Skyscraper Museum to open in October

Real Estate Weekly, July 2, 2003

The Skyscraper Museum marked the start of construction with a kick-off event at 39 Battery Place, where the museum is scheduled to open in late October 2003. This will be the museum's first permanent home after six years of presenting exhibitions and programs in temporary spaces in New York's historic financial district.

The ceremony was launched by director Carol Willis, who spoke of the museum's commitment to Downtown's history and by supporters who spoke of the Museum's role in the cultural revival of lower Manhattan. Guest speakers, in order of appearance, were Philip E. Aarons -- principal and founding partner of Milllennium Partners, James Gill -- chairman of Battery Park City Authority, Anita Contini - v.p. and director for memorial, cultural and civic programs for the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., Daniel R. Tishman -- chairman and CEO of Tishman Construction Corp., C. Virginia Fields - Manhattan Borough President, Kate Levin - commissioner, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, and Alan Gerson - City Council Member, District 1. The event was also attended by Joseph Seymour, executive director of Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Robert Tierney, chairman of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, as well as museum members, colleagues from downtown museums, and members of the press.

Speeches were followed by a hard-hat tour led by Carol Willis and the Museum's architects Roger Duffy and Scott Duncan from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The SOM design is a dazzling work of contemporary architecture featuring a permanent gallery for the core exhibit Skyscraper/City, a gallery for changing exhibitions, a bookstore, and a mezzaine for staff offices. The design features polished stainless-steel floors and ceilings that reflect the floor-to-ceiling exhibition cases into endless verticals, generating a sense of towering volumes. A large-scale "light box" by artist James Turrell will form the Museum's entrance. This will be Turrell's first outdoor public artwork in New York, and it will be an icon of light and hope in the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan.

The Skyscraper Museum is grateful to the following companies and firms that have donated, designed, and are building the new home: Millennium Partners, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Tishman Construction Corporation, and the Battery Park City Authority. Construction has been made possible with major public support from: The City of New York, the New York City Council, Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields, the Battery Park City Authority, the New York State Council on the Arts, and foundation and private funding.

The Skyscraper Museum is the first and only museum in the world devoted to the history of skyscrapers and skylines.