A 25-Foot Midtown Lot Holds a 24-Story Tower and a Free Gallery
Walk into a 24-story cultural center where the fire stair sits at the back and the narrow site opens into free art galleries.
🧱 Architecture and Current Art
Raimund Abraham won the 1992 competition against 226 architects, and only he put the emergency fire stair at the rear of the building. That move liberated the full 25 foot width, allowing the tower to rise 24 stories without a cramped interior. Walk under the stainless steel canopy into the double-height foyer, where the narrow footprint opens immediately into quiet, multi-level gallery spaces.
The bluestone stair leads down to the Main Gallery and up through the lower mezzanines, while upper office levels remain private. The venue currently presents Erwin Wurm: Chamber Play with Jackson Pollock and Samuel Beckett, featuring Wurm sculptures, rare Pollock works, and video pieces. The galleries are free and open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM. Large bags stay home, there is no checkroom, and library visits require an advance appointment.
