You’ve probably seen it if you’ve ever walked off the Brooklyn Bridge or tried to find a bathroom near City Hall. It’s that massive, brutalist Lego-style fortress looming over the Manhattan entrance to the bridge. Most people just call it "the Pace building," but One Pace Plaza New York NY is actually the nerve center of Pace University’s downtown campus.
It’s an odd building. Honestly, it’s one of those love-it-or-hate-it pieces of architecture that defines the Lower Manhattan skyline. Some people find the reddish-brown brick and concrete exterior intimidating. Others see it as a classic relic of 1960s and 70s urban design. But whether you like the look or not, the building is currently undergoing the biggest identity shift in its fifty-year history.
The Brutalist Giant is Getting a Massive Face-Lift
For decades, One Pace Plaza was basically a self-contained city. It housed classrooms, a massive library, administrative offices, and even a gym. It was designed during an era when "fortress architecture" was the vibe for urban universities. They wanted students to feel safe and enclosed, separate from the grit of 1970s New York.
But things have changed. New York isn't the same place it was in 1970.
Pace University is currently in the middle of a multi-phase "Master Plan" that is literally gutting the interiors of the West side of One Pace Plaza. If you’ve walked by recently, you’ve seen the scaffolding and the construction crews. They aren't just painting the walls. They are reimagining the entire way the building interacts with the street.
The most significant change is the move toward "verticality." Because Manhattan real estate is, well, Manhattan real estate, you can't really build out. You have to build up or optimize what you already have. Pace recently completed 15 Beekman, a massive new tower nearby, which allowed them to move some operations out of One Pace Plaza so they could start the heavy demolition work on the main hub.
Why the "One Pace Plaza East" Renovation Matters
The University is putting a staggering amount of money into the "East" wing of One Pace Plaza. We are talking about 215,000 square feet of renovated space. Why does this matter to you if you aren't a student? Because it’s going to change the foot traffic and the "feel" of the area around the Brooklyn Bridge entrance.
- Modernized Performing Arts: One of the best-kept secrets about One Pace Plaza is that it’s home to the Sands College of Performing Arts. The renovation is adding a whole new theater and state-of-the-art dance studios.
- The "Green" Factor: The old building was a nightmare for energy efficiency. The new design aims for LEED certification, which is basically a fancy way of saying it won't leak heat like a sieve anymore.
- Community Spaces: Historically, the building felt closed off. The new design features a lot more glass. They want people on the street to see the "energy" of the campus.
It’s interesting. Usually, when people talk about Manhattan real estate, they focus on shiny glass towers in Hudson Yards. But the reconstruction of One Pace Plaza New York NY is arguably more important for the actual fabric of the Financial District. It’s an anchor. If this building stays stagnant, that whole corner of Spruce Street feels dead.
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The Schimmel Center: The Cultural Heart Nobody Talks About
If you live in NYC and haven't been to the Schimmel Center, you’re missing out. It’s tucked right inside One Pace Plaza.
It is one of the most underrated venues in the city. Because it’s part of a university, people assume it’s just for student plays or boring lectures. It isn't. I’ve seen world-class comedians, international dance troupes, and high-level political debates in that room. The acoustics are surprisingly good for a building that looks like a concrete bunker from the outside.
During the renovations, the Schimmel has remained a focal point. It serves as a bridge between the academic world and the public. It's one of the few places in the Financial District where you can get relatively affordable tickets to high-quality performance art without the pretension of Lincoln Center.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Location
People always get lost trying to find it.
"Is it near Wall Street?" Sorta. "Is it in Chinatown?" Kinda.
One Pace Plaza sits in this weird jurisdictional pocket. It is technically the Financial District, but it’s really the "Civic Center." You have the courts to the north, the bridge to the east, and the financial engines to the south.
This location was a strategic choice back in the day. Pace started as a business school—Pace & Pace—founded by two brothers in 1906. They wanted to be near the action. By the time they built One Pace Plaza in 1969/1970, they were cementing their status as the "private university of the city."
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But the location has downsides. It’s noisy. The roar of the Brooklyn Bridge traffic is constant. The wind tunnels created by the surrounding skyscrapers can knock you off your feet in January. Yet, there’s an undeniable "New York-ness" to it. You have students from all over the world mixing with jurors from the nearby courthouses and tourists who are hopelessly lost looking for the 9/11 Memorial.
Living Near One Pace Plaza: The Student Housing Reality
If you’re looking at One Pace Plaza New York NY because you’re thinking about attending the school, you need to know about the housing situation.
Living in One Pace Plaza used to be the "default" for freshmen. The dorms were... well, they were dorms. Small, functional, and lived-in. But Pace has been aggressively moving away from the "commuter school" vibe. They’ve added luxury-style housing at 33 Beekman and 182 Broadway.
The "One Pace Plaza East" renovation is actually transforming some of that old classroom and office space into better student hubs. The goal is to make the campus feel less like a place where you just go to class and leave, and more like a place where you actually live.
The Impact of 9/11 and the Future of Security
You can't talk about this building without mentioning September 11, 2001. One Pace Plaza was just a few blocks from the Twin Towers. On that day, the building became a triage center. It became a refuge.
The university’s response to that crisis is baked into the DNA of the building now. There is a sense of resilience there. After 9/11, security obviously tightened up. For a long time, the building felt like a fortress because, in many ways, it had to be.
Today, the challenge is balancing that need for safety with the desire to be an "open" urban campus. The new architectural plans attempt to solve this by using transparency. More glass, better lighting, and open plazas (hence the name) are designed to make the space feel welcoming rather than walled off.
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Facts You Probably Didn't Know
- The Maria's Tower Connection: For a long time, Maria’s Tower was the primary residence hall located within the One Pace Plaza complex. Living there meant you could literally take an elevator from your bed to your 9:00 AM accounting class without ever putting on a coat.
- The Library is a Beast: The Henry Birnbaum Library is huge. It’s one of the best places in Lower Manhattan to actually get work done, provided you can find a quiet corner away from the construction noise.
- The Spruce Street School: There is actually a K-8 public school (PS 397) right at the base of the Pace complex. It’s a fascinating example of "mixed-use" urban planning where a private university and a public school share the same block.
How to Navigate One Pace Plaza Right Now
If you have to go there for a meeting, a class, or a show at the Schimmel, don't just wing it. The construction has changed the entry points.
- Use the Spruce Street entrance. Most of the main foot traffic is being funneled through the Spruce Street side while the Park Row side is under heavy scaffolding.
- Check the Schimmel Center schedule online. Don't just show up. The entrance to the theater is separate from the main student entrance.
- Watch out for the bridge traffic. If you’re walking from the subway (4/5/6 at City Hall or the A/C/E at Chambers), the intersection at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge is chaotic. Pedestrians do not have the right of way in the minds of most taxi drivers.
Moving Forward: The Financial District's New Era
The renovation of One Pace Plaza New York NY isn't happening in a vacuum. It’s part of a larger trend of the Financial District (FiDi) becoming a residential and educational neighborhood rather than just a place for stocks and bonds.
With more people living in the area, Pace is trying to position One Pace Plaza as a community hub. The "new" building will feature more "third spaces"—places that aren't home and aren't work/class, but where you can just be.
This is a massive shift for a building that was originally designed to be a functional, no-nonsense education machine. The brick walls are staying (mostly), but the soul of the building