Philipsburgh Building
Encyclopedia
The Philipsburgh Building, also known as Philipsburgh Hall, is an architectural landmark building of downtown Yonkers, New York
. The grand, Beaux-Arts style structure was designed by G. Howard Chamberlain and built in 1904. For years, the enormous grand ballroom within, with its 30-foot (9.1 m) ceilings and extensive gold leaf
decor, was a fixture of the social scene in Yonkers, playing host to all manner of meetings, parties and theatrical productions.
In the latter half of the twentieth century, the building and the neighborhood around it fell into physical and economic disrepair. By the 1980s, most of the building had been converted to low-rent apartments, while parts of it were left entirely unoccupied. In the 1990s, the building benefited from a renewed interest in local development, and was heavily renovated and restored. The grand ballroom, now called the "Roosevelt Ballroom," once again found its place as a focal point of local culture.
The building was restored and renamed the Philipsburgh Performing Arts Center (PPAC, pronounced "P-pack" locally) in 2001. The PPAC concept was short-lived, however, and by early 2005 it had ceased to be. Currently, the building's primary occupant is Encore Caterers, once the exclusive caterers to events held at PPAC.
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
. The grand, Beaux-Arts style structure was designed by G. Howard Chamberlain and built in 1904. For years, the enormous grand ballroom within, with its 30-foot (9.1 m) ceilings and extensive gold leaf
Gold leaf
right|thumb|250px|[[Burnishing]] gold leaf with an [[agate]] stone tool, during the water gilding processGold leaf is gold that has been hammered into extremely thin sheets and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades...
decor, was a fixture of the social scene in Yonkers, playing host to all manner of meetings, parties and theatrical productions.
In the latter half of the twentieth century, the building and the neighborhood around it fell into physical and economic disrepair. By the 1980s, most of the building had been converted to low-rent apartments, while parts of it were left entirely unoccupied. In the 1990s, the building benefited from a renewed interest in local development, and was heavily renovated and restored. The grand ballroom, now called the "Roosevelt Ballroom," once again found its place as a focal point of local culture.
The building was restored and renamed the Philipsburgh Performing Arts Center (PPAC, pronounced "P-pack" locally) in 2001. The PPAC concept was short-lived, however, and by early 2005 it had ceased to be. Currently, the building's primary occupant is Encore Caterers, once the exclusive caterers to events held at PPAC.
External links
- Philipsburgh Hall case study at National Trust for Historic PreservationNational Trust for Historic PreservationThe National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...