MANHATTAN — After nearly 80 years of classes at NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies scattered across the university's Greenwich Village campus, the school's roughly 30,000 non-credit students finally have a building of their own.
NYU formally dedicated the renovated building at 7 E. 12th St., formerly known as the Fairchild Building, on Monday. It had opened to students in September.
The facility unites several programs under one roof, including the Liberal Studies and Allied Arts Division; the Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management; and the Paul McGhee Division, an undergraduate program for adult students.
The 117,000-square-foot building, which contains classroom space and faculty offices, will help build a sense of community among returning students, the school's interim co-dean Bjorn Hanson said in a statement.
"Our new building has transformed intra-school awareness and coordination and enhances the academic and social experiences for our students and the entire SCPS community," he said.
The design by Mitchell | Giurgola Architects features a glass façade that "provides students with the sense that they are a part of a larger learning environment: New York City," the statement said.
Keith Roberts, a dancer who has performed in "Swan Lake" on Broadway, started fundraising classes at the continuing education school this fall. He said it's meaningful to him that returning students have a dedicated building.
"[This building] gives adults who are going back to school a sense of belonging and validation," he said. "This is a place where you really feel like you're part of NYU."
A dedication ceremony was set to be held Monday, Nov. 21 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Donors including Jonathan M. Tisch, chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels, and Rep. Jerrold Nadler were scheduled to participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The 1948 building was the longtime home of Fairchild Publications, which owns W magazine and Women's Wear Daily. NYU bought the building in 1992 to house administrative offices.
Multiple other NYU construction projects are ongoing, including at the Center for Academic and Spiritual Life at 58 Washington Square South and inside the Washington Mews, north of Washington Square Park.
The university's 20-year expansion plan to create more academic space is set to begin the Department of City Planning's seven-month-long public approval process in January.
