History of DTCC

Although the Downtown Conference Center opened its doors in May of 2004, the property has a proven history.

Initially located on the 55th Floor of One World Trade Center, the property was built and designed as a training venue for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The conference center featured 15,000 square feet of dedicated meeting space. With spectacular views of Downtown New York, Brooklyn, Midtown and the Hudson River, meeting attendees enjoyed an excellent meeting environment with mesmerizing views.

In 1997 Pace University acquired the property as the headquarters for the World Trade Institute. The World Trade Institute took advantage of its prime location in the World Trade Center and provided the business community and individuals with training in international trade and global commerce. Their programs proved successful and in 2000 the World Trade Institute of Pace University decided to hire a professional meeting management company to operate their conference center.

Benchmark Hospitality International assumed management of the World Trade Institute Conference Center on February 14, 2000. The conference center was successful at positioning itself as an ideal meeting venue for training and events surrounded by the World Financial Center, Wall Street and sister World Trade Center buildings until the events of September 11, 2001.

The Downtown Conference Center is proud to reopen in the financial district as of May 2004. We have the distinct privilege and honor to staff the property with five founding team members from the original World Trade Institute Conference Center team including the conference center manager. We are also pleased to have a number of internal Benchmark Hospitality International employees transfer from other properties to assist in the success and reintroduction to the Financial District.

Now located at 157 William Street, the Downtown Conference Center features 20,000 total square feet of meeting space among 33 meeting rooms. Features of the property include a 70 person tiered Amphitheater, Executive Boardroom, a panoramic dining room, ceiling mounted LCD projectors, plasma screens, and trademark service offered by Benchmark Hospitality International.

As a partner of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, Wall Street Rising and the Downtown Alliance, the Downtown Conference Center is committed to the revitalization and enhancement of Lower Manhattan.