Location
Times Square
Completion
2001
Client
New 42nd Street, Inc.
Square Footage
80,000 SF / 11 Stories
Architect
Platt Byard Dovell Architects
New 42 Studio Building
Sciame was the Construction Manager responsible for the construction of the New 42nd Street Studio. The building houses fourteen rehearsal studios for dance, music and theater, a 199-seat black box theater, ground floor retail space, and 20,000 SF of office space for performing arts groups, including the Roundabout Theatre Company and the Williamstown Theater Festival. The space also serves as the new headquarters for the non-profit New 42nd Street, Inc. organization.
The building was designed to express the activities that take place within. The structure incorporates ceiling heights of 13’ or more in rehearsal spaces that are stacked in the aluminum and glass curtain wall tower, supported by a brick-clad service core housing elevators, stairs, plumbing, and HVAC. The building integrates a unique prismatic lighting guide provided by a 175-foot vertical light spire on the west side of the building, which allows the building’s colors to be manipulated.
A number of construction challenges were posed due to the building’s location in the heart of Times Square: first, access to the site was limited to 42nd Street during restricted hours because of bus lane requirements; second, a 10’ wide pedestrian passageway complicated by a very tight space which had to accommodate an outside hoist as well as staging materials had to be maintained for Empire Development Corporation requirements; and finally, underpinning of the site was required along the adjacent historic New Victory Theater.
Project Awards
The American Institute of Steel Construction
Merit Award
New York Construction’s Contractor of the Year – Looking back, 2006 was a standout year for Sciame Construction. We were honored as Contractor of the Year, a testament to our growing reputation for delivering some of New York City’s most architecturally daring and culturally significant projects.
In April 2006, Sciame Construction completed the Morgan Library and Museum Expansion, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and BBB Architects. The project was led by then EVP/Division Head Joseph Mizzi, who began his career at Sciame 11 years earlier in 1995.
The following month, our founder, Frank Sciame, passed the torch of day-to-day leadership by promoting Joseph Mizzi to President of Sciame Construction, while continuing to serve as Chairman and CEO.
This leadership transition helped shape the next chapter of our story, and was memorialized in the cover photo of New York Construction, and the firm’s Contractor of the Year honor.
Thanks a Half-Billion! – At Sciame Construction, we proudly led the effort to reimagine the WTC Memorial and Museum, a project of national significance. Frank Sciame, our founder, was tasked with creating a design that honored the original vision while staying within a $500 million budget. Working closely with Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Pataki, and a team of 13 advisers, including notable figures like Jack Rudin and Robert Douglass, we developed cost-effective design options, ultimately reducing the budget from nearly $1 billion to $510 million. Our approach preserved key elements like the voids, waterfalls, and pools while optimizing infrastructure and resizing the museum. Sciame’s commitment to excellence ensured a memorial that balances beauty, dignity, and sustainability.
Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center – Though relatively small in size, the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center was a technically complex project successfully constructed and delivered by Sciame Construction. This groundbreaking laboratory made an outsized impact on global health. It was here that Dr. David Ho pioneered the development of the revolutionary “AIDS cocktail,” a combination therapy that transformed HIV from a fatal diagnosis into a manageable condition. His groundbreaking work earned him the title of TIME magazine’s Man of the Year, underscoring the center’s profound contribution to the fight against the AIDS epidemic.
The New Victory Theater – Originally built in 1900 as The Republic, the first performing arts venue on 42nd Street, the theater was transformed into The New Victory in 1995, becoming New York’s first theater for children and families. The renovation uncovered and restored original architectural elements, added a new lobby carved from the existing structure and bedrock, rebuilt the historic staircase, and created space for much-needed restrooms. A rear wing was added for backstage access, dressing rooms, workshops, and a loading dock, while new elevators and rooftop HVAC systems were integrated to meet modern needs of the historic theater.
