atkin joined us as a special harbor salute horn blast for OHNY was heard. Representatives from Sandy Hook Pilots explained how the cruise ship maneuvered through the harbor into open waters. The tour ended in the Erie Basin where Betsy Haggerty, former editor of Offshore Magazine, discussed the history of the Basin and the Erie Canal.

 

Place setting: Urban farming at its finest
September 13, 2011

The event was an evening of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the most rural of urban settings: Brooklyn Grange in Long Island City. In anticipation of the 9th Annual OHNY Weekend and to celebrate the end of summer, OHNY teamed up with the Consulate General of Israel to host a bon voyage summer soirée in true OHNY-style. Israeli chef Einat Admony of Balaboosta prepared a special tasting menu with vegetables and herbs picked from the farm that day. The event included tours of the farm, live music, and spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline. Read our Field Trip Friday post of Brooklyn Grange.

 

FamilyDay@theCenter: Exploring Governors Island
August 20, 2011

Organized by OHNY and the Center for Architecture Foundation, the Family Day took families to Governors Island, a fabulous getaway just minutes from Manhattan by ferry. The day included visits to historic forts and Victorian houses. The tour discussed the past uses and future plans for the island.

 

Hidden Harbor Tour® with the Working Harbor Committee
August 16, 2011

OHNY in collaboration The Working Harbor Committee explored the Brooklyn waterfront and New York Harbor – places that are normally hidden from the eyes of most residents and visitors. The tour explored the Brooklyn waterfront down to Sunset Park, over to Kill Van Kull and Howland Hook, back to Military Ocean and Global Marine Terminals and finally, past the Statue of Liberty on a two hour cruise. Narrated by Captain John Doswell, the tour focused on the built environment of the New York harbor and waterways and the maritime industry, both past and present. A final swing past the State of Liberty at sunset created a wonderful end to the tour. Read more on our blog.

 

Exploring Harlem’s Black and Jewish Music Culture
August 11, 2011

Organized by OHNY and Harlem One Stop and led by John Reddick, this tour explored sites associated with Harlem’s Black and Jewish music culture in Sugar Hill-Hamilton Heights and Central Harlem. For many, the prevailing music history associated with Harlem revolves around the Apollo Theater, beginning with Frank Schiffman and Leo Brecher taking over the Apollo in 1935. However, beginning in the early 1900's Harlem’s 125th Street hosted several theaters, including Oscar Hammerstein’s, Harlem Opera House, Hurtig & Seamon’s Burlesque, Weber & Fields’, West End Theatre and the Alhambra Theater. The tour ended with an evening of live music at the Tian at the Riverbank Restaurant. Read more on our blog.

 

Evening at Newtown Creek Raffle
July 28, 2011

The largest of New York City’s 14 wastewater treatment plants, Newtown Creek is in the midst of a technological and aesthetic transformation. Its stainless steel digester “eggs” dominate the local skyline to demonstrate that with care, even the most utilitarian infrastructure can be an elegant combination of engineering and art. With the cooperation of Ennead Architects and OHNY, the Department of Environmental Protection opened up one of our city’s unexpected architectural gems, offering a tour to the top of Newtown’s digester eggs at dusk, to experience the dramatic lighting design of the Plant and of the New York City skyline.

 

Explore NYC’s Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts Series
El Puente, South Williamsburg/Los Sures
June 18, 2011

El Puente is a community human rights institution that promotes leadership for peace and justice through the engagement of youth and adult members in the arts, education, scientific research, wellness & environmental action. As a place-based organization with deep roots in the neighborhood, El Puente’s six sites have grown into hubs of community action in multiple areas—in line with El Puente’s principle of holistic learning. The tour went through Los Sures, or the Southside of Williamsburg, and highlighted the rich history of indigenous arts and culture that springs forth from self-determination including the beautiful outdoor murals of Los Muralsitas, local community garden Espiritu Tierra, and the favorite haunts of El Puente CADRE (Community Artists’ Development & Resource Exchange) members.

 

Five Year Volunteers Recognition Reception
June 14, 2011

This event was a special reception to honor the contributions of OHNY’s Five-Year Volunteers, who received a tour of the Central Park Arsenal with Gary Rozman and a special commemorative pin. Read a recap of the event here.

 

Explore NYC’s Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts Series
Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center, Greenpoint
May 21, 2011

The Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center’s (GMDC) flagship project is a 300,000 square foot complex of buildings built between 1868 and 1910 for the textile industry. When the City wanted to close the building in the 1980's after taking it in tax foreclosure, a group of industrial business and artist tenants came together with community organizations and elected officials to shape a redevelopment plan that would convert the property into an arts and industry center, managed by the non-profit GMDC. Today, the Manhattan Avenue complex has 75 small business and artisan tenants, and 350 employees from adjacent communities working here. The tour included a walk through the building and meeting some of the artisanal businesses that call GMDC home. Read more on our blog.

