The Landmarked Museum of the City of New York Goes Green With a LEED-Seeking Renovation

For nine decades, the <a href="http://www.mcny.org/" target="_blank">Museum of the City of New York</a> has honored <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/the-greatest-grid-exhibit-showcases-manhattans-transformation-from-farmland-to-city-streetscape/" target="_blank">our city's past</a> and celebrated its future through diverse and <a href="http://www.mcny.org/exhibitions/past.html" target="_blank">transformative exhibits</a>, providing New Yorkers with a catalog of the Big Apple's perpetual evolution. As New York moves toward a more sustainable future, MCNY has not only examined the changes through<a href="http://www.mcny.org/exhibitions/past/Growing-and-Greening-New-York.html" target="_blank"> special exhibits</a>, but the institution has become a part of the changes itself. MCNY's landmarked Colonial Revival building is currently undergoing a $90 million LEED Silver renovation by <a href="http://ennead.com/#/projects/mcny" target="_blank">Ennead Architects</a> to bring the building up to date, helping it to engage visitors for generations to come. The comprehensive <a href="http://www.mcny.org/support/modernization-and-expansion-project.html" target="_blank">modernization and expansion</a> began in 2006 and will be completed in 2015.

The <a href="http://www.mcny.org/" target="_blank">Museum of the City of New York</a> chose to complete the renovation in three phases so that the museum would never have to close entirely to visitors.

Finished in 2008, the first phase updated the lobby, restoring the grand staircase and light-filled atrium.

The modern lobby is open and light-filled, but the original buildings historic decorative features have been preserved.

The Fifth Avenue terrace was also renovated to improve visitor access and giving the museum more space for public programming. For the past three summers, MCNY hosted the popular "<a href="http://www.mcny.org/sidebars/live-at-1220.html" target="_blank">Live@1220</a>" music series in the outdoor space.

Additionally, the first phase saw the construction of a brand new, climate-controlled curatorial center and additional gallery. Before this renovation began, the museum had been largely unaltered since its opening in 1932. <a href="http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-climate-control.htm" target="_blank">Climate-control</a> is vital to modern museums' preservation of their artworks, but before 2008, <a href="http://www.mcny.org/" target="_blank">MCNY</a> operated with an inefficient heating system and window air-conditioners.

Without proper temperature and humidity controls, the museum was unable to borrow works from other institutions in the city and around the world. MCNY's system was so old that it actually gave out before the new heating could even be installed.

Phase two, just recently completed, addressed the museum's outdated physical plant, installing a new climate-control system, new flooring, energy-efficient lighting and high-efficiency windows throughout the museum. For <a href="http://www.mcny.org/visit-the-museum/about.html" target="_blank">Susan Henshaw Jones</a>, MCNY's Ronay Menschel Director of the Museum, this is the best part of the renovation, as it lets the museum enhance its exhibits and programming. "I remember when we borrowed our first painting from <a href="http://metmuseum.org/" target="_blank">The Met</a>," she says. "Everyone was so thrilled!"

The South Wing of the museum was completely modernized during phase two, and new administration offices were constructed on the fourth and fifth floors. Three high-tech classrooms were created in the <a href="http://www.mcny.org/education/" target="_blank">Frederick A.O. Schwarz Children’s Center</a>, the museum shop was redesigned and relocated, and historical elements throughout the building, including parts of the facade, were restored. However, preservation of all of the exterior's decoration could not be done because of budget constraints.

The entrance gate and the bronze statues of former New York Governor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeWitt_Clinton" target="_blank">DeWitt Clinton</a> and Alexander Hamilton -- all elements created specifically for the museum -- remain untouched despite their deteriorating states.

The decorative gate at the top of the museum's stairs on the Fifth Avenue terrace.

But these feature have a chance to be restored, thanks to <a href="http://partnersinpreservation.com/about/" target="_blank">Partners in Preservation</a>, which selected <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MuseumofCityofNY" target="_blank">MCNY</a> as one of 40 historic sites to win a portion of $3 million to put towards preservation.

From April 26 to May 21, 2012, the public is able to vote daily for the sites that they think should be rewarded the money. The top four site will each receive $250,000 and the remaining funds will be split between the other sites. "We've done what we can to stabilize these elements, but this would be so enabling," says Jones. If <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/listing/museum-of-the-city-of-new-york/" target="_blank">MCNY</a> does not win the money, the museum will have to come up with the funds for preservation some other way, which is something Jones does not see happening in the near future.

The third phase of the <a href="http://www.mcny.org/support/modernization-and-expansion-project.html" target="_blank">modernization</a> includes renovating the North Wing to create three continuous floors of climate-controlled gallery space, a state-of-the-art auditorium, and a new cafe. This final phase will begin this year, and the renovation will be complete by 2015.