Rendering by Brooklyn Digital Foundry

A major transformation on the Upper West Side officially moved from planning to construction on Monday, as shovels hit the ground on one of the most ambitious cultural infrastructure projects in recent New York City history.

Lincoln Center held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Lincoln Center West Initiative, the long-planned overhaul of the Amsterdam Avenue side of its campus that will tear down the wall along Damrosch Park and replace it with open green spaces, new entrances and an outdoor theater. The project is expected to be complete by summer 2028.

Two major naming gifts were announced in connection with the groundbreaking. The new amphitheater — which will seat approximately 2,000 and host free performances — will be called The Baron Theater, in recognition of a $75 million gift from the Baron Family Foundation, founded by Judy and Ron Baron. The surrounding park space, which will include gardens, tree groves, a water feature and gathering areas, will be named the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Gardens, honoring SNF’s own $75 million contribution as founding partner of the initiative.

Lincoln Center also announced that its $335 million fundraising goal for the construction phase has been fully met, with support from foundations, private donors, the LCPA Board of Directors and public funding from New York State and New York City.

“The construction around us today is temporary. The invitation to join us here on this incredible campus is permanent,” Lincoln Center President and CEO Mariko Silver said at the ceremony.

The project has its roots in a 2023 initiative aimed at reckoning with the campus’s origins — Lincoln Center was built following a controversial 1950s urban renewal project that razed the San Juan Hill neighborhood, displacing thousands of Black and brown families. The redesign, led by Hood Design Studio, WEISS/MANFREDI and Moody Nolan, was shaped by a participatory process that included more than 7,000 individual touchpoints with community members, 3,500 survey responses, 40-plus pop-up events and 13 community workshops.

“Say goodbye to the era of Robert Moses, and say hello to a brand new, inclusive Lincoln Center,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, who secured state funding for the project.

When complete, the redesigned campus will feature sidewalk improvements and expanded greenery along Amsterdam Avenue, 50% more trees than currently exist in the park, an interactive water feature called the Starr Foundation Fountain, shaded groves for gathering and a community performance stage. The design also prioritizes accessibility, with inclusively designed wayfinding guided by the Institute for Human-Centered Design and engagement materials that were translated into Spanish and Simplified Chinese throughout the planning process.

Rendering by Brooklyn Digital Foundry

Rendering by Brooklyn Digital Foundry

Rendering by Brooklyn Digital Foundry

Rendering by Brooklyn Digital Foundry

Monday’s ceremony included a newly commissioned poem by Poet-in-Residence Mahogany L. Browne, jazz pianist Sean Mason performing Thelonious Monk’s “Thelonious” as a tribute to the San Juan Hill neighborhood where Monk once lived, a performance by School of American Ballet dancers, and a closing set by vocalist Catherine Russell.

Community leaders from nearby NYCHA developments spoke to the significance of the moment. “Finally the wall is coming down,” said Maria Guzman, Tenant Association President of Harborview Terrace. “From here, we begin building a new future together, brick by brick, flower by flower.”

Beyond the construction itself, Lincoln Center has been working to deepen ties with neighbors who have historically felt the campus wasn’t meant for them. Following a pilot season, the organization has expanded its free Friends-Level Membership for residents of Amsterdam Houses, Amsterdam Addition and Harborview Terrace. The membership offers priority entry through the Fast Track Line at free performances, early booking for Choose-What-You-Pay shows and invitations to member events.

Lincoln Center expects the on-site workforce to peak at more than 200 workers per day by the end of 2027, with over 3,000 trade partner labor positions projected over the construction period. The next workforce information session will be held June 9 at the David Rubenstein Atrium.

Earlier this spring, the construction fencing was adorned with The Future We Create, a community-inspired mural by artist Vanesa Álvarez and assistant artist Derval Fairweather, created in collaboration with ArtBridge. The mural depicts historic figures from the neighborhood — including James P. Johnson, Thelonious Monk, Mary White Ovington and Arturo Alfonso Schomburg — alongside current residents.

More information on the project is available at LincolnCenter.org/West.

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