OHNY Events

OHNY Sunset Boat Tour

9.19.11
Join OHNY to see a waterside view of the Queen Elizabeth. Bill Miller, renowned ocean liner expert, will talk about life on board the transatlantic ship and discuss the piers, docks, cargo and history of the ocean liners of the past.
Then we will accompany the AIDAluna as she leaves the port and heads out to sea. Maritime photographer and licensed captain Jonathan Atkin will join us as we hear a special harbor salute horn blast for OHNY. Representatives from Sandy Hook Pilots will explain what takes place on the AIDAluna bridge as she maneuvers through the harbor into open waters.
The tour will then head to the Battery, past Governor’s Island and into the Erie Basin. We will learn from historian Betsy Haggerty, former editor of Offshore Magazine, about the history of the Basin and the Erie Canal while enjoying beautiful views of the New York City harbor bridges at sunset.

Place setting: Urban farming at its finest
9.13.11

Join openhousenewyork for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the most rural of urban settings, Brooklyn Grange. In anticipation of the 9th Annual OHNY Weekend and to celebrate the end of summer, OHNY has teamed up with the Consulate General of Israel to host a bon voyage summer soirée in true OHNY-style. Israeli chef Einat Admony of Balaboosta will prepare a special tasting menu with vegetables and herbs picked from the farm that day. The evening includes tours of the farm, live music, and spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline while sipping wine and the soirée signature cocktail, a fresh rose sangria with summer peaches, basil and thyme.

FamilyDay@theCenter: Exploring Governors Island

8.20.11
Join OHNY and the Center for Architecture Foundation to explore Governors Island, a fabulous getaway just minutes from Manhattan by ferry. We’ll visit historic forts, Victorian houses and learn about past uses and future plans for the island. Bring a picnic or buy it there and stay for the afternoon to enjoy all the island has to offer: bike rentals, mini golf, beach bar-n-grill and an afternoon Jazz Age Lawn Party (separate tickets required).

Hidden Harbor Tour® with the Working Harbor Committee
8.16.11
Join OHNY and the Working Harbor Committee on a boat tour to explore the Brooklyn waterfront and New York Harbor – places that are normally hidden from the eyes of most residents and visitors. The Zephyr will depart Pier 16 at 6:15pm and explore the Brooklyn waterfront down to Sunset Park, over to Kill Van Kull and Howland Hook, back to Military Ocean and Global Marine Terminals and finally, past the Statue of Liberty on this two hour tour. The world of working maritime vessels and facilities is both fascinating as well as vitally important to our economy. Narrated by Captain John Doswell, the tour will focus on the built environment of the New York harbor and waterways and the maritime industry, both past and present

Exploring Harlem’s Black and Jewish Music Culture
8.11.11
A cultural walking tour with Harlem One Stop through Sugar Hill-Hamilton Heights and Central Harlem. Explore connections and sites associated with Harlem’s Black and Jewish music culture. Led by John Reddick, the tour will feature artists and venues showcased in an upcoming exhibition he has curated on the subject that is scheduled for Harlem this fall. For many, the prevailing music history associated with Harlem revolves around the Apollo Theater, beginning with Frank Schiffman and Leo Brecher taking over the Apollo in 1935. However, beginning in the early 1900’s Harlem’s 125th Street hosted several theaters, including Oscar Hammerstein’s, Harlem Opera House, Hurtig & Seamon’s Burlesque, Weber & Fields’, West End Theatre and the Alhambra Theater. The tour ends at the Tian at the Riverbank Restaurant with its “Rainbow Room” ambiance and breathtaking views of the Hudson and the George Washington Bridge, for an evening of Swing Dance and Big Band Music with the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra.

Evening at Newtown Creek Raffle
7. 28.11
The largest of New York City’s 14 wastewater treatment plants, Newtown Creek is in the midst of a technological and aesthetic transformation. Its stainless steel digester “eggs” dominate the local skyline to demonstrate that with care, even the most utilitarian infrastructure can be an elegant combination of engineering and art. With the cooperation of Ennead Architects and OHNY, the Department of Environmental Protection is opening up one of our city’s unexpected architectural gems, offering a tour to the top of Newtown’s digester eggs at dusk, to experience the dramatic lighting design of the Plant and of the New York City skyline on the evening of July 28th.

