The Javits Center has achieved LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the developers of the LEED building rating system. This certification follows the completion of a comprehensive renovation and revitalization that has transformed the Javits Center into a world-class facility for trade shows, conventions and special events. Located on Manhattan’s West Side, the Javits Center is considered the busiest convention center in the United States, supporting more than 17,000 jobs and generating up to $1.8 billion in economic activity for the Empire State. Led by the New York Convention Center Development Corporation, FXFOWLE, Epstein and Tishman Construction, an AECOM Company, the historic renovation has reduced the building’s energy consumption by 26%, saving energy costs and improving the area’s quality of life. The building’s signature feature – a nearly 7-acre green roof – is the country’s second largest of its kind and has become a sanctuary for area wildlife, including hundreds of bats, birds and bees.
“The Javits Center has become a model of sustainability for buildings throughout the region, and I would like to thank the U.S. Green Building Council for recognizing such an achievement,” said Alan Steel, President and CEO of the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation, who operates the Javits Center. “Our mission has always been to support New York’s economy, but with our recent improvements, we are now supporting our community in a new way. I would like to commend the New York Convention Center Development Corporation, FXFOWLE, Epstein and Tishman Construction for their work in reimagining and reinvigorating a New York icon that is critical to New York’s economic future.”
“Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York State has been an environmental leader, and this LEED certification is a great step forward for the Javits Center,” said Empire State Development (ESD) President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky. “The Center’s new ‘green’ features reduce energy consumption and create wildlife habitats in the heart of Manhattan.”
“The Javits Center’s original building was ahead of its time technologically, but it was fraught with problems,” said Bruce Fowle, Founding Principal, FXFOWLE. “Our goal was to retain the integrity and vision of the original design while capitalizing on opportunities to reinvent, revitalize, and sustain this dynamic, world-class facility.”
“We are proud to have worked with the entire team to give new life to this nationally recognized convention center,” said Jay Badame, president and chief operating officer for the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania regions of Tishman Construction. “Through innovative planning and logistical coordination, our team was able to transform the Javits Center into an environmentally responsible, state-of-the-art building, while allowing it to remain open and active.”