About the Open City Award
Launched in 2018 and conferred each spring at the Open City Benefit, the Open City Award honors the team behind a newly opened or opening project that makes a sizable contribution to quality of place. These are the singular projects, often born from visionary aspirations and years in the making, that embody the spirit of openness, access, and connectivity that are essential to New York’s continued growth and preeminence.
This year, the Open City Award will be awarded to the North Javits design-build team led by Lendlease Turner, WXY Studio, TVS, Moody Nolan, Stantec, Magnusson Klemencic Associates, and Jaros, Baum & Bolles for transforming the busiest convention center in the nation into a model of biodiversity and green infrastructure. The award will be accepted on behalf of the project team by Alan Steel, CEO of the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation.
Through its innovative design, sustainable practices, and community-driven initiatives, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center sets a new standard for urban sustainability, demonstrating how large-scale facilities can integrate ecological principles, foster community engagement, and contribute to a greener, more resilient future.
On Thursday, April 18, the 2024 Open City Benefit will bring together hundreds of New Yorkers for a festive evening at the The Rooftop Pavilion and Farm at North Javits to celebrate the design-build team and this remarkable project.
About The Rooftop Pavilion + Farm at North Javits
The expansion of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center marks a significant milestone in sustainable urban development, blending ambitious ecological initiatives with community engagement and environmental stewardship. Spearheaded by the design-build team’s collaborative efforts, the transformation is punctuated by a rooftop pavilion and working farm which seamlessly integrates urban agriculture with event functionality.
“This new rooftop is one of the most exciting event spaces in New York City in more than a generation. With stunning skyline views and state of the art technology, the rooftop creates a unique roof to table experience for our guests while enabling our staff to push the boundaries of sustainability and further explore how to improve the quality of life for our neighbors — those with wings and those without.”
— Alan Steel, CEO of the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation
“Designing with nature, building vertically, and working with food systems is not a luxury but, in fact, a smart future-proofing approach to any building and site.”
— Claire Weisz, Founding Principal, WXY architecture+urban design
Project Team
Clients
New York Convention Center Operating Corporation and Empire State Development
Construction
Lendlease Turner Joint Venture
Architects
WXY Architecture + Urban Design, TVS, Moody Nolan
Structural Engineering
Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Civil Engineering
Stantec
MEP Engineering
Jaros, Baum & Bolles
Lighting Design
CM Kling
Rooftop Farm Consultant & Operator
Brooklyn Grange
Geotechnical Engineering
Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers