March 22, 2016
Groundbreaking

Expanding the Broadway Community with a New Space for MCC Theater

One of off-Broadway’s leading theater companies will soon call a large midtown space home. DDC Associate Commissioner Christine Flaherty and staff joined Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl to break ground on the construction of MCC Theater, the third of three cultural institutions to fit-out open space on the first three floors of Avalon Bay’s north tower on 52nd Street and 10th Avenue.

“MCC has been a major player in the New York theater industry for 30 years and they deserve to work under one roof,” said Lucy Wong, deputy director for DDC’s Cultural Unit. “They have been actively engaged in the design process and are excited to move forward with the construction phase.”

The $9 million project will allow the company to consolidate their full programming and administrative operations into one building. With a focus on sustainable materials and active design features, DDC and Andrew Berman Architects will overhaul the tower’s existing 25,000-square-foot concrete space into MCC’s new headquarters, designed to include a 243-seat proscenium theater and 99-seat black box theater. The ground level will also feature a full-service lobby with a bar, a pantry, ticketing kiosk, dressing rooms, and a green room. The mezzanine level will include MCC’s main offices, meeting rooms, rehearsal studios, a dimmer room, and a banquet area. MCC will also share the space with ART/New York and the 52nd Street Project.

The theater will also house two visual art pieces by Percent for Art artist, Francesco Simeti. The project is expected to be complete in 2018 with a goal of achieving LEED Silver certification.

MCC Theater was founded as the Manhattan Class Company in 1986 by a collective of young actors, writers, and directors. The company has developed into a full-scale production house with their latest show, ‘Hand to God’ moving to Broadway at the Booth Theater last year. “The theater district is expanding and it's MCC Theater that's helping bring this synergy," adds Wong.