At 30,000 square feet, the massive new venue Echostage is touted as the Washington region’s largest standing-room concert venue. Echostage is outfitted with state-of-the-art sound design and LED visual displays, as well as two 60-foot-long bars flanking the dance floor and more than 30 bottle service areas, which each comfortably accommodate eight people. Formerly known as DC Tunnel and DC Star, headliners at Echostage have included David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Avicci, and Armin van Buuren.
Formerly the Desmond Tutu Center, the 60-room High Line Hotel opened last year in Chelsea. Its grand Hoffman Hall offers more than 8,000 square feet of event space spread over several rooms, many with views of the High Line park. Individual spaces include the Refectory, which features soaring ceilings, wood paneling, and stained-glass windows. It holds 400 for receptions or 250 for banquets. Meeting rooms and prefunction space were created from a century-old gymnasium with original maple hardwood floors. Three small meeting rooms can function as 20-person boardrooms, private dining space, or breakout rooms. The hotel has a full kitchen and catering capabilities as well as audiovisual equipment including a projector, screen, and microphones.
The quirky name of the new Lower East Side bar Leave Rochelle Out of It comes from a mutual ex-girlfriend of the two creative directors. The whiskey bar—it serves more than 150 varieties—also has an American menu that includes whiskey wings and dock confit sliders. The 1,450-square-foot space is decorated with prints of classic rock icons such as Mick Jagger and Iggy Pop and holds 140 people for events. It opened in late November.
The Queens Museum—formerly the Queens Museum of Art—finished a massive expansion in November, adding 105,000 square feet. The expansion offers several event spaces available for rental. The largest, the entire main gallery, holds 650 for a seated dinner at rounds or 1,500 for receptions. The main atrium and other galleries are available for smaller events. Amerivents is the museum's exclusive caterer.
