Some good conference venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn?

May 21, 2008 2:05 PM

NYCFilter: What are some good venues (600-1000 seated theater style) in Manhattan and Brooklyn?

I'm organizing a two-day conference for the spring of 2009, and I'm trying to find the perfect venue in either Manhattan or Brooklyn. I've checked out a few places already:

- Hammerstein Ballroom
- Roseland Ballroom
- Terminal 5
- Angel Orensanz Foundation
- Music Hall of Williamsburg
- Webster Hall

Webster Hall's grand ballroom looks pretty good. It can seat about 800 theater style (simple rows of chairs), which is a nice number for our event. And they can support a big projector screen, which is cool, too. Our presenters will need that.

Have any of you been to any amazing events or venues that you could share with me? I'm new to NYC, and it's a bit overwhelming.

Thank you so much!!

posted by justincone to grab bag (6 comments total)

Cooper Union's Great Hall definitely comes to mind. Interesting history, good location, seats 900. Good luck!
posted by xod at 2:36 PM on May 21

The BAM Harvey is an awesome space. It seats 900.
posted by Thin Lizzy at 3:03 PM on May 21

BAM Harvey is indeed awesome, but has very uncomfortable and narrow seats, and also many stairs that are not very accessible.
posted by egret at 4:07 PM on May 21

what kind of people are we talking about here? jaded hipsters or your generic 30-60 year old country folks or what?

the hammerstein ballroom is actually quite a decent venue and since it's in midtown it's practically on top of all the major transportation hubs. port authority is a five minute walk, the MTA station is right outdoors, so is a cop station if you need one and times square hotels are within walking distance. for out-of-towners looking to stay in hotels this beats brooklyn by a mile. they won't have to figure out how to get a cab (you know how rare the yellow ones are in some places when you're out in brooklyn and the blacks need to be reserved), they can do the usual herald and times square bs and so on. the new yorker hotel, which sits above the hammerstein, can accomodate people as well though I'd prefer another place personally.

I suppose the end to my argument is that locals will hate having to go to midtown and out-of-towners will love it because that's what they associate with nyc and it's all very easy to find and get to.

I heard moma is great at organizing events and receptions as well but I don't know if they do conferences.
posted by krautland at 5:04 PM on May 21

The Joyce, in Chelsea, seats about 475 if I recall...
Or howzabout the Zankel Hall in the "basement" of Carnegie Hall--- beeyootiful space opened about 5 years ago, 600 seats (and excellent acoustics, btw)...
posted by Dizzy at 5:27 PM on May 21

Along the lines of music venues, you can try the Fillmore (used to be Irving Plaza) or Town Hall. The former is near Union Square and the latter is in Times Square.

I have a fondness for Webster Hall (just saw the Obie Awards there!) but 800 in that venue is going to be really crowded and any presentation is not going to last more than an hour without lots of fidgeting.
posted by greenland at 6:55 PM on May 21