Town Hall Now a Historic Landmark

Town Hall, the once‐major concert hall that suspended operations last Aug. 31, after 58 years, has been designated a historic landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The designation, made in executive session late Tuesday afternoon, applied to both the outside and the inside of the hall, at 113 West 43d Street, between the Avenue of the Americas and Broadway. The effect of the interior landmark status is to force any future owners of the hall to receive the commission's approval for any architectural changes in the building.

‘Very Happy’

Ownership of the hall is currently being transferred from the Town Hall Foundation to the Town Hall Theater Foundation. The Town Hall Foundation is essentially New York University and the New York University Club. The club has dining facilities in the hall. The theater foundation is headed by Craig Anderson, director of the Hudson Guild Theater. He will leave the Hudson Guild at the end of this season to take up his duties as administrator of Town Hall. He plans to change the concert hail into a multipurpose hall with strong emphasis on theater and dance.

Mr. Anderson expressed relief yesterday that several months of what he called “bureaucratic, time‐consuming deliberations” about the hall's landmark status had been resolved. “I am very happy,” he said, “that the Landmarks Commission has made its decision.” He added that he needed to “make the facility flexible” for the type of programs he plans for it.

“Flexibility is the key word,” Mr. Anderson said. He is going to ask the commission to approve plans for renovating Town Hall's seats and carpets and painting the hall. He also has to enlarge the stage, he said. The “key” to his operating the hall, he said, would be his ability to make the stage appropriate for theater, music and dance.

Other Plans Disclosed

The landmark status prevents anyone from tearing the building down. Mr. Anderson said. “I won't tear it down, but I will rejuvenate it into a major arts center for the city.”

Mr. Anderson's plans include the continued occupancy of the dining area by the N.Y.U. Club. He would also use this area for cabaret entertainment and a public restaurant for theatergoers. He further would like to construct a second auditorium atop the present structure.

Patricia Rich, an official of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, said yesterday that architects representing the commission would be meeting with Mr. Anderson's architects to come up with plans that would preserve the “unique qualities” of Town Hall.