 

OHNY Annual Benefit
May 18, 2011

 

An evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and auction at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, designed by H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture in the Baryshnikov Arts Center. Honoring acclaimed architect Hugh Hardy, renowned artist Red Grooms and Leslie Koch, President of The Trust for Governors Island. Together, they represent the architectural and artistic creativity that exemplifies OHNY and New York City. The gala included a live auction featuring works by contemporary artists and designers as well as private tours of several New York iconic landmarks. A special performance by world-renowned violinist Anne Akiko Meyers  as well as music by Project Trio were two highlights of the evening.

 

Explore NYC’s Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts Series
Fourth Arts Block, East Village
April 30, 2011

Fourth Arts Block (FAB) is rooted in the Lower East Side’s long history of hosting community and cultural spaces that served marginalized immigrants, artists, and activists. In the 1960's and 70's, East 4th Street coalesced as a center for experimental theater and film. Four decades later, the block’s cultural groups founded FAB to preserve and develop these historic arts spaces. The tour went through East 4th Street theaters and discussed how FAB weaves the arts with neighboring small businesses to strengthen a distinctive East Village cultural and community identity.

 

The Setai Fifth Avenue with Gwathmey Siegel
March 2, 2011

Designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, the Setai Fifth Avenue Hotel and Residences is a Capella Managed Hotel and is a project of Bizzi & Partners Development, who has created a luxurious addition to the historic Fifth Avenue commercial corridor. The 570,000 square foot 60-story building has 214 hotel rooms, including 157 guestrooms and 57 hotel suites. The tour included the light-filled lobby, restaurant as well as a bar and spa, and the uppermost floors of the tower, which houses 184 residential condominiums with sweeping vistas of the city and beyond.Principal, Robert Siegel and Senior Associate Greg Karn of Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects with Giuseppe Rossi, executive vice president of Bizzi & Partners, led the tour, explaining the multiple scale approach of the design. The tour concluded with drinks in the Residents’ Lounge. Read our Field Trip Friday post of the Setai Fifth Avenue.

 

Fifth Avenue with Andre Kikoski
February 23, 2011

Andre Kikoski Architect an award-winning Manhattan architecture firm, designed the interiors and four model homes of 1280 Fifth Avenue, the residential tower over the Museum for African Art authored by Robert A.M. Stern. Andre Kikoski Architect is recognized for the internationally acclaimed The Wright at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. The interiors and model homes reflect the four seasons in Central Park, the building’s neighbor, and feature a unified palette of natural, renewable materials including teak wood, limestone, abalone shell tile, American black walnut and cypress wood.

Sculptural elements within are inspired by natural geometries and organic textures. The model homes feature furniture from the extensive collections of the venerated French manufacturer Ligne Roset, who provided assistance on the model home furniture. The twenty one-story 165,000 square-foot building is developed by Brickman. Andre Kikoski will lead the tour of the building’s interior, beginning at 6:30pm, followed by drinks.

 

Restoration and Renovation of St. Francis Xavier
February 5, 2011

Explore the restoration and renovation of the Church of Saint Francis Xavier, designed in an elaborate neo-Baroque style. The church, whose parish dates back to 1847, was designed by the noted architect Patrick Keely in 1878. The campaign for the restoration and preservation of the Church of St. Francis Xavier began in 2001. EverGreene Architectural Arts and Thomas A. Fenniman Architect completed this extensive restoration project in 2010. Fenniman was recently internationally honored byFaith & Form: The Interfaith Journal on Religion, Art and Architecture, whose jurors commented: “This is a colossal restoration, an incredible undertaking. It is ambitious yet respectful. Every detail has been lavished with attention.”

Tour the church with the restoration architect and artists and hear about the techniques involved in the conservation of the church’s 47 murals, the restoration of its 35 plaster statues of saints, the extensive stone and marble cleaning and repair, and on-site architectural paint conservation and decorative painting. Learn more about the rich history of the parish community with the capital campaign director whose documentary about the entire process will premier in April 2011.

 

69th Regiment Armory Tour
January 25, 2011

The 69th Regiment Armory is a National Historic Landmark that is home to the legendary “Fighting 69th” Infantry and houses numerous artifacts from its storied past. Tour this three-story brick fortress, designed by Hunt & Hunt in 1904, with the Regimental Historian, as well as members of the active battalion, veteran corps and historical roundtable. Learn about the 69th Regiment’s lineage, history, honors and traditions, including their ties to New York’s Irish community and the legendary Father Francis Patrick Duffy, and see a hand-written letter from President Lincoln and colorful WPA murals of scenes from the history of American warfare, among other displays. The tour will end at the Garryowen Club, ‘NYC’s most well-armed speakeasy’ according to Curbed, which will be open with live music.

