Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Historic City Hall
The Conservancy is pleased Young Landmarks enjoyed an exclusive tour of historic City Hall Wednesday evening, Feb. 18.
Constructed from 1803 to 1812, City Hall was an early expression of the City’s cosmopolitanism and is one of the most beautiful early 19th century buildings in the country. The building is a National Historic Landmark, a New York City Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Joan Bright, Director of Tour Programs for Public Design, provided a behind-the-scenes look at the three-story building, which was the result of a competition held in 1802. The winning team of Mangin and McComb designed the building in the Federal style, with clear French influences that can be seen in the large arched windows, delicate ornamental swags, and more decorative Corinthian –and Ionic-style columns and pilasters.
The tour began at the foot of a formal staircase that leads up to the one-story portico fronting the building. After a look at a stately 1857 bronze casting of George Washington, Bright guided Young Landmarks throughout the building’s magnificent interior.
The main entrance hall leads to a central rotunda in which a pair of spectacular cantilevered stairs curve upward to the second floor, where a series of marble Corinthian columns support a beautiful coffered dome.
Completed in 1815-1816 and restored in 2001, the Governor’s Room was the next stop on the tour. The room serves as a museum and reception fcility—housing one of the most important collections of 19th century American portraiture. Many of the portraits have recently benefited from a comprehensive conservation initiative led by the City’s Art Commission. Historic furnishings and artifacts—including pieces by Honoré Lannuier and George Washington’s desk—decorate the room.
The group also toured the “Bullpen,’‘ a room not usually accessible to the public. Starkly different from the historical rooms, the Bullpen has been transformed into a modern, political trading floor for Mayor Bloomberg’s daily activities. The modern look of the space, formerly a courtroom and hearing room, can be restored to it original aesthetic.
Young Landmarks also received a special look the Mayor’s Conference Room and City Council Chambers. Bright noted a restoration effort is imminent to address condensation that mars the beautiful mural on the Council Chambers’s ceiling.
Young Landmarks was founded in the winter of 2007 in order to acquaint the next generation of preservation enthusiasts with the Conservancy and with the City’s architectural treasures. Prior events have included lectures with noted architects, a behind-the-scenes look at the Farley Post office, a tour and cocktail reception on Governor’s Island and a private party at the Upper West Side’s Schinasi Mansion.
Click here to learn more about our Young Landmarks Council.