Five Year Volunteers Recognition Event
6.14.11
A reception to honor the contributions of OHNY’s Five-Year Volunteers, who received a tour of the Central Park Arsenal with Gary Rozman and a special commemorative pin.

OHNY Annual Benefit
5.18.11
An evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and auction at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, designed by H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture in the Baryshnikov Arts Center. Honoring acclaimed architect Hugh Hardy, renowned artist Red Grooms and Leslie Koch, President of The Trust for Governors Island. Together, they represent the architectural and artistic creativity that exemplifies OHNY and New York City. The gala includes a live auction featuring works by contemporary artists and designers as well as private tours of several New York iconic landmarks. There will also be a special performance by world-renowned violinist Anne Akiko Meyers  as well as music by Project Trio.

Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center, Greenpoint
5.21.11
The Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center’s (GMDC) flagship project is a 300,000 square foot complex of buildings built between 1868 and 1910 for the textile industry. When the City wanted to close the building in the 1980’s after taking it in tax foreclosure, a group of industrial business and artist tenants came together with community organizations and elected officials to shape a redevelopment plan that would convert the property into an arts and industry center, managed by the non-profit GMDC. Today, the Manhattan Avenue complex has 75 small business and artisan tenants, and 350 employees from adjacent communities working here. Come tour the building and meet some of the artisanal businesses that call GMDC home.

El Puente, South Williamsburg/Los Sures
6.18.11
El Puente is a community human rights institution that promotes leadership for peace and justice through the engagement of youth and adult members in the arts, education, scientific research, wellness & environmental action. As a place-based organization with deep roots in the neighborhood, El Puente’s six sites have grown into hubs of community action in multiple areas—in line with El Puente’s principle of holistic learning. Walk Los Sures, or the Southside of Williamsburg, to experience the rich history of indigenous arts and culture that springs forth from self-determination. Learn about the history and vibrancy of artists and artisans living & working in North Brooklyn and visit local landmarks including the beautiful outdoor murals of Los Muralsitas, local community garden Espiritu Tierra, and the favorite haunts of El Puente CADRE (Community Artists’ Development & Resource Exchange) members.

Explore NYC’s Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts Series
Fourth Arts Block, East Village
4.30.11
Fourth Arts Block (FAB) is rooted in the Lower East Side’s long history of hosting community and cultural spaces that served marginalized immigrants, artists, and activists. In the 1960’s and 70’s, East 4th Street coalesced as a center for experimental theater and film. Four decades later, the block’s cultural groups founded FAB to preserve and develop these historic arts spaces. Tour East 4th Street theaters and learn how FAB weaves the arts with neighboring small businesses to strengthen a distinctive East Village cultural and community identity.

The Setai Fifth Avenue with Gwathmey Siegel
3.2.11
Designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, the Setai Fifth Avenue Hotel and Residences is a Capella Managed Hotel and is a project of Bizzi & Partners Development, who has created a luxurious addition to the historic Fifth Avenue commercial corridor. The 570,000 square foot 60-story building has 214 hotel rooms, including 157 guestrooms and 57 hotel suites. The tour will include the light-filled lobby, restaurant as well as a bar and spa, and the uppermost floors of the tower, which houses 184 residential condominiums taking in sweeping vistas of the city and beyond. The primary building envelope consists of a tower set back from the street atop a ten-story podium. The expression of the tower and base as distinct components affords the flexibility to respond to the context of multiple scales—that of the city, the street, and the pedestrian. Principal, Robert Siegel and Senior Associate Greg Karn of Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects with Giuseppe Rossi, executive vice president of Bizzi & Partners, will lead the tour. The tour will begin at 6:30pm with a talk in the hotel’s Conference Room, followed by drinks in the Residents’ Lounge.

