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.
On the ground floor of a warehouse-like space on West 37th Street, the venue consists of a large function hall, a mezzanine level, a lobby, a kitchenette for catering prep, and an additional area that can be used for storage or as a greenroom. Fully renovated as a blank-slate site for a wide variety of functions, Stage 37 has whitewashed walls, polished concrete floors, 26-foot ceilings, and only four support columns in its main area.
With 8,500 square feet of space and the capacity for 475 people, the central hall is rigged for large-scale events like concerts, film screenings, and fashion shows. A 48-foot-deep loading dock and a 10-foot-wide load-in section at street level provide access for large sets and equipment, as well as drive-in entry for vehicles. There's also a 1,100-square-foot mezzanine, which can house a V.I.P. lounge or technical controls for audiovisual, lighting, and sound production, and a 1,100-square-foot lobby.
Stage 37 also offers a separate production office overlooking the main space and an area for catering prep. A larger, 800-square-foot multipurpose room can be utilized as a greenroom for talent, storage, or an additional place for back-of-house production.
To accommodate events and other functions that involve live broadcasts, performances, and Web casts, S.I.R. has equipped its facility with an 1,800-amp three-phase electrical system and high-speed wireless Internet access. The company can also provide supplmentary sound, lighting, and video equipment, audiovisual services, staging devices like scissor lifts, and, of course, instruments.
