Westchester County Center
Encyclopedia
Westchester County Center is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...

 in White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...

. It hosts various local concerts and sporting events for the area.

The County Center was conceived by the Westchester Recreation Commission in 1924 as a multi-purpose indoor recreational facility to host community programs and income-producing commercial events. It was designed by the architectural firm of Walker & Gillette
Walker & Gillette
Walker & Gillette was an architectural firm based in New York City, the partnership of A. Stewart Walker and Leon N. Gillette , active from 1906 through 1945.- Biography :...

, and built and decorated in the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...

 style. The construction project cost of approximately $785,000. A $16-million rehabilitation was completed in 1988.

Notable events

  • Grand opening was held May 22, 1930 features pianist Percy Grainger
    Percy Grainger
    George Percy Aldridge Grainger , known as Percy Grainger, was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist. In the course of a long and innovative career he played a prominent role in the revival of interest in British folk music in the early years of the 20th century. He also made many...

    , Metropolitan Opera Company tenor Edward Johnson, organist Palmer Christian

  • First Westchester Music Festival is held in July, 1930 in the newly opened center

  • Governor Herbert H. Lehman
    Herbert H. Lehman
    Herbert Henry Lehman was a Democratic Party politician from New York. He was the 45th Governor of New York from 1933 to 1942, and represented New York in the United States Senate from 1950 to 1957.-Lehman Brothers:...

     winds up his campaign with an address at a rally of the American Labor party in 1936

  • Joe Baksi
    Joe Baksi
    Joe Baksi was a top heavyweight contender who defeated fighters such as Tami Mauriello, Lee Savold, Lou Nova, and Freddie Mills, while losing decisions to Jersey Joe Walcott and Ezzard Charles.-Background:...

    , future heavyweight contender, beat future movie actor Jack Palance
    Jack Palance
    Jack Palance , was an American actor. During half a century of film and television appearances, Palance was nominated for three Academy Awards, all as Best Actor in a Supporting Role, winning in 1991 for his role in City Slickers.-Early life:Palance, one of five children, was born Volodymyr...

     (who fought under the name of Jack Brazzo) on December 17, 1940.

  • In the 1950s or 60s, New York Impresario Joseph H. Conlin hired Conductor Howard Barlow, a resident of Westchester and the conductor of the popular television series of the time, The Voice of Firestone, and created a summer series of classical concerts. Details of this series would be appreciated.

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