Fifth Avenue with Andre Kikoski
2.23.11
Andre Kikoski Architect an award-winning Manhattan architecture firm, designed the interiors and four model homes of 1280 Fifth Avenue, the residential tower over the Museum for African Art authored by Robert A.M. Stern. Andre Kikoski Architect is recognized for the internationally acclaimed The Wright at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. The interiors and model homes reflect the four seasons in Central Park, the building’s neighbor, and feature a unified palette of natural, renewable materials including teak wood, limestone, abalone shell tile, American black walnut and cypress wood. Sculptural elements within are inspired by natural geometries and organic textures. The model homes feature furniture from the extensive collections of the venerated French manufacturer Ligne Roset, who provided assistance on the model home furniture. The twenty one-story 165,000 square-foot building is developed by Brickman. Andre Kikoski will lead the tour of the building’s interior, beginning at 6:30pm, followed by drinks.

Restoration and Renovation of St. Francis Xavier
2.5.11
Explore the restoration and renovation of the Church of Saint Francis Xavier, designed in an elaborate neo-Baroque style. The church, whose parish dates back to 1847, was designed by the noted architect Patrick Keely in 1878. The campaign for the restoration and preservation of the Church of St. Francis Xavier began in 2001. EverGreene Architectural Arts and Thomas A. Fenniman Architect completed this extensive restoration project in 2010. Fenniman was recently internationally honored byFaith & Form: The Interfaith Journal on Religion, Art and Architecture, whose jurors commented: “This is a colossal restoration, an incredible undertaking. It is ambitious yet respectful. Every detail has been lavished with attention.”
Tour the church with the restoration architect and artists and hear about the techniques involved in the conservation of the church’s 47 murals, the restoration of its 35 plaster statues of saints, the extensive stone and marble cleaning and repair, and on-site architectural paint conservation and decorative painting. Learn more about the rich history of the parish community with the capital campaign director whose documentary about the entire process will premier in April 2011.

69th Regiment Armory Tour
1.25.11
Explore the 69th Regiment Armory, a National Historic Landmark that is home to the legendary “Fighting 69th” Infantry and houses numerous artifacts from its storied past, including Medals of Honor awarded to its members and original Civil War-era battle flags. Tour this three-story brick fortress, designed by Hunt & Hunt in 1904, with the Regimental Historian, as well as members of the active battalion, veteran corps and historical roundtable. Learn about the 69th Regiment’s lineage, history, honors and traditions, including their ties to New York’s Irish community and the legendary Father Francis Patrick Duffy, and see a hand-written letter from President Lincoln and colorful WPA murals of scenes from the history of American warfare, among other displays. The tour will end at the Garryowen Club, ‘NYC’s most well-armed speakeasy’ according to Curbed, which will be open with live music.

OHNY Weekend Launch Party at the Centurion
10.8.10
Join us and help kick off the 8th Annual OHNY Weekend at the penthouse of The Centurion, located in Midtown and designed by Pei Partnership Architects with I.M. Pei, with drinks and light refreshments.

Ennead Architects: New York Designers Design New York – The Standard, New York
9.8.10
Ennead Architects (formerly Polshek Partnership) lead intimate tours of buildings throughout New York City that showcase the diversity of the firm’s acclaimed portfolio. Named the #1 best building of the decade by Curbed NY, The Standard, New York is an eighteen-story, concrete and glass structure that provides a sleek, modern counterpoint to the historic Meatpacking district. Already a landmark in the newly re-activated city fabric of the West Village, it has been heralded as “the kind of straightforward, thoughtfully conceived building that is all too rare in the City today.” Todd Schliemann, Partner in Ennead Architects and designer of the building, leads the tour.

Ennead Architects: New York Designers Design New York – The Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Center for Earth and Space
8.25.10
Ennead Architects (formerly Polshek Partnership) lead intimate tours of buildings throughout New York City that showcase the diversity of the firm’s acclaimed portfolio. Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Rose Center for Earth and Space redefined the American Museum of Natural History for the 21st century. The 87-foot in diameter sphere within a glass cube is an immediately recognizable icon of the institution and New York City. Within, an articulated spatial experience inspires visitors with an understanding of the wonders of the universe and the power of scientific inquiry.

