NYC’s First Large-Scale Exhibition Center, Designed by Montroy Andersen DeMarco, Drawing Crowds in Former Home of New York Times

NEW YORK, NY—This summer, Discovery Times Square Exposition (TSX), New York’s first large-scale exhibition center, opened in the former home of the New York Times’ printing presses, announces Dan Montroy of Montroy Andersen DeMarco, the architect that designed the radically reconfigured space.   

Today, the 60,000-square-foot, multi-level space at 226 West 44th Street contains two major exhibit halls—now featuring Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition and Lucy’s Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia, learning centers, a special event space, a retail shop and a café.  

“Our client, Running Subway Productions, which operates Discovery TSX in partnership with the Discovery Network, had an ambitious objective—to create an immersive and theatrical environment for presenting museum-quality content,” says Montroy.  “We also wanted to combine contemporary and industrial elements in the design to subtly incorporate some of the landmarked building’s history and provide a link to the past in a modern, open, and minimalist setting. The building’s façade, for example, has been preserved, and the old steel tile floors are still being used, although they’ve been polished clean.

 “There were also practical challenges,” he continues. “We had to relocate the building’s mechanical and electrical systems, which were in the area now used for exhibition space, and find ways to accommodate new loading docks, freight and passenger elevators, and escalators.”

As the high number of visitors to the Titanic and Lucy exhibits attests, the adaptive re-use project has been a major success. Another successful project is the recently opened Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC, also operated by Running Subway Productions and with Montroy Andersen DeMarco as the architect.

 “It’s rewarding to know that Discovery TSX and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex are drawing crowds,” notes Montroy.  “Entertainment has always played an important role in New York City’s culture.  We appreciated these opportunities to partner with Running Subway to further expand the city’s entertainment offerings.”
 The Discovery TSX project’s partners included JRM Construction, Edwards and Zuck (MEP) and Severud Associates (structural).  

Founded in 1990, Montroy Andersen DeMarco is a full-service architectural and interior design firm with a contemporary philosophy, offering cutting-edge space within an established budget.  For more information, visit www.madgi.com.

Running Subway is a New York-based entertainment production company that conceptualizes, produces, markets and manages iconic productions and exhibits. Since inception just five years ago, Running Subway has staged a multitude of successful shows and exhibits combining traditional entertainment with innovative technology and groundbreaking ideas to provide audiences with unique and unforgettable experiences.  For information, visit www.RunningSubway.com.