A festive evening of performances at the Kaufmann Center's Merkin Concert Hall, January 8, 2008, celebrated the hall's reopening after completion of a $17 million renovation of the Center (the Goodman House at 129 W. 67th Street in New York City) begun in May 07.

The renovation project, by Robert A. M. Stern Architects, consisted of a major re-conceptualization and updating of the building exterior and public spaces, as well as technical upgrades of the performance and backstage areas of the 449-seat Merkin Hall.

JaffeHolden was responsible for acoustic restoration of the hall, as well as all technical upgrades.

"The hall is a great acoustic gem that needed refurbishment," says JaffeHolden's Mark Holden, project principal designer. "Our task was to see that the refurbishment didn't alter the existing acoustic." Given the high risk of damage to that acoustic, JaffeHolden was engaged early on in the planning process, even before the architect.

"Merkin Hall's looks hardly changed, except for the firm new seat cushions, fresh paint and buffed wood paneling," said NY Times music critic, Anthony Tommasini (NY Times, Jan. 10). "Most of the important work that has been done is invisible... The consultants from JaffeHolden Acoustics approached the renovation with a 'do no harm' attitude." The reviewer noted that while the "acousticians may not have done much... the sound on opening night seemed clearer and brighter than I remembered it."  

JaffeHolden's Andrew Schmidt was project manager for the renovation. Ben Bausher provided systems design—a totally integrated audio and video system infrastructure for the hall to accommodate a sound reinforcement system, as well as broadcast and recording capabilities.