Hidden Harbor Tour® with the Working Harbor Committee
8.10.10
Partnering with the  Working Harbor Committee, OHNY offers a boat tour of the Brooklyn waterfront and New York Harbor — places that are normally hidden from the eyes of most area residents and visitors. The American Princess II will depart Pier 17 at 6:15pm and explore the Brooklyn waterfront down to Sunset Park, over to Kill Van Kull and Howland Hook, back to Military Ocean and Global Marine Terminals and finally, past the Statue of Liberty on its way back to Pier 17. Narrated by Captain John Doswell, the tour will focus on the built environment of the New York harbor and waterways and the maritime industry, both past and present.

Family Day: Scavenger Hunt
7.17.10
OHNY and the Center for Architecture Foundation explore the neighborhood around the Center on an architectural scavenger hunt. Participants return to the Center to create a treasure map of their discoveries

Family Day: Exploring Governors Island
6.12.10
OHNY and the Center for Architecture Foundation explore Governor’s Island, visiting historic forts, Victorian houses and learning about past uses and future plans for the island. Bring a picnic and stay on the island for the afternoon to enjoy the weekend-long art and cultural celebration FIGMENT.

Five Year Volunteers Recognition Event
5.18.10
A reception to honor the contributions of OHNY’s Five-Year Volunteers, who received a tour of the Central Park Arsenal with Bob Gelber and a special commemorative pin.

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tours
4.17.10 – 4.18.10
OHNY and the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association offer special guided tours of the world’s oldest subway tunnel, built in 1844 and constructed in seven months using only hand tools and primitive equipment. Bob Diamond, who rediscovered the tunnel in 1980, will lead two tours through the half-mile long underground space.

FDR’s Funeral Train: a slide lecture and presentation by historian Robert Klara
4.7.10
Historian and author Robert Klara presents on one of the most overlooked events in American 20th-century history: the mysterious journey of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s funeral train. Klara, who provides the popular talks in the lobby of the Chrysler Building during the Annual OHNY Weekend, is the author of the soon to be released FDR’s Funeral Train: A Betrayed Widow, A Soviet Spy, and a Presidency in the Balance – a groundbreaking, inside look at the top-secret train that carried FDR’s body a thousand miles from Warm Springs, Georgia to Hyde Park, New York, in the spring of 1945.

Annual Benefit
3.23.10
OHNY hosts its 2010 Spring Benefit at the American Academy of Arts and Letters on March 23. Join us for cocktails and a rare opportunity to visit and tour the Academy’s grand beaux-arts buildings, with special access to the founding members’ room, the portrait gallery, the private library, its large terrace-level exhibition space, and a truly breath-taking 730-seat auditorium designed by Cass Gilbert. The gala includes a silent auction featuring works by contemporary artists and designers as well as private tours of several New York iconic landmarks.

Place Setting: At Home with Donald Judd
3.11.10
This unique event is an opportunity to experience Judd’s astute sensibility, his vision for living and his manner of entertaining family, friends and fellow artists. Months before the building’s major restoration efforts begin, the Judd Foundation and chefs Nils Norén and Christina Wang of the French Culinary Institute will co-host the evening at Donald Judd’s home and studio in SoHo with signature cocktails and a fusion of Mexican and Swedish hors d’oeuvres, reflecting Judd’s favorite cuisines.

Gangsters: Birth of Organized Crime in America
3.7.10 and 3.28.10
In collaboration with the Lower East Side History Project, OHNY offers a unique walking tour covering 150 years of crime and vice in NYC. Led by Eric Ferrara, executive director of the Lower East Side History Project and the East Village Visitors Center and author of A Guide to Gangsters, Murderers and Weirdos of New York City’s Lower East Side.

