For seven years construction crews have staged a grand performance on the 16-acre campus of Lincoln Center in Manhattan. Like any good show, the rehabilitation of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts has attracted a growing list of supporters and gathered momentum over time. What began as a response to the outdated infrastructure and design of several of the iconic center’s buildings has grown into a $1.2-billion program that spans 37 projects. The result is a reconceived aesthetic for the campus that is more welcoming, along with a much-needed modernization of critical systems. With the last two projects slated for completion this year, the project is building toward its finale.
Ron Austin, executive director of the Lincoln Center Redevelopment Project, says the program’s scope expanded as donors started to see it become a reality. With financial traction through donations and grants, the team soon found itself managing dozens of projects simultaneously.