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IESE'S NEW YORK CENTER

Past & Future of a Landmark

The future site of IESE's New York Center, located at 165 West 57th Street, was originally designed to showcase the arts. Built in 1916 and located across the street from Carnegie Hall, it was commissioned by Louis H. Chalif (1876-1948) from the brother architects George and Henry Boehm to house his dance studio and the Normal School of Dancing. The design called for a sophisticated asymmetrical facade with motifs inspired by the Italian Renaissance and Mannerism periods. It was to feature tan-gray colored brick laid in a diamond pattern and polychrome terracotta with classical and theatrical references that adorn the upper stories of the building.

A History in Education and the Arts

Chalif was a renowned Russian ballet dancer who studied under Vaclav Nijinsky's father, Thomas, and performed with the Imperial Moscow Ballet. A teacher and performer in New York City for two decades, Chalif was a pioneer in teaching Russian dance in America. In the early 1930s, the Great Depression forced the Chalif Normal School of Dancing into bankruptcy and Chalif moved to another location.

Chalif was a renowned Russian ballet dancer who studied under Vaclav Nijinsky and performed with the Imperial Moscow Ballet. A teacher and performer in New York for two decades, Chalif was a pioneer in teaching Russian dance in America. In the early 1930s, the Great Depression forced the Chalif Normal School of Dancing into bankruptcy and Chalif moved to another location.

The building changed tenants several times between 1933 and 1937, and remained vacant for a number of years. In 1946, the building –which had been renamed The Temple of Terpsichore – was occupied by Carl Fischer Inc. In those days, the company was one of the largest music publishers in the business and, until 1959, the building was known as the Carl Fischer Concert Hall.

Columbia Artists Management Inc. (CAMI) became the building's next owner in 1959. At the time, CAMI was among the world's largest and most influential management and booking firms, specializing in classical music, opera, theater and dance. CAMI made architectural and interior changes, always seeking to keep the building’s original character. The firm occupied the building until 1996.

First as a dance school and later as Carl Fischer and CAMI Halls, the building has been a backdrop for performances by innumerable world-renowned performers, pioneer educators and talented artists, including composer John Cage, tenors Luciano Pavarotti and Josep Carreras, actors Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Lauren Bacall and Harrison Ford, and musicians such as Bobby McFerrin, James Taylor and Wynton Marsalis.

Past Meets Future

In 2007, the building was chosen to be IESE Business School’s new home in North America: the IESE New York Center. IESE will inaugurate the new center in 2010, further consolidating its presence in the United States.

The building's timeless facade has been preserved, while the interior – with 25,000 square feet of space on six floors – is being transformed into a state-of-the-art learning environment. The center will feature multifunctional spaces for breakout sessions, food service, working spaces for staff and research assistants, two large amphitheater-style classrooms, offices and a chapel.

The project calls for major financial investment and IESE is seeking support from alumni, friends and corporate partners. The funds raised by the school's Capital Campaign will be applied toward construction costs, as well as the new center's academic and research activities.

To donate, please visit www.iese.edu/usa/giving or contact Hélène Sostarich-Barsamian, Director of Development in the U.S., at (212) 421-9600.

We value your thoughts and feedback. Please email us at ieseusoffice@iese.edu or contact Hélène Sostarich-Barsamian directly at hsostarich@iese.edu

IESE New York Center

200 West 57th Street, Suite 1403. New York, NY 10019.
Tel: (212) 421-9600. Fax: (212) 421-9616.www.iese.edu/usa