 

OHNY Weekend Launch Party at the Centurion
October 8, 2010

The OHNY Weekend Launch Party kicked off the 8th Annual OHNY Weekend at the penthouse of The Centurion, located in Midtown and designed by Pei Partnership Architects with I.M. Pei, with drinks and light refreshments.

 

Ennead Architects: New York Designers Design New York – The Standard, New York
September 8, 2010

Ennead Architects (formerly Polshek Partnership) lead intimate tours of buildings throughout New York City that showcase the diversity of the firm’s acclaimed portfolio. Named the #1 best building of the decade by Curbed NY, The Standard, New York is an eighteen-story, concrete and glass structure that provides a sleek, modern counterpoint to the historic Meatpacking district. Already a landmark in the newly re-activated city fabric of the West Village, it has been heralded as “the kind of straightforward, thoughtfully conceived building that is all too rare in the City today.” Todd Schliemann, Partner in Ennead Architects and designer of the building, led the tour.

 

Ennead Architects: New York Designers Design New York – The Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Center for Earth and Space
August 25, 2010

Ennead Architects (formerly Polshek Partnership) led intimate tours of buildings throughout New York City that showcase the diversity of the firm’s acclaimed portfolio. Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Rose Center for Earth and Space redefined the American Museum of Natural History for the 21st century. The 87-foot in diameter sphere within a glass cube is an immediately recognizable icon of the institution and New York City. Within, an articulated spatial experience inspires visitors with an understanding of the wonders of the universe and the power of scientific inquiry.

 

Hidden Harbor Tour® with the Working Harbor Committee
August 10, 2010

Partnering with the  Working Harbor Committee, OHNY offered a boat tour of the Brooklyn waterfront and New York Harbor — places that are normally hidden from the eyes of most area residents and visitors. The tour explored the Brooklyn waterfront down to Sunset Park, over to Kill Van Kull and Howland Hook, back to Military Ocean and Global Marine Terminals and finally, past the Statue of Liberty on its way back to Pier 17. Narrated by Captain John Doswell, the tour will focused on the built environment of the New York harbor and waterways and the maritime industry, both past and present.

 

Family Day: Scavenger Hunt
July 17, 2010

OHNY and the Center for Architecture Foundation explored the neighborhood around the Center on an architectural scavenger hunt. Participants returned to the Center to create a treasure map of their discoveries.

 

Family Day: Exploring Governors Island
June 12, 2010

OHNY and the Center for Architecture Foundation explored Governor’s Island, visiting historic forts, Victorian houses and learning about past uses and future plans for the island. Families were encouraged to bring a picnic and stay on the island for the afternoon to enjoy the weekend-long art and cultural celebration FIGMENT.

 

Five Year Volunteers Recognition Event
May 18, 2010

A reception to honor the contributions of OHNY’s Five-Year Volunteers, who enjoyed a tour of the Central Park Arsenal with Bob Gelber and received a special commemorative pin.

 

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tours
April 17 & 18, 2010

OHNY and the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association offered special guided tours of the world’s oldest subway tunnel, built in 1844 and constructed in seven months using only hand tools and primitive equipment. Bob Diamond, who rediscovered the tunnel in 1980, led two tours through the half-mile long underground space.

 

FDR’s Funeral Train: a slide lecture and presentation by historian Robert Klara
April 7, 2010

Historian and author Robert Klara presented on one of the most overlooked events in American 20th-century history: the mysterious journey of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s funeral train. Klara, who provides the popular talks in the lobby of the Chrysler Building during the Annual OHNY Weekend, is the author of FDR’s Funeral Train: A Betrayed Widow, A Soviet Spy, and a Presidency in the Balance – a groundbreaking, inside look at the top-secret train that carried FDR’s body a thousand miles from Warm Springs, Georgia to Hyde Park, New York, in the spring of 1945.

 

Annual Benefit
March 23, 2010

OHNY hosts its 2010 Spring Benefit at the American Academy of Arts and Letters on March 23. The event was a rare opportunity to visit and tour the Academy’s grand beaux-arts buildings, with special access to the founding members’ room, the portrait gallery, the private library, its large terrace-level exhibition space, and a truly breath-taking 730-seat auditorium designed by Cass Gilbert. The gala included a silent auction featuring works by contemporary artists and designers as well as private tours of several New York iconic landmarks.

 

Place Setting: At Home with Donald Judd
March 11, 2010

This unique event was an opportunity to experience Judd’s astute sensibility, his vision for living and his manner of entertaining family, friends and fellow artists. Months before the building’s major restoration efforts begin, the Judd Foundation and chefs Nils Norén and Christina Wang of the French Culinary Institute co-hosted the evening at Donald Judd’s home and studio in SoHo with signature cocktails and a fusion of Mexican and Swedish hors d’oeuvres, reflecting Judd’s favorite cuisines.

