NYC Economic Development Corporation Names Museum of Arts & Design to Redevelop Columbus Building
NEW YORK, N.Y., June 21, 2002 - New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) President Andrew M. Alper today announced that the Museum of Arts & Design has been selected to redevelop the Two Columbus Circle building which borders Central Park South. The Museum of Arts & Design is the leading museum in the United States dedicated to 20th- and 21st- century contemporary craft, decorative arts and design. Built in 1964, Two Columbus Circle originally housed the former Huntington Hartford Gallery of Contemporary Art.
"The Museum of Arts & Design will bring new cultural life to Columbus Circle, acting as a gateway to Central Park and linking visitor destinations such as Lincoln Center and the 53rd Street museum corridor," said EDC President Andrew Alper. "The building will allow the Museum to grow and expand its exhibition space, as well as broaden its visitor reach. This is a wonderful new use for a prominent building with a strong cultural past. The Museum will also complement the new vision for Columbus Circle and the AOL/Time Warner project."
The Museum's decision to relocate is a response to a significant increase in its visitorship, an overwhelming response to its public programming in recent years, and a dramatic expansion of the field. Over the past five years, the Museum has experienced a nearly 100% increase in attendance to 275,000, an exponential growth pattern that points to the institution's success as an important cultural and educational resource to the New York City community and visitors from across the country and abroad. The Museum expects to more than double the number of visitors annually though the move to Two Columbus. With 54,000 square feet of space, Two Columbus Circle is three times larger than the Museum's current location at 40 West 53rd Street. It will provide the space the Museum needs to present and expand what is one of the most distinguished collections of contemporary craft in the world for the first time since its founding in 1956. It will also provide for expansion of the Museum's innovative educational programs and allow it to introduce new ones.
"We are very excited about creating a new home where we can better serve the needs of the New York City community and its visitors," said Museum Director Holly Hotchner. "The opportunity to build a new museum for this rapidly evolving, interdisciplinary field is the fulfillment of a dream, and will have an enormous impact on artists from all over the world. In addition, the establishment of artists' studios within the Museum creates an opportunity to link the creative process to the art object. This emphasis on materials and process, so fascinating to the general public, will be unique among New York museums."
In addition to exhibition galleries, the Museum plans to establish a Center for the Study of Contemporary Craft, a full-service craft and decorative arts education facility, and artists' studios that will link the art-making process with the objects on display in the galleries. A Craft Learning Center will offer programs for children and school groups. There will also be an expanded Museum Store that will offer primarily original pieces created by hand by approximately 1400 artists. Through this move, the Museum will be able to increase its administrative staff and create a publications department. A restaurant and members lounge on the top floor will offer stunning views of Central Park.
The Museum plans to retain the 154-seat auditorium located in the building's lower lobby and use it for adult education seminars and art history programs, as well as collaborative programs with other art and cultural organizations. This will create another cultural resource for the public and will increase audiences for the Museum.
The Museum of Arts & Design has selected a small group of architectural firms to submit preliminary proposals for a renovation of Two Columbus Circle. The primary objective for a renovation is to improve the condition of the building and transform it into a state-of-the-art museum that enables the Museum of Arts & Design to serve its visitors, students, and families. The Museum will appoint an architect who shares its sensitivity to the history of the site, the environment of Columbus Circle, and the proximity of the site to Central Park. The architect will be announced as soon as preliminary proposals have been reviewed by the Museum and a firm has been selected. The Museum expects to invest over $30 million in order to create a new home at Two Columbus Circle. The increase in visitors to the Museum will add to the economic development of the Columbus Circle.
The selection of the Museum of Arts & Design will enhance the redevelopment of Columbus Circle by complementing the AOL/Time Warner project and the economic development plan for Columbus Circle. Combined with Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Museum will add new cultural vitality to the area.
EDC is the City's primary vehicle for economic development services. Using its financing and real estate resources, EDC helps develop businesses and create jobs throughout the five boroughs.