Good morning, New York! January is nearly behind us, and the month of February is bringing in a surfeit of new restaurant concepts proposed for Spring and Summer restaurants. In fact, one of the most anticipated event spaces for 2022 recently revealed new details about their proposed catering hall and learning center at 124 East 14th Street.
Civic Hall Labs is the research and development arm of Civic Hall, a technology-focused nonprofit that creates opportunities for individuals facing barriers to economic well being. As part of The Fedcap Group, the new project is spearheaded by Fedcap executives Carol Khoury, Christine McMahon, and Kenneth Brezenoff. Investing into community projects to bring high-tech skills and employment opportunites to New Yorkers, The Fedcap Group describes their mission as “building not just a safety net to catch people who might fall through the cracks, but a trampoline to help people soar.”
In 2017 the group proposed the development of a brand new 250,000 square foot center for technology development in Union Square. As part of this proposal, Civic Hall is developing six floors of the Zero Irving Place building to create what they refer to as the Digital Learning Center (DLC). Featuring 16 classrooms to be shared among NYC’s leading technology training and job organizations, The DLC is designed to improve access to in-demand tech jobs for New Yorkers by creating a universal entry point for tech skills training. The DLC hopes to become a model for future training processes by creating opportunities that will develop a more competitive and inclusive workforce in New York’s tech industry.
In addition to the DLC classrooms, Civic Hall will also be operating a state-of-the-art conference and events center with its own catering service. Endeavoring to become a major hub for tech lecturers and corporate networking events, Civic Hall’s events space will serve elevated tapas and sushi, made with only the finest and freshest ingredients. Offering everything from a cheese board and charcuterie, to Korean BBQ Sliders and mushroom croquettes, Civic Hall will liven up its events with delicious food as well as beer and wine.
With a state-of-the-art prep kitchen included in the space, Civic Hall’s new event space will allow the next leaders of tomorrow to bring the brightest minds of out generation in one space. While the layout of the space will change according to the demands of the various events planned by Civic Hall, the community space is a major boon for the tech-based nonprofit. While the pandemic had temporarily slowed progress on the development of the center, Civic Hall still engages in its extensive planning process, engaging the tech training ecosystem and piloting new programs while the building is still in development.
