Beyer Blinder Belle to Design Hebrew Union College’s New Upper West Side Campus

Beyer Blinder Belle to Design Hebrew Union College’s New Upper West Side Campus

First Battery Armory Building to Become New Hub for Reform Judaism, Educating Jewish Leaders and Elevating Community Life

NEW YORK, July 23, 2025 — Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners (BBB) has been selected to lead the renovation of Hebrew Union College‘s newly acquired campus at the landmark First Battery Armory building, located at 56 West 66th Street.

Reflecting the College’s role as a leading institution in global Reform Judaism, the new building will be designed for scholarly pursuits and clergy training as well as a community nexus. The building will be updated to create a state-of-the-art educational hub with the technology and infrastructure for in-person, hybrid, and virtual learning capabilities, as well as for public events and art exhibitions.

“Beyer Blinder Belle brings a deep understanding of New York City and our specific needs as an institution of higher education and hub for the Reform Movement,” said Hebrew Union College President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D. “This new campus marks an important milestone in Hebrew Union College’s goal of creating more dynamic spaces that reflect the evolving needs of students today and our broader community. I’m looking forward to working closely with the architects in creating a home that will not only better reflect our institution’s educational priorities but also provide our community with the resources needed to learn, grow, and thrive.”

Renovation plans include state-of-the-art classrooms, worship space, a beit midrash for Torah and Talmud study, a new library, and dedicated spaces for prayer and communal gatherings. Hebrew Union College is also engaging with internal and external partners to ensure the new location has the necessary space and facilities to continue welcoming the Reform community, as well as its neighbors and academic collaborators. The property, situated on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, brings Hebrew Union College back to its original New York neighborhood, immersed in a vibrant Jewish community between Central Park and Lincoln Center. The building was purchased in February 2025 following the sale of the institution’s current building in Greenwich Village to neighbor NYU. The renovation process is scheduled to begin by year-end 2025 and the College expects to fully occupy the facility in early 2027.

“The selection of a visionary architecture firm marks a major step forward in creating a campus on the Upper West Side that will honor Hebrew Union College’s legacy while embracing its future,” shared Martin Cohen, Chairman of Cohen & Steers and an emeritus member of Hebrew Union College’s Board of Governors who chairs the Building Redevelopment Steering Committee. “Beyer Blinder Belle is a firm known for its thoughtful restoration of historic spaces and design, and their deep understanding of cultural and educational institutions makes them the ideal choice to support Hebrew Union College on this next chapter.”

With this partnership, Hebrew Union College joins an extensive list of religious and cultural pillars with which BBB has collaborated to infuse new life into historic buildings and campuses with creative, sustainable, and forward-looking renovations and additions. The firm’s current projects include work with 92NY, Temple Emanu-El, the Center for Jewish History, the New York Public Library, the Frick Collection, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

“Adapting the iconic First Battery Armory into a home befitting Hebrew Union College’s mission aligns with our portfolio and our own values as architects,” said Elizabeth Leber, Managing Partner of Beyer Blinder Belle. “Through planning and design, we embrace the evolution of both function and building form, so that historic buildings can remain not only treasured, but also relevant. We are very pleased to be Hebrew Union College’s partner in this exciting next chapter in the institution’s history.”

About Beyer Blinder Belle

Founded in 1968, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners (BBB) is an award-winning architecture, planning, and interiors practice with 190 professionals in New York City, Washington DC, Boston, and Miami. The firm’s multi-faceted portfolio encompasses adaptive reuse and restoration, urban design, and new construction across a wide spectrum of building typologies and sectors, including cultural, civic, educational, residential, and commercial projects. With extensive experience in restoration, BBB specializes in adapting existing structures for new uses and in sensitively integrating contemporary building systems within historic contexts. www.beyerblinderbelle.com

About Hebrew Union College
Hebrew Union College was founded in 1875 to provide rabbinical training for those who would offer progressive, enlightened, and modern spiritual leadership for the new American pulpit. Today, Hebrew Union College is an academic center of applied Jewish wisdom with a global reach and the educational, spiritual, and professional leadership development center of Reform Judaism. Learn more at HUC.edu.