The Open City Benefit is a celebration of the power of place and new possibilities for our city.
The Open City Benefit is Open House New York’s single largest source of support, making possible our work to promote broad, unparalleled access to the city—the places, people, projects, systems, and ideas that define New York and its future.
Every year we recognize a newly opened or opening place with the Open City Award, which honors the team behind a project of singular importance to the past, present, and future of New York City. The event includes tours led by the project team, a seated dinner, and awards ceremony.
2025 Open City Benefit details to be announced. Please contact Alison Pirie at [email protected] with questions.
Open City Award
The Open City Award honors the team behind a newly opened or opening place of singular importance to the past, present, and future of New York City. These are the significant projects, often born from visionary aspirations and years in the making, that embody the spirit of openness, access, vitality, and connectivity that symbolize New York’s continued growth, preeminence, and capacity for renewal. The Open City Award is conferred onsite at the Open City Benefit.
2024
North Javits: Rooftop Pavilion and Farm
Recognizing the design-build team behind the North Javits expansion led by
Lendlease Turner, WXY Studio, TVS, Moody Nolan, Stantec, Magnusson Klemencic Associates, and Jaros, Baum & Bolles. The award will be accepted on behalf of the project team by Alan Steel, President and CEO of the New York Convention Center Development Corporation.
2023
Powerhouse Arts
Recognizing the Design and Development team, led by:
Powerhouse Arts, Gemini Arts Initiative, Herzog & de Meuron, PBDW Architects, Urban Atelier Group, Buro Happold Engineering, and Silman.
2022
Moynihan Train Hall
Recognizing the team led by Client: Empire State Development and Vornado Realty Trust; Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Engineers: Severud Assoc., Jaros Baum & Bolles, Schlaich Bergermann Partner; Construction: WSP, Skanska USA
2021
Governors Island
Recognizing
The Trust for Governors Island
2019
TWA Hotel
Recognizing
MCR and MORSE Development
with
Beyer Blinder Belle
INC Architecture & Design
Lubrano Ciavarra Architects
Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects
Stonehill Taylor
2018
Cornell Tech Campus
Recognizing
Cornell University
with
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
James Corner Field Operations
and
Emma and Georgina Bloomberg Center | Architects: Morphosis Architects; Engineers: Arup; Construction Manager: Barr & Barr
Tata Innovation Center | Developer: Forest City New York; Architects: Weiss/Manfredi Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism; Engineers: Thornton Tomasetti, Jaros Baum & Bolles; Construction Manager: Turner
The House at Cornell Tech | Developers: Related Companies, The Hudson Companies; Architects: Handel Architects; Engineers: BuroHappold; Construction Manager: Monadnock Construction Inc.