Photos courtesy of Hebrew Union College
A historic Upper West Side armory building turned television studio is getting ready for its next chapter. After buying the First Battery Armory from ABC earlier this year, Hebrew Union College has hired Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners to renovate the landmarked building as part of the Jewish seminary’s new New York campus. The renovation will add modern classrooms, a new library, and dedicated spaces for prayer and gathering.
Designed by Horgan & Slattery in 1903, the First Battery Armory was one of 10 armories built by the New York City Armory Board as part of a campaign to control rioting workers in cities. Located at 56 West 66th Street, the armory has three stories and a facade that resembles a medieval castle, with turreted entrance pavilions and crenellated parapets.
Two-toned Flemish bond brickwork and windows with classical proportions on the upper-level walls are more reminiscent of post-Italian Renaissance architecture, according to the 1989 designation report from the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
From 1913 to 1973, the First Battery Armory was occupied by the 102nd Medical Battalion. ABC acquired the building for $800,000 in 1976 as part of several buildings the company picked up in the neighborhood. The building was used as a production studio for many years before being converted to high-end office spaces for ESPN in 2010.
As the Walt Disney Company relocated its headquarters to Hudson Square, the company looked to sell the armory building. In February, Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion paid $32 million for the landmark, following the sale of the institution’s current building in Greenwich Village to New York University for $75.5 million.
According to the college, the renovation will include state-of-the-art classrooms, worship space, a beit midrash for Torah and Talmud study, a new library, and a prayer space. Updated facilities will allow for in-person and virtual learning, public events, and art exhibitions.
The historic structure sits next to 50 West 66th Street, a 69-story condo from Extell and designed by Snøhetta and SLCE Architects, and across from a proposed 90-story building, also from Extell.
Work is expected to begin by the end of the year and be completed in early 2027.
“Beyer Blinder Belle brings a deep understanding of New York City and our specific needs as an institution of higher education and hub for the Reform Movement,” Hebrew Union College President Andrew Rehfeld said.
“This new campus marks an important milestone in Hebrew Union College’s goal of creating more dynamic spaces that reflect the evolving needs of students today and our broader community. I’m looking forward to working closely with the architects in creating a home that will not only better reflect our institution’s educational priorities but also provide our community with the resources needed to learn, grow, and thrive.”
Beyer Blinder Belle has worked to rehab historic buildings in New York, including 92NY, Temple Emanu-El, the Center for Jewish History, the Frick Collection, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
“Adapting the iconic First Battery Armory into a home befitting Hebrew Union College’s mission aligns with our portfolio and our own values as architects,” Elizabeth Leber, managing partner of Beyer Blinder Belle, said.
“Through planning and design, we embrace the evolution of both function and building form, so that historic buildings can remain not only treasured, but also relevant. We are very pleased to be Hebrew Union College’s partner in this exciting next chapter in the institution’s history.”
In the Bronx, another armory is getting a makeover. Plans to transform the massive Kingsbridge Armory into a community and cultural hub are currently going through the uniform land use review procedure.
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