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.
Measuring 15,000 square feet, the main floor at street level is filled with references to the site's past as a bank. Teller stations line the perimeter of the room, glass-topped counters run down the middle of the space atop marble floors and a striking 40-foot mosaic map of New York as a Dutch colony. Soaring 63-foot ceilings are decorated with the constellations of the zodiac, and a small mezzanine overlooks the elaborate design and architecture.
Tucked away on the lower level is a space of equal size, where three original vault doors are the visual highlight. Contrasting the room above, this floor is more like a gallery, with white walls and exposed beams.
To update Skylight One Hanson for private functions, owner Jennifer Blumin installed new lighting and brought in L&M Sound to create and position an audio system. The entire venue holds as many as 1,500 for receptions or 500 for seated dinners.