New $550M Lincoln Center Hall Opening 2 Years Early On UWS

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Lincoln Center's newly restored and rebuilt David Geffen Hall will open on the Upper West Side in October 2022, two years ahead of schedule and on budget, the arts center announced on Wednesday.

After decades of postponement to the reconstruction of the iconic hall and home of the New York Philharmonic, the COVID pandemic along with the fundraising of $550 million allowed for the arts center to fully commit to the renovation project.

Architecture and construction firms have been working on the new hall since spring of 2021, and now have accomplished enough work that Lincoln Center feels comfortable committing to an October 2022 opening date.

The most recent effort to complete the renovation of the venue was inspired in 2015 when billionaire David Geffen donated $100 million to Lincoln Center, at which point the arts center decided to name the new version of the hall after him.

The leadership team of the UWS arts center, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Upper West Side Council Member Gale Brewer, and a virtual Senator Chuck Schumer were in attendance on Wednesday morning to announce the opening date.

“Lincoln Center is a central piece of New York’s cultural heart and the new David Geffen Hall, complete with expanded public and community spaces, will make that heartbeat even stronger," Hochul said.

Adams said he was "thrilled" to be at the new David Geffen Hall.

"I am thrilled to be at the new David Geffen Hall to show the world that New York City is back,” Adams said. “Our arts and culture don’t belong to a limited few but to all of us, and at Lincoln Center, we will all experience them."

The construction project and subsequent opening of the hall will support $600 million in economic activity and 6,000 jobs for New Yorkers, according to Lincoln Center.

The new theater within the David Geffen Hall aims to "revolutionize acoustics." It is reducing the number of seats by 500 to a total of 2200, and relocating the stage forward by 25 feet, "the seating will wrap around the stage and bring the entire audience 30 percent closer to the performers, while also improving the acoustics."

The new version of the David Geffen Hall will also come with revamped public spaces:

Welcome Center: Located on the southeast corner of David Geffen Hall will be the new Welcome Center. Much more than just a box office, it will be the entry point to access the full campus. Entered from Broadway, this will be a place to buy tickets, get information on programs across the campus, meet friends, and enjoy a light snack from a small café in the middle of the space throughout the day.

Lobby: The lobby will nearly double in size, in part thanks to the removal of the existing box office. Adjacent to the Welcome Center, the main lobby will be a comfortable lounge with ample seating areas, a bar and concessions to encourage people to come before and stay after performances.

Sidewalk Studio: By relocating administrative offices to the top floor of the building, what was once office space will become an innovative venue for smaller-scale performance, rehearsals and community gatherings.

Back of house: Freed from the tangle of offices, the back of house is being reconfigured into additional rehearsal spaces, dressing rooms and a green room—all essential to support the incredible talent of the performers. Newly established offices on the top level will bring natural light and additional space for staff.