Dr. Elihu Rose, Chairman of the Park Avenue Armory, will discuss the private sponsorship of public spaces focusing on the successful transformation of the Armory's massive building on Park Avenue and 67th Street from the home of the Seventh Regiment to a world-renowned site that serves as a "platform for creativity across all art forms." In 2000, the architecturally and historically significant Armory building was in such a state of disrepair that the World Monuments Fund included it on its list of the world's “100 Most Endangered Historic Sites." Since then, the Armory has initiated a $200-million renovation that both restores its period interiors and re-imagines their functions. Since re-opening in 2007, the Armory has hosted scores of immersive art installations, theatrical performances, and other cultural events at the intersection of high art and popular culture. Dr. Rose will discuss how this private / public venture was initiated, why such partnerships are crucial to the vitality of the physical and cultural life of New York City, and how private citizens can work effectively to replicate this success.

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