“The New York Philharmonic could be getting an East Side address when the planned renovation of its Lincoln Center hall leaves it homeless for two seasons: The orchestra is in talks with Hunter College about moving into a 2,000-seat auditorium there,” write Michael Cooper and Robin Pogrebin in Sunday’s (10/25) New York Times. “The orchestra plans to play at a number of places around all five city boroughs during the renovation of its home, David Geffen Hall, a project expected to cost $500 million, begin in 2019 and last for two seasons…. The Hunter hall … on the college’s East 68th Street campus, at Park Avenue … needs renovations to make it right for the Philharmonic. Officials said that could cost $20 million to $25 million…. Many other details would need to be worked out. But officials at both Hunter and the Philharmonic sounded optimistic…. Jennifer J. Raab, the president of Hunter, said … the hall—a 1939 Art Moderne space—has ‘beautiful bones’ that could be adapted into a hall that would serve the orchestra, and, after it moves on, the college…. Matthew VanBesien, president of the Philharmonic, said … that the idea of developing a closer relationship with City University was attractive.”
Posted October 27, 2015
