September 04, 2007
OpenHouseNY '07: High Line, U.N, smallpox hospital
This year's always-excellent OpenHouseNewYork, scheduled for the weekend of October 6 and 7, will allow the public onto the abandoned High Line railroad, into a Rockefeller Center private roof garden, among the ruins of the abandoned smallpox hospital on Roosevelt Island, into the Brooklyn Navy Yard and through the abandoned buildings on the south side of Ellis Island, OHNY officials announced today.
(Update: OHNY said on Sept. 19 that none of the tours will actually go into the smallpox hospital.)
 All events and locations are again open for free, but this year the non-profit OHNY is offering a VIP fast pass starting at $150 that will let you jump the lines at all locations.
This year's list of nearly 200 sites also includes the new New York Times building, the rebuilt 7 World Trade Center, High Bridge Water Tower, an MTA substation, Murray's cheese caves, the United Nations, the studio of artist Tom Otterness, the Barzel Iron Works blacksmith shop, Fresh Kills landfill-cum-park, and "spaces in the Chrysler building" (though in past years, this only meant the lobby, which is normally open the public anyhow, and the insides of the elaborate elevators, which normally are off-limits unless you have an appointment upstairs.)
The childrens schedule is expanding this year, with 125 sites offering special kids tours or programs, including Forbes toy collection, the Little Red Lighthouse, Harlem row houses, the Chinese Scholar's Garden, the John J. Harvey Fireboat and the gargoyles of City College.
The full list of OHNY locations will be available September 28. But be warned that in past years, some sites are added or drop off right up through the weekend of the event. Also note that in past years, a handful of the events require advance reservations and fill up fast.
Artist Thom Sokoloski will also set up a site-specific installation on Roosevelt Island to coincide with OHNY. "The Encampment" will consist of 100 19th century expedition-style tents open from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. from October 5 through 7.
As for the VIP fast passes, there are only 100 of the basic $150 ones available. Each pass is good for two people through the weekend. There are an additional 30 available for $250 each, which also include a walking tour of either Gramercy Park or an artist-led walk through "The Encampment."
The other way to get a fast-pass is to volunteer for at least four hours plus a two-hour training session.
Open House New York is followed by Architectural Digest’s Architecture Days, which runs from October 9 through 14. The ticketed events include a tour of the Frank Gehry-designed IAC/InterActiveCorp Building for Barry Diller, a tour of the Mayer-Loeb Townhouse, and a keynote from architect Robert A.M. Stern.
This is the fifth year for Open House New York. Other regional open-house type events include the upcoming Binational Doors Open Niagara on October 13 and 14.
Update: In response to the comments on this post, NewYorkology contacted OHNY for more clarification on some of the sites mentioned above. Access will indeed me allowed ontothe HIgh Line, but by reservation only. There is a "strong possibility" that the public and $250 tour participants will be allowed into Gramercy Park. The U.N. tour will again start at the delegates' entrance, but covers no other section that's not on the regular tour; however, the OHNY tour will again be led by the renovation project architects. Still awaiting clarification on the which sections of the smallpox hospital will be open.
Image credits: (top) Inside the Ellis Island hospital, taken in September 2006 by NewYorkology editor Amy Langfield while on a tour by Save Ellis Island and the Historic Districts Council; (middle) stairwell of the Octagon Building taken by Martin Langfield during OHNY 2006; (bottom) Rockefeller Center private roof garden taken by Amy Langfield during OHNY 2006.
Earlier: Alvin Ailey to open doors for Open House NY
Open House New York 2007 set for October 6 and 7
OpenHouse report card: 80,000-plus, but some snafus
OHNY Sunday: roof gardens and old cemeteries
On board the Mary A. Whalen for Open House NY
September 4, 2007 10:37 AM in Architecture, Cheap Stuff, History, Kids, Sightsology, Tours
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