NYU School of Law Dedicates Furman Hall

The New York University School of Law celebrated the opening on Thursday, January 22, 2004 of Furman Hall, its first new academic building in more than 50 years. The nine-story brick building, which includes much-needed classroom space, student meeting areas, the Law School clinical program, faculty and administrative offices and faculty residences, is located at 245 Sullivan Street, south of Washington Square Park.

Honoring Jay Furman ('71) - Noted Alumnus, Businessman,
and Philanthropist
The naming of the new building honors Jay Furman, who received his J.D. in 1971 from the Law School. Furman, a longtime friend and supporter of the Law School, is a trustee and Weinfeld Patron. As a trustee, he serves as a member of the budget and executive committees. He also chaired the building committee and was instrumental in supporting the management and construction of the new building.

Furman is a principal at RD Management Corp., one of the nation's largest privately-held real estate development and management organizations. The company's portfolio consists of more than 200 shopping centers. Prestigious tenants include Home Depot, Kmart, Wal-Mart, Sears, Target, and JC Penney.

A Dedication Tinged with History and Nostalgia
Richard Revesz, Dean of the NYU School of Law, lead the festivities, which replicated the dedication on September 15, 1951 of Vanderbilt Hall--the Law School's main academic building.

Internationally famous jurists, lawyers, educators, and laymen attended the Vanderbilt Hall dedication. Guests included:

Participants in the program offered discourse on precisely the same topics that their predecessors did more than 50 years ago atVanderbilt Hall's dedication. Participants included:

"As we celebrate the opening of our new addition to the Law School," said Dean Revesz, "we also celebrate our history and achievements. More than five decades ago, Dean Emeritus Arthur T. Vanderbilt nurtured a vision and saw it come alive when he moved the Law School, then known as the Law Center, from two upper floors of a factory building to Vanderbilt Hall. Another great Law School Dean, John Sexton, now University president, had his own visions of the University. Among them was the establishment of a modern law school campus that would provide generous spaces for students, faculty and programs. Today, we also celebrate the realization of John Sexton's magnificent vision."

Working with the Community
The NYU School of Law worked with the Greenwich Village community and with citywide preservation groups to achieve a design that integrates the new academic building with the surrounding community.

Specifically, the profile of the new building is maintained at a sufficiently low height (128 feet from street level to the last occupied floor) so that blue sky will continue to be seen behind the campanile of the historic Judson Hall, which is owned by New York University and houses the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center. At Thompson Street, the building rises only 38 feet from street level and then is set back 20 feet, in order to harmonize with the street wall.

Reconstructed elements of two historic buildings that previously occupied the building site were incorporated into the new building's façade. They are: the façade of the Judson House, renovated by the renowned architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White in 1899, and the façade of a typical row house from the 1830s located on West Third Street and noted for its occupation by Edgar Allan Poe during approximately six months in 1845-46. Artifacts from that row house are incorporated into a space commemorating Poe's life and work in the new building. The Law School permits public access to this commemorative space on a regular, scheduled basis.