Kaufman Center Reopens

January 8, 2008

The Kaufman Center reopened today, marking the completion of the first phase of improvements at Goodman House at 129 West 67th Street in New York City. The renovation is conceived as an update in harmony with the spirit of the building as designed by Ashok Bhavnani of Johansen & Bhavnani and completed in 1978.

Changes include a new marquee and signage to give the building greater visibility from both Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue; a unified entrance for the Kaufman Center's three divisions (Merkin Hall, the Lucy Moses School, and the Special Music School); and new reception spaces at both the orchestra and balcony levels. Metal paneling on the building's exterior has been replaced with translucent channel glass, which admits filtered sunlight by day and allows the building to glow from within by night while maintaining the compositional integrity of the facade. Technical improvements in refurbished Merkin Hall preserve its excellent acoustics and reduce intrusive noise.

"By preserving the basic language of the building, and avoiding the temptation to reinvent an already exquisite concert hall chamber, Mr. Stern has developed design solutions that are innovative, sparkling, and very much a reflection of our future," said Lydia Kontos, Executive Director of the Kaufman Center.

Jaffe Holden Acoustics is the acoustical consultant and Auerbach Pollock Friedlander the theater consultant for the work in Merkin Hall.

(Photo by Albert Večerka)