The West Side Spirit, Manhattan Media, 02/21/2006 - VIEW IMAGE
Popular Dance Center Finds New Home: Contrary to Rumors, Broadway
Dance Plans Move To Nearby Midtown Space in Spring
The lights will stay on at Broadway Dance Center.
The large dance studio has found a new midtown site, allaying concerns that rising area rents would force it to relocate outside of Manhattan or close completely. About 3,000 students attend the dance center’s classes each week.
Broadway Dance Center announced last week that it will relocate to 322 West 45th Street, near Eighth Avenue from its current spot at 221 West 57th Street. The new studio location is projected to open on May 1, after completion of renovations.
“Broadway Dance Center remained committed to this relocation until our goal was realized, fueled by the dedication and support of our students and faculty,” said Diane King, studio director, in a press release about the upcoming move.
Until its new location opens next spring, classes will be held at several temporary midtown locations.
Broadway Dance Center is a mecca for both recreational and professional dancers, attracting students from all over the world. It offers more than 50 classes daily in ballet, tap, hip-hop, break-dancing, funk, and jazz, as well as Pilates, stretch, and voice lessons. Among its famous students have been Brooke Shields, Savion Glover and Anne Hathaway. Madonna has sent her young daughter Lourdes to ballet classes at the studio.
“It’s my favorite place to take classes,” said Melissa Fusco, a professional dancer and a dance teacher from Long Island who takes classes at Broadway Dance Center whenever she can. “All the teachers are great.”
Until December 17, Broadway Dance Center operated out of 26,000 square feet of studio space on West 57th Street. In late 2005, it was reported that Extell Development Corporation, which bought 221 West 57th Street in June 2005, had plans to develop the site.
Extell, under president Gary Barnett, has become an active and aggressive participant in the New York City residential real estate market over the past several years. Extell has recently completed the Orion 60-story condominium tower at 350 West 42nd Street, the conversion of the Stanhope Hotel on Fifth Avenue into luxury condominiums, and is currently building or converting other residential projects on both the Upper East and West Sides.
Although Broadway Dance Center’s lease at 221 West 57th Street did not expire until 2012, it was reported that in late 2005, Extell raised issues about building security and the dance studio’s certificate of occupancy in late 2005. Extell offered to pay the studio to relocate, but Allison Ellner, Broadway Dance Center’s owner, told the New York Times that she declined the developer’s offer, stating at the time that Extell’s offer was too low to cover the costs of relocation.
It is unclear whether Broadway Dance received money from Extell to cover the move to West 45th Street. Neither Ellner nor Extell would comment on the terms of the relocation.
Ellner assumed the ownership and management of the dance studio in 1998 after the death of her father, Richard Ellner, who founded Broadway Dance Center in 1984.
“We are thrilled to announce this next chapter in the long history of Broadway Dance Center,” said Ellner in a press release about the studio’s relocation.
The large dance studio has found a new midtown site, allaying concerns that rising area rents would force it to relocate outside of Manhattan or close completely. About 3,000 students attend the dance center’s classes each week.
Broadway Dance Center announced last week that it will relocate to 322 West 45th Street, near Eighth Avenue from its current spot at 221 West 57th Street. The new studio location is projected to open on May 1, after completion of renovations.
“Broadway Dance Center remained committed to this relocation until our goal was realized, fueled by the dedication and support of our students and faculty,” said Diane King, studio director, in a press release about the upcoming move.
Until its new location opens next spring, classes will be held at several temporary midtown locations.
Broadway Dance Center is a mecca for both recreational and professional dancers, attracting students from all over the world. It offers more than 50 classes daily in ballet, tap, hip-hop, break-dancing, funk, and jazz, as well as Pilates, stretch, and voice lessons. Among its famous students have been Brooke Shields, Savion Glover and Anne Hathaway. Madonna has sent her young daughter Lourdes to ballet classes at the studio.
“It’s my favorite place to take classes,” said Melissa Fusco, a professional dancer and a dance teacher from Long Island who takes classes at Broadway Dance Center whenever she can. “All the teachers are great.”
Until December 17, Broadway Dance Center operated out of 26,000 square feet of studio space on West 57th Street. In late 2005, it was reported that Extell Development Corporation, which bought 221 West 57th Street in June 2005, had plans to develop the site.
Extell, under president Gary Barnett, has become an active and aggressive participant in the New York City residential real estate market over the past several years. Extell has recently completed the Orion 60-story condominium tower at 350 West 42nd Street, the conversion of the Stanhope Hotel on Fifth Avenue into luxury condominiums, and is currently building or converting other residential projects on both the Upper East and West Sides.
Although Broadway Dance Center’s lease at 221 West 57th Street did not expire until 2012, it was reported that in late 2005, Extell raised issues about building security and the dance studio’s certificate of occupancy in late 2005. Extell offered to pay the studio to relocate, but Allison Ellner, Broadway Dance Center’s owner, told the New York Times that she declined the developer’s offer, stating at the time that Extell’s offer was too low to cover the costs of relocation.
It is unclear whether Broadway Dance received money from Extell to cover the move to West 45th Street. Neither Ellner nor Extell would comment on the terms of the relocation.
Ellner assumed the ownership and management of the dance studio in 1998 after the death of her father, Richard Ellner, who founded Broadway Dance Center in 1984.
“We are thrilled to announce this next chapter in the long history of Broadway Dance Center,” said Ellner in a press release about the studio’s relocation.