As a follow up to last month’s series on the green building movement in New York City, the first Broadway theater has been renovated with the goal of earning the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The New York Times reported yesterday that Henry Miller’s Theater

“will be the first [theater] in New York to meet the environmental standards of the United States Green Building Council. . . . Recycled materials were used in the wall panels and baseboard; waterless urinals are used in the men’s washroom to reduce consumption of potable water; and local materials were used in the marble flooring and countertops, among other touches.”

The structure has been rehabilitated by the same group, the Durst Organization, responsible for constructing Bank of America’s headquarters located in the Tower at One Bryant Park, which is applying for the USGBC’s platinum certification, the highest level possible. This project reiterates the company’s longstanding tradition of improving environmental conditions in the city. The Durst Organization is continuing their work with Cook + Fox Architects, with whom they partnered on the Tower at One Bryant Park.

This project in particular represents the idea of truly green construction. Due to the historic nature of the building, complete demolition was not an option. Although the costs to preserve the facade were higher than a new build, fewer raw materials were required and the project maintained the architectural integrity of the building. As noted in an earlier post, building completely new structures, often well outside urban centers, leads to greater transportation costs and the so-called urban doughnut effect. By revitalizing an existing structure, the Durst Organization helps maintain the continuity of the city’s arts and provides local jobs, in addition to improving the level of sustainability. Renovations are an essential component in sustainable development as stressed in a post from March titled “The Future of Capitalism“.

- Eric Wilson