Function and style: The origin of One Pace Plaza

One Pace Plaza was built during the urban renewal projects of the 1960’s, combining functionality and the style of the decade.

“The idea was to tear down the old buildings and replace them with new ones,” said Pace archivist Ellen Sowchek.

Other projects which resulted from the development movement of the late 60’s included the Gold Street housing project, the Beekman Hospital and the World Trade Center.

“The government sold this lot to Pace for a very small amount of money,” said Sowchek.

`At the time, Pace College approached I.M. Pei, the designer of Cleveland’s famous Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, to design One Pace Plaza; his tall, thin, silver tower design, however, never materialized and the contract went to Eggers & Higgins, architects of the Thomas Jefferson memorial in Washington D.C., instead.

“I think that the design was just too extreme for the trustees,” said Sowchek, referring to I.M. Pei’s tower.

The building was completed in 1969 and had only three floors. Commencement was held on the roof.

Pace College became Pace University in 1973 and soon outgrew the new building.

In 1983, three more floors were added to the top of the west side. The exterior wall was made of glass because concrete was too heavy for the original structure.

In an attempt to produce a quiet and productive learning environment, the architects used the exterior corridors to create a “sound moat” between the noise of New York streets and the classrooms.

The stairways and elevators are also on the perimeter to provide further expansion of the building, but to date there are no plans for further expansion. The entire lot is already being used and that the only way to expand would be through another building somewhere else.

One Pace Plaza’s Maria’s Tower was the first dormitory to be built in lower Manhattan since the 18th century. The structure is unique in that offices and residences are in the same building.

“It is actually one of the few buildings designed for mixed use in New York,” said Sowchek.

Before One Pace Plaza was built, the only spaces Pace New York had were rented or purchased buildings in the downtown area.

“This is the only completely Pace building in New York” said Sowchek. “It was built just for the use of the college.”