Future Home: 110 Livingston

Photo by Joseph O. Holmes

In 2008, ISSUE Project Room was awarded a 20-year rent-free lease to the historic McKim, Mead & White designed jewel box theater at 110 Livingston Street.

HISTORY OF 110 LIVINGSTON

Originally built in 1926 as the headquarters for the Benevolent & Protective Order of the Elks, the building features a limestone and terra cotta facade, with Renaissance-revival style features including balustrades, egg-and-dart ornamentation, Corinthian columns, and a 4,800 sq ft. theater space with 40-foot vaulted ceilings and rare perfect acoustics for chamber ensembles.

In 1940, the building was converted to serve as the New York City Board of Education headquarters. In 2003, the City of New York sold the building to Two Trees Management LLC. Through a program of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the theater space on the ground floor was reserved for use by a nonprofit cultural organization for 20 years. ISSUE Project Room was competitively selected and signed the lease in December 2008.

PROJECT STATUS UPDATE (8/16/11)

In winter 2011, we completed a concept visioning process, renderings, and cost projections for capital improvements and operations in the new space. The total capital project will require $3.7 million. To date, we have raised $2.3 million towards construction, which enables us to move forward with a phase one of capital construction.

We are now working to raise $425,000 in architectural and engineering design fees. If we are successful in raising these funds by December 2011, we will be able to move forward swiftly with design, begin construction in 2012, and open in the fall of 2013.

To help us reach this important goal, please make a donation online, or send your check payable to ISSUE Project Room, 232 3rd Street, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY, 11215. For questions, please contact Executive Director Ed Patuto at ed@issueprojectroom.org or 718.330.0313 x5.

Learn more about our vision for the future, our capital plan, and timeline.