Here for New York
The mission of Javits Center is to support New York. That means in times of crisis, the Center steps up to help serve the community. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Javits Center was converted into a field hospital before becoming the largest vaccination center in the United States. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Javits Center was a hub for those looking to reunite with their missing loved ones and a staging area for first responders. No matter what disaster strikes, Javits Center is here for New York.
Our Story
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is more than just a convention center. Named after the legendary and lifelong New Yorker, Senator Jacob K. Javits, this self-sustaining New York icon has become a wildlife haven, a community partner and a nationwide nexus where the latest ideas in business and pop culture converge under one very green roof. With a significant investment in our infrastructure, we have quickly become a leader in sustainability, security and technology, setting a new standard for convention centers across the country. We employ thousands of experienced professionals dedicated to coordinating and constructing events with major brands from around the world, thereby generating waves of economic activity across the region.
Building an Icon
The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center has been revitalizing the community since we opened in 1986. Designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei & Partners, Javits Center’s Crystal Palace rose as a beacon of progress in Manhattan’s West Side. In 2014, the Center unveiled an expansive renovation focusing heavily on sustainability – earning a LEED Silver certification. The renovation included the installation of 6,000 panes of glass in the Crystal Palace with bird-friendly glass, the largest green roof in New York State, energy efficient HVAC units and an improved thermal envelope. Javits Center added a 1.2 million square foot LEED Gold certified building in 2021. The expansion added a one-acre rooftop farm, a one-of-a-kind truck marshaling building, the food forest on the new outdoor event space, a new exhibit hall and 200,000 square feet of meeting space – perfectly blending our commitment to sustainability and bringing events to New York.
About Jacob K. Javits
Javits Center’s namesake, Jacob Koeppel Javits, served New York for more than 30 years as New York State Attorney General, a U.S. Congressman and U.S. Senator. The son of a janitor, Senator Javits was born on May 18, 1904, and raised in a tenement on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. In 1920, he graduated from George Washington High School as president of his class, attended night school at Columbia University, and continued to New York University Law School where he earned his Juris Doctor degree. Throughout his years of public service, he demonstrated a deep commitment to social issues, by helping create the National Endowment for the Arts and by sponsoring the 1973 War Powers Act. Javits Center is proud to continue Senator Javits’ legacy of public service by hosting events that support New York’s economy, creating jobs and business opportunities for New Yorkers. For more information about Senator Javits, please visit the Senator Jacob K. Javits Collection at Stony Brook University.
Take Me There