 

Gangsters: Birth of Organized Crime in America
March 7 & 28, 2010

In collaboration with the Lower East Side History Project, OHNY offered a unique walking tour covering 150 years of crime and vice in NYC. Led by Eric Ferrara, executive director of the Lower East Side History Project and the East Village Visitors Center and author of A Guide to Gangsters, Murderers and Weirdos of New York City’s Lower East Side.

 

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tours
January 23, 24 & 30, 2010

OHNY and the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association offered special guided tours of the world’s oldest subway tunnel, built in 1844 and constructed in seven months using only hand tools and primitive equipment. Bob Diamond, who rediscovered the tunnel in 1980, led two tours through the half-mile long underground space.
 

2009 Events and Year Round Programs

For a list of past events prior to 2009, please see our archives.

 

 

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tours
November 21 & 22, 2009

OHNY and the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association offered special guided tours of the world’s oldest subway tunnel, built in 1844 and constructed in seven months using only hand tools and primitive equipment. Bob Diamond, who rediscovered the tunnel in 1980, led two tours through the half-mile long underground space.

 

OHNY Weekend Launch Party at the Visionaire
October 9, 2009

Kick off party for OHNY Weekend with spectacular views of the New York harbor and lower Manhattan from an expansive 3,655 sq ft condominium in the Visionaire, highlighting architect Pelli Clark Pelli’s Platinum LEED certified residential design.

 

Visual Acoustics Film Premiere at Cooper Union
October 5, 2009

Exclusive film premiere of Visual Acoustics, which celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman, the world’s greatest architectural photographer, whose images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream. Held at the newest academic building of The Cooper Union, with an introduction by Director Eric Bricker.

 

John Johansen’s 93rd Birthday
June 27, 2009

For the architect’s 93rd birthday party, OHNY invited the public to visit and tour Johansen’s unique country house, a truncated and translucent fiberglass pyramid in Dutchess County. Johansen spoke about the house and his career and gave small group tours of the residence.

 

Five Year Volunteers Recognition Event
June 23, 2009

A reception to honor the contributions of OHNY’s Five-Year Volunteers, who enjoyed a tour of the Central Park Arsenal with Bob Gelber and received a special commemorative pin.

 

Tudor City: At a Turning Point of Finance & Design
June 13, 2009

Tour guide and historian Brian Thompson discussed the history and design of Tudor City within the context of housing crises, economic depressions, and the relationship between architecture, finance and government.

 

CFA Family Day on Governors Island
June 13, 2009

In collaboration with the Center for Architecture, OHNY hosted an off-site Family Day on Governors Island, exploring historical structures using an interactive activity guide.

 

Benefit Series
May 28, 2009 – June 25, 2009

Drinks and dialogues at some of New York City’s extraordinary townhouses, penthouses, historic homes and newly opened spaces over five weeks beginning May 28.

 

Construction Tour of 450 West 14th Street, the Highline Building
May 17, 2009

In collaboration with the Meatpacking District Initiative, OHNY offered a private hard-hat tour of a historic art-deco building with views of the much-anticipated Highline on the 6th floor of this former meatpacking facility being reborn into a 15-story LEED-Certified office/retail tower. During the Meatpacking District Design Week, the building was open for free tours, followed by a ticketed talk with architect, Morris Adjmi.

 

Morningside Heights Walking Tour
May 16, 2009

Michelle & James Nevius, authors of Inside the Apple: A Streetwise History of New York City, led a walking tour of Morningside Heights, highlighting the development and growth of the neighborhood.

 

Center for Architecture Family Day – Rooftop Hats
May 9, 2009

In collaboration with the Center for Architecture, families took part in a walking tour, looking for interesting roofs in the neighborhood, then designed their own rooftop hats to show off different architectural styles.

 

Central Park Walking Tour
May 2, 2009

Bob Gelber, founder of Walkin’ NY led a tour of Central Park, including “Literary Walk,” Bethesda Terrace and Belvedere Castle, exploring the history and geology of this beautiful park that spans over 843 acres of Manhattan.

 

Rescuing Eldridge Street Artisans Roundtable
May 25, 2009

Museum Deputy Director Amy Milford moderated a roundtable discussion with the artisans who worked on the restoration: Ray Clagnan of The Gil Studio (stained glass), Jeff Greene of EverGreene Studios (decorative paint), and Dawn Ladd of Aurora Lampwork (lighting).

 

Radio City Music Hall Tour
March 7, 2009

Tour with Hugh Hardy, who led the 1999 restoration of the iconic structure. Mr. Hardy discussed the extensive restoration effort aimed at updating the infrastructure and returning the theater to its original glory.