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.

Some of the enhancements that the new ANS headquarters at One Hudson Square will offer are:

* A gallery where changing exhibits of new acquisitions and special collections can be mounted.
* Ample office space for the growing curatorial department and a separate, closed coin viewing area which will allow visitors/researchers a place to study coins and other objects from the collection.
* The August B. Sage Society Room is a well-appointed room with views of midtown Manhattan and the Hudson River for meetings, conferences and other events.
* Conference rooms for smaller size gatherings and meetings.
* A Lecture Hall and Board Room – combined space with reconfigurable furniture and updated audio-visual equipment for meetings and lectures.
* A Members lounge situated in the entrance area that will accommodate about a dozen members and offer splendid views of the Hudson River.

Newly elected American Numismatic Society President Roger S. Siboni commented, “While the Trustees and staff are saddened to leave the space at 140 William Street, we have come to the realization that the Society could not afford to maintain a building of over 35,000 square feet nor raise the required capital to complete the renovation project. We were fortunate to have concluded our sale and negotiated our lease on very favorable terms considering the challenges that exist in the current real estate climate. Leasing the new location at One Hudson Square will provide us with the facilities we need while ensuring a financially secure future for the American Numismatic Society.”

The Society’s Executive Director Ute Wartenberg Kagan remarked that, “With the sale of our building at 140 William Street and as we enter into our 150th Anniversary year, we will for the first time in decades have an operating budget on sound footing and an endowment that will permit the Society to fully serve its mission – to operate, maintain and even expand our programs. We of course will continue our long standing relationship with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York where our exhibit ‘Drachmas, Doubloons and Dollars: The History of Money’, and other changing exhibits will continue to be available to the public.”

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