Bohemian National Hall
Encyclopedia
Bohemian National Hall is five-story building at 321 East 73d Street on the Upper East Side
, Manhattan
. The building was built between 1895 and 1897 in neo-Renaissance style by architect William C. Frohne. It was a Czech American
social and culture center in New York City
. From the late 1930s to the 1980s it was rented out to various organizations, including the Manhattan Theater Club, which began there. In 1994 the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
named it a landmark.
In 2001, it was sold by the Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association to the Czech government for $1. In return, the Czech government agreed to renovate the building. Its first use after the change of ownership came in 2005, when it served as a the venue for a celebration of the 70th birthday of Václav Havel
, a kickoff event for Untitled Theater Company #61's Havel Festival. After a few more events, the Hall shut down for further renovation, reopening October 30, 2008.
Now the building is the seat of the Czech Consulate, the New York Czech Center, the Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association and the Dvorak American Heritage Association. In the building is also small cinema
, an art gallery, a major ballroom
/theater and a roof terrace
. A Czech restaurant is also planned, but renovations on that have not yet finished.
Upper East Side
The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
, Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. The building was built between 1895 and 1897 in neo-Renaissance style by architect William C. Frohne. It was a Czech American
Czech American
Czech Americans are citizens of the United States who were born in, or who descended from, the territory of the historic Czech lands, , or succession states, now known as the Czech Republic...
social and culture center in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. From the late 1930s to the 1980s it was rented out to various organizations, including the Manhattan Theater Club, which began there. In 1994 the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The Commission was created in April 1965 by Mayor Robert F. Wagner following the destruction of Pennsylvania Station the previous year to make way for...
named it a landmark.
In 2001, it was sold by the Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association to the Czech government for $1. In return, the Czech government agreed to renovate the building. Its first use after the change of ownership came in 2005, when it served as a the venue for a celebration of the 70th birthday of Václav Havel
Václav Havel
Václav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
, a kickoff event for Untitled Theater Company #61's Havel Festival. After a few more events, the Hall shut down for further renovation, reopening October 30, 2008.
Now the building is the seat of the Czech Consulate, the New York Czech Center, the Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association and the Dvorak American Heritage Association. In the building is also small cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
, an art gallery, a major ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
/theater and a roof terrace
Roof garden
A roof garden is any garden on the roof of a building. Besides the decorative benefit, roof plantings may provide food, temperature control, hydrological benefits, architectural enhancement, habitats or corridors for wildlife, and recreational opportunities....
. A Czech restaurant is also planned, but renovations on that have not yet finished.
External links
- Bohemian National Hall official site
- Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association
- Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York official site
- Czech Center official site
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DEFDD173AF936A25750C0A961948260Bohemian National Hall in The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
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