Broadway melody: Glass walls set just the right tone for a historic lobby in Lower Manhattan

Ten years. That’s how long it took developer L&L Holding Company to get approval from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission for its retail master plan of the lobby of the AT&T Headquarters Building.

The adaptation of the 45,000-sf neoclassical lobby at 195 Broadway—originally designed by William Welles Bosworth and opened in 1916—created three retail spaces and a public walkway that connects two major streets in Lower Manhattan.

The project team, led by Gabellini Sheppard Associates (architect), Highland Associates (AOR), Sciame Construction (electrical engineer, CM), and OC Development Management (GC), installed 28-foot-tall glass demising walls to complement the 50 Doric columns in the lobby. A marble and bronze sculpture by Chester Beach commemorates the first transcontinental phone line (1915).

Nearly 70% of the retail space was leased two years in advance of the project’s completion. The major tenants are Nobu, which is moving its flagship restaurant from Tribeca to this location, and clothing/retailer Anthropologie.

Project Summary

Bronze Award Winner

Building Team: L&L Holding Company (submitting firm, owner) Gabellini Shepherd Associates (architect) Highland Associates (AOR) Thornton Tomasetti (SE) Cosentini Associates (M/P engineer) Sciame Construction (EE, CM) OC Development Management (GC).

Details: 40,000 sf (retail space). Total cost: Confidential. Construction time: 2015 to September 2016. Delivery method: Design-bid-build.

See all of the 2017 Reconstruction Award winners here