NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Lincoln Center’s newly renovated David Geffen Hall is set to open later this year, two years ahead of schedule, Governor Kathy Hochul and Lincoln Center leadership announced Wednesday.
The reimagined hall, scheduled to open in October, came with a $550 million price tag, with $6.5 million in support coming from Empire State Development, according to Hochul’s office.
“Lincoln Center is a central piece of New York’s cultural heart and the new David Geffen Hall, complete with expanded public and community spaces, will make that heart beat even stronger," said Hochul. "New York’s comeback is just getting started and this project is a crucial part of that comeback, creating jobs and giving New Yorkers and visitors from across the globe the opportunity to experience world-class entertainment in a state-of-the-art venue. I look forward to seeing this magnificent facility introduce the next generation to the joy of the arts.”
Along with a state-of-the-art theater, the hall will also feature thousands of square feet of new public space for different uses, including performance and community, much of which will be free to the public.
“The new David Geffen Hall will be NYC’s cultural hub, teeming with excitement from early morning to late at night—a place where New Yorkers will drop by just to see what’s happening, knowing they will find welcoming public spaces offering dynamic free entertainment, food, fun, art and culture in addition to the superb performances of the NY Philharmonic,” said Katherine Farley, Chair of the Board of Directors at Lincoln Center.
Described by Lincoln Center as “a living room for the city,” the David Geffen Hall’s public space will be an inclusive area home to a brightly colored welcome center, lobby and sidewalk studio with art displays and a 50-foot “Digital Stage” media wall.
The improved concert hall will feature a new configuration, better acoustics and a flexible, accessible design that will allow for stages to accommodate multiple uses and artist flexibility while also equipped with the latest technology.
“I am thrilled to be at the new David Geffen Hall to show the world that New York City is back,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “Our arts and culture don’t belong to a limited few but to all of us, and at Lincoln Center, we will all experience them. The New York Philharmonic has brought New Yorkers together through art for decades, and I can’t wait to open these doors to the public. This new facility will truly be a cultural home for all New Yorkers — offering tens of thousands feet of public space, even if you aren’t catching a show.”
The project will also be an opportunity for the creation of more jobs as the city recovers from the impact of the pandemic. The revitalization will support $600 million in economic activity and 6,000 jobs for New Yorkers, with 42 percent construction participation by minority- and women-owned businesses, and averaging 52 percent of the workforce coming from underrepresented communities.
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