Multimedia
Blogs
Forum
Affordable HD
Whitepapers
Newsletters
Events
Advertisers
Blogcast
MillimeterMajor New Sound Stage/Studio-Office Complex Slated for New York City Becomes Reality
Feb 28, 2002 12:00 PM
Seven Years in Development, Studio City New York Will Service Film, TV Production and TV Advertising Industries
New York City— New York City’s first major film/TV studio-office complex constructed exclusively to meet the needs of entertainment industry will be built on property acquired on 11th Avenue between 44th & 45th Street. Studio City New York (SCNY) will be a 15-story vertically integrated, totally self-contained, pre and post-production movie and television studio.
Seven years in the planning, SCNY is dedicated to providing content creators of all kinds with the most technologically advanced, user-friendly, one-stop production studio and office facility in the world. It will house 140,000-square feet of film and television production space--encompassing seven separate studios--400,000-square feet of permanent office space; post-production facilities; a five-star restaurant/commissary and executive dining room; health spa; VIP apartments and convenient retail shops.
"Though New York is home to an immense amount of content creation, including movies, television, commercials, and new media, there has never been a single all-inclusive Manhattan site where content producers can go from pre to post-production in one facility, and conveniently house their permanent business offices in the same building. Now, with SCNY, there will be," said Richard Benowitz, the visionary behind Studio City New York, whose company, The PB Group LLC, along with Lehman Brothers, Hines and Pacifica Venture Partners are the key players in developing SCNY.
The land on which SCNY will rise is being purchased from the city. All relevant city and state permitting and environmental requirements have been met and the project has the full support of the state, the city and the borough administrations.
“Studio City New York is one of the most exciting undertakings in this city in many years,“ said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “It will fill an enormous void for viable sound stage and entertainment industry production facilities in America’s greatest city, in the same location where companies can house their staffs. It will bring revenue, jobs and new opportunities to the city. It enhances our creative culture and takes a leadership role in revitalizing a key neighborhood. At a time when this city is rebounding and once again reaching for the stars, SCNY will be a new supernova in our civic galaxy. I commend and support the partners behind this effort.”
The unveiling of SCNY also marks one of the first major “from the ground up” developments to be announced for construction in Manhattan since the tragic destruction of the World Trade Towers on September 11, 2001.
The distinctive sand-colored brick and glass building, designed by Meridian Design Associates, Architects, PC, will bear the logo of a yet-to-be-named anchor tenant. SCNY's mid-rise tower will be visible from New Jersey, the West Side Highway, and many parts of mid-town and the West Side, creating a powerful and highly visible identity for the anchor tenant.
Designed for maximum flexibility, SCNY will lease the studios, production support facilities and office suites in a variety of configurations. One entire floor—90,000 square feet with 27-foot ceilings--dubbed the “Media-Flex” space will be customizable for any mix of office, new media, production and post-production utilization that a tenant might conceive. The seven permanent studios range in size from 4,000 to 17,000 square feet, with two of them merge-able to create one stage of 30,000 square feet.
The state-of-the-art digital broadband technology infrastructure will also be designed for flexibility and growth as the digital world expands and evolves. The entire building—including dining areas, entrances, conferencing center, penthouse suites and the retail stores will be “video-active”--suitable for filming or broadcasting live.
In addition to its vast array of production and office options, SCNY includes a full-acre outdoor Rooftop Backlot on the ninth floor, offering the use of unsurpassed NY skylines for exterior shots, social functions and outdoor relaxation. It will be the cornerstone of the building’s ninth-floor “Town Square” with cafes, conference center, screening rooms and fitness center.
The Penthouse talent suites on the 15th floor will be a special zone dedicated to the comfort and needs of key talent and executives. Similar to the bungalows or trailers found on movie lots, the suites include offices, dressing rooms, full baths, kitchenettes, as well as full concierge service. Each suite will have a spectacular view of the Hudson River and NYC skyline.
Recognizing that each tenant may have unique requirements, SCNY leases will be tailored to the needs of individual companies. Primary office space areas will be rented on a long-term basis to major tenants seeking to marry their offices with studio facilities just an elevator ride or hallway away. Studio and support space will be leased on a daily, weekly, monthly, or annual basis to ongoing tenants or film companies, TV productions or outside ad agencies. Stages will be leased bare or fully equipped. Support space will come furnished. Ground floor stages can readily be used as audience stages with sidewalk access.
“SCNY has been designed to meet the exacting personal requirements of the producers, the talent and staff who will work there,” said Benowitz. “It will be a focal point of East Coast creative production, the ideal New York headquarters for any company planning to be a worldwide media player.”
SCNY will take its place in the heart of New York’s entertainment hub, literally blocks from Times Square, adjacent to the major media centers such as the Viacom Building, CBS Broadcast Center, ABC/ Disney's New York Studios, Rockefeller Center, Sony Studios and AOL Time Warner's new headquarters.
For more information about SCNY, call either Lee Tomlinson at (310) 446-7974, Richard Benowitz at (212) 557-7692 or access SCNY's web site at www.studiocityny.com.
Continue the discussion on “Crosstalk” the Millimeter Forum.