Fresh from a sweltering 4 train at the site of Downtown Music Studios are, from left, Downtown Music Studios CEO Andrew Bergman; Jennifer Gil, Project Director for Sound Thinking (a free program designed for young women to explore careers in the music industry); Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine; Downtown Studios Founder and Executive Chairman Justin Kalifowitz; Sound Thinking Executive Director Jeanne Houck; and Downtown Studios Studio Director Zach Hancock.

Downtown Music Holdings broke ground Wednesday on a 10,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art recording studio complex in downtown Manhattan's Standard Oil Building.

The new facility will have five writing and recording rooms and is large enough for orchestral and cast-album recording sessions. Architectural and acoustic designer Martin Pilchner is presiding.

“Downtown has been so successful because we put a priority on serving the creative community in every aspect of their business,” said CEO Andrew Bergman. “Establishing Downtown Studios is an important continuation of that promise as we create one of the first new studio complexes of this size in Manhattan in many years, building an important resource for the artists and labels who rely on us to help them propel their careers forward.”

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine chimed in, “This facility will cement Manhattan's place at the center of the music industry and catalyze our recovery while supporting local students' interest in music production.”

The studio will occupy the top two floors of the building where John D. Rockefeller played squash on his private court. Rumor has it Downtown has already carved out space for a pickleball court.

With fewer and fewer recording studios left in NYC, something amazing is coming to Lower Manhattan:

New studio being built on top floors of 26 Bway, including site of the old Rockefeller family squash court (!).

THIS is the kind of creative use for vacant office space we need. pic.twitter.com/kBv0vos2OA
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) June 15, 2022