There’s a loading dock at 345 Hudson that has been transformed. On Tues., April 19, local elected officials and community leaders gathered to commemorate the transformation, in the form of a ground breaking. But no dirt was shoveled and the celebration was held indoors. Confetti replaced soil.
The Children’s Museum of the Arts, currently located in SoHo on Lafayette St. will move into the space in the fall of 2011.
“Everyone was excited, for the children, for the neighborhood and for the museum,” said Ellen Baer, president of the Hudson Square Exchange. “I can’t overstate how important an institution like this is. It’s part of our goal to create a 24/7 environment — it will add to the demographic diversity of the population.”
The building itself symbolizes the transformation Hudson Square. As Baer pointed out, it was once an old printing factory, like most of the large buildings in the neighborhood, and now includes various tenants like Viacom and CBS Radio. Baer said she hopes the idea catches on.
“The space itself is inspiring,” said Baer. “It shows how what was previously a loading dock can be turned into an art space and how it can be adapted for reuse in what is now a creative community.”
The Children’s Museum joins other cultural institutions in Hudson Square including The NYC Fire Museum and the Here Arts Center.
— John Bayles
