The American Numismatic Society announced today that it sold its headquarters at 140 William Street in lower Manhattan. The Society will be relocating in the second half of 2008 to a leased 20,000 square foot space on the eleventh floor of One Hudson Square, a newly renovated 19 story building in a popular neighborhood near SoHo and Tribeca.

One Hudson Square is situated on the corners of Varick, Grand and Canal Streets, one of Manhattan’s most vibrant and easily accessible neighborhoods. Other tenants in the immediate area include the Jackie Robinson Museum, The Art Institute of New York, and The Guggenheim Foundation as well as others from the education, publishing, advertising and financial sectors.

The new headquarters will house a gallery for exhibitions, state-of-the-art lecture and conference rooms, and a library filled with ambient light housing about 10,000 linear feet of open shelving. Samuel White of the architectural firm Platt Byard Dovell White was selected to design the new museum space, which is expected to be complete in the autumn of 2008. The space, which is surrounded by views of the skyline of midtown and the Hudson River, will reflect the original loft-style character of the early 20th century building. “We are trying to create an environment in which the traditional elements of the American Numismatic Society and its activities blend into a contemporary setting”, says Sam White. The architects were able to incorporate furniture, shelving, and many other elements from the ANS’ previous buildings into the location. Séamus Henchy Associates will be overseeing the entire renovation process as owner’s representatives; their recent projects included the Julliard School and the American Folk Art Museum. (more…)