It’s coming sooner than you think: the new David Geffen Hall. Today the Philharmonic and our partner Lincoln Center announced updates to the plans to renovate the Orchestra’s home. Now scheduled to reopen in Fall 2022 — almost two years earlier than previously anticipated — David Geffen Hall will be back, and better than ever.
As Deborah Borda, the Philharmonic’s Linda and Mitch Hart President and CEO, said: “Our accelerated renovation plan for David Geffen Hall allows us to make the most of COVID-19 closures to complete the renovation process faster and more efficiently, without stops and starts. The Hall’s immediate and long-term benefits to the community, Lincoln Center, our Orchestra, and the world of music are unparalleled. We look forward to returning to David Geffen Hall and welcoming everyone to our new, state-of-the-art home in Fall 2022 … a major signal that New York City is back.”
The new theater introduces a “single-room” concept, moving the stage forward by 25 feet, with audience seating wrapped around it, and the design will support a wide range of performance initiatives. The public spaces will welcome the community — by opening up to the campus and hosting a new Welcome Center and a media streaming wall in the lobby — and The Sidewalk Studio will allow passersby to see our educational, artistic, and community activities. And based on learnings from the past year, health-and-safety improvements following the recommendation of experts will include state-of-the-art HVAC systems, filtration and air purifying systems, and antimicrobial technology integrated into surfaces.
This is a great moment not only for the Philharmonic and Lincoln Center, but for our audiences and our community. The renovation will generate more than $600 million in project-related economic activity through construction, including supporting 6,000 jobs throughout the City and State, including 3,000 in construction.
Peter W. May, Co-Chairman of the Philharmonic’s Board, said: “Supporting the arts takes on a new, deeper meaning at this moment in history. It has been a long road to securing an advanced, cutting-edge home for the New York Philharmonic; New York’s hometown orchestra deserves the best. With its new design incorporating true warmth and beauty, this hall will serve generations to come.”
In the meantime, your New York Philharmonic will present 2021–22 season concerts in several New York City venues, to be announced. Learn more about the project at workinginconcert.info.
