The New York Convention Center Operating Corporation announced the completion of the Javits Center’s new rooftop event space as part of its $1.5 billion expansion project on Manhattan’s West Side. The 200,000 square-foot rooftop includes a glass-enclosed pavilion, an outdoor terrace and a one-acre working farm, which is expected to generate up to 40,000 pounds of produce each year. The farm, along with several other sustainable upgrades, builds on the success of the convention center’s robust sustainability program, which includes an existing 6.75-acre green roof that serves as a habitat for area wildlife. The expansion project, which has added 1.2 million square feet of total event-related space, will draw new events to New York City and generate new economic activity among the hotel, restaurant, transportation and tourism industries.
Designed by I.M. Pei & Partners, the Javits Center opened in 1986 and has since become New York City’s primary venue for large conventions, trade shows and special events and serves as home to many of the world’s top 250 trade shows, hosting millions of visitors a year. These large-scale events have generated more than $2 billion in annual economic activity for New York City and New York State, supporting as many as 18,000 jobs in and around the facility. Located on 11th Avenue between West 34th and West 40th Sts. in Manhattan, the Javits Center has more than 850,000 square feet of total exhibition space, two new floors of meeting room and pre-function spaces and a wide range of catering, security, sustainability, and technology services. For more info, visit www.javitscenter.com.
