10.27.09 5:04 PM
Instrument Rental Company Opens Event Venue Near Javits
Stage 37 Photo: Alex Raytses
After more than 40 years as a music equipment rental company, Studio Instrument Rentals has branched out, and last Wednesday debuted its first dedicated event space in Manhattan. Dubbed Stage 37 , the 13,600-square-foot facility sits around the corner from S.I.R.'s main office and less than a block east of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center .MORE >>
10.22.09 12:49 PM
Final Phase of Peninsula's Renovation Spiffs Up Event Space
The Peninsula New York's private event space Photo: Courtesy of the Peninsula Hotel Group
The Peninsula New York hotel, which redesigned its rooftop bar last May and opened its spa in early January, debuted its newly refurbished function rooms to event planners last week. The facelift, the final phase of a larger property renovation, upgraded the furniture, amenities, and overall look of the third-floor spaces. The five rooms and three prefunction spaces are suited to a wide variety of events and meetings and now sport interiors that reflect the decor scheme used throughout the Midtown hotel, incorporating upholstered walls, Murano glass chandeliers, and gilded mirror accents.
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10.20.09 10:54 AM
British Hotel Group Opens First New York Outpost: Crosby Street Hotel
Crosby Street Hotel Photo: Courtesy of Firmdale Hotels
Firmdale Hotels, a London-based hotel group owned by husband and wife team Tim and Kit Kemp, opened its first property in New York on October 5. The Crosby Street Hotel was built on a SoHo lot once occupied by a parking lot and offers 86 rooms as well as a full floor dedicated to events and meetings. Designed by Stonehill & Taylor Architects to meet the standards for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold certification, the boutique property also offers a number of green elements, including energy-efficient lighting, locally sourced materials, and a roof garden.
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10.15.09 9:00 AM
School of Visual Arts Opens Milton Glaser-Designed Theater
S.V.A. Theatre Photo: Harry Zernike
Built as a facility to present student work and house lectures, as well as provide classroom space, the School of Visual Arts' S.V.A. Theatre officially opened on September 16. The site, formerly the Clearview Chelsea West Cinemas, was acquired by the college last year and was fully renovated by architect Larry Jones, construction supervisor Kevin O'Callahan, and artist Milton Glaser, who also serves as the school's acting chair. Run by faculty member Gene Stavis, the S.V.A. Theatre is also available for event rental and was home to the Gen Art Film Festival and the New York Cinema Society's screening of Inglourious Basterds earlier this year.
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10.13.09 3:26 PM
Presidential Election Prompts Times Square Hotel's New Political Motif
President Hotel Photo: Courtesy of President Hotel
Inspired by the recent presidential election and growth in political enthusiasm, Hampshire Hotels & Resorts and Best Western International redesigned their existing Times Square property and reopened it earlier this month with a new interior and themed rooms. The $15 million renovation project led by architectural and design firm Stonehill & Taylor added a political motif to the 344-room President Hotel , upgraded the furnishings, and installed a new lobby lounge.
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10.08.09 10:49 AM
Second A Voce Outpost Takes Over Café Gray's Spot at Columbus Circle
A Voce Columbus Photo: Courtesy of Marlon Abela Restaurant Corporation
Building on the success of its Flatiron district Italian spot originally dubbed A Voce—now called A Voce Madison —the Marlon Abela Restaurant Corporation opened A Voce Columbus late last month. In the space vacated by Café Gray last summer, this new eatery inside Columbus Circle's Time Warner Center is larger than its downtown sibling and offers two areas for private dining. In the kitchen is chef Missy Robbins, who earned a name for herself at Chicago's Spiaggia and serves her style of seasonal Italian fare here.
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10.05.09 12:21 PM
Tenjune Team Opens Restaurant in Lotus Space
Abe & Arthur's Photo: Gary Landsman
Today, Eugene Remm, Mark Birnbaum, and Michael Hirtenstein—the trio behind hospitality management company EMM Group and clubs Tenjune and the Chandelier Room—will open their first restaurant. Replacing Lotus on West 14th Street, Abe & Arthur's occupies a bilevel, 6,000-square-foot space designed by iCrave and named after the grandfathers of Birnbaum and Hirtenstein. In the kitchen is executive chef Franklin Becker, who previously worked at Brasserie and Sheridan Square and serves his take on classic American dishes.
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10.01.09 12:55 PM
Boutique Design Firm Opens Gallery and Event Site
Murphy and Dine Photo: Thaddeus Rombauer Photography
After moving to a new home in west Chelsea earlier this year, Scott Murphy and Nick Dine's boutique architecture and interior design firm opted to make its gallery available for private events. The space, which officially opened as Murphy and Dine Gallery on September 16, is comprised of three different areas and, unlike neighboring nightlife haunts Bungalow 8, Cain Luxe, and Pink Elephant, is flooded with natural light.
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09.29.09 9:00 AM
Brooklyn Landmark Reopens as Dedicated Event Space
Skylight One Hanson Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
Inside Brooklyn's Williamsburg Savings Bank—now a residential building known as One Hanson—Skylight One Hanson is a multilevel site developed solely for event usage by owner of Skylight in SoHo. The venue, which opened on September 17 with a cocktail reception and after-party for VH1's Divas concert, is a designated landmark and much of its old-fashioned grandeur remains intact.
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09.24.09 11:08 AM
Ping-Pong Enthusiasts Open Social Club With Space for Events
Spin New York Photo: Courtesy of Spin New York
There are plenty of bowling alleys in this city, but there just aren't that many places to play table tennis. That could change with the opening of Spin New York . Building on the success of their underground gatherings known as Naked Ping-Pong tournaments—competitions that have attracted the likes of 50 Cent, Owen Wilson, and Veronica Webb—Bill Mack, Franck Raharinosy, and Jonathan Bricklin partnered with Andrew Gordon to open the table tennis and social club in July and last week held an official opening party with Vanity Fair .MORE >>