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tours
1.23.10 – 1.24.10 and 1.30.10
OHNY and the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association offers special guided tours of the world’s oldest subway tunnel, built in 1844 and constructed in seven months using only hand tools and primitive equipment. Bob Diamond, who rediscovered the tunnel in 1980, will lead two tours through the half-mile long underground space.

2009 Events and Year Round Programs

For a list of past events prior to 2009, please see our archives.

Radio City Music Hall Tour
3.07.09
Tour with Hugh Hardy, who led the 1999 restoration of the iconic structure. Mr. Hardy discusses the extensive restoration effort aimed at updating the infrastructure and returning the theater to its original glory.

Rescuing Eldridge Street Artisans Roundtable
3.25.09
Museum Deputy Director Amy Milford moderates a roundtable discussion with the artisans who worked on the restoration: Ray Clagnan of The Gil Studio (stained glass), Jeff Greene of EverGreene Studios (decorative paint), and Dawn Ladd of Aurora Lampwork (lighting).

Central Park Walking Tour
5.2.09
Bob Gelber, founder of Walkin’ NY leads a tour of Central Park, including “Literary Walk,” Bethesda Terrace and Belvedere Castle, exploring the history and geology of this beautiful park that spans over 843 acres of Manhattan.

Center for Architecture Family Day – Rooftop Hats
5.9.09
In collaboration with the Center for Architecture, families take part in a walking tour, looking for interesting roofs in the neighborhood, then designed their own rooftop hats to show off different architectural styles.

Morningside Heights Walking Tour
5.16.09
Michelle & James Nevius, authors of Inside the Apple: A Streetwise History of New York City, lead a walking tour of Morningside Heights, highlighting the development and growth of the neighborhood.

Construction Tour of 450 West 14th Street, the Highline Building
5.17.09
In collaboration with the Meatpacking District Initiative, OHNY offers a private hard-hat tour of a historic art-deco building with views of the much-anticipated Highline on the 6th floor of this former meatpacking facility being reborn into a 15-story LEED-Certified office/retail tower. During Meatpacking District Design Week, the building was open for free tours, followed by a ticketed talk with architect, Morris Adjmi.

Benefit Series
5.28.09 – 6.25.09
Drinks and dialogues at some of New York City’s extraordinary townhouses, penthouses, historic homes and newly opened spaces over five weeks beginning May 28.

CFA Family Day on Governors Island
6.13.09
In collaboration with the Center for Architecture, OHNY hosts an off-site Family Day on Governors Island, exploring historical structures using an interactive activity guide.

Tudor City: At a Turning Point of Finance & Design
6.13.09
Historian Brian Thompson discusses the history and design of Tudor City within the context of housing crises, economic depressions, and the relationship between architecture, finance and government.

Five Year Volunteers Recognition Event
6.23.09
A reception to honor the contributions of OHNY’s Five-Year Volunteers, who received a tour of the Central Park Arsenal with Bob Gelber and a special commemorative pin.

John Johansen’s 93rd Birthday
6.27.09
For the architect’s 93rd birthday party, OHNY invites the public to visit and tour Johansen’s unique country house, a truncated and translucent fiberglass pyramid in Dutchess County. Johansen spoke about the house and his career and gave small group tours of the residence.

Visual Acoustics Film Premiere at Cooper Union
10.5.09
Exclusive film premiere of Visual Acoustics, which celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman, the world’s greatest architectural photographer, whose images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream. Held at newest academic building of The Cooper Union, with an introduction by Director Eric Bricker.

OHNY Weekend Launch Party at the Visionaire
10.9.09
Kick off party for OHNY Weekend with spectacular views of the New York harbor and lower Manhattan from an expansive 3,655 sq ft condominium in the Visionaire, highlighting architect Pelli Clark Pelli’s Platinum LEED certified residential design.

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tours
11.21.09 – 11.22.09
OHNY and the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association offers special guided tours of the world’s oldest subway tunnel, built in 1844 and constructed in seven months using only hand tools and primitive equipment. Bob Diamond, who rediscovered the tunnel in 1980, will lead two tours through the half-mile long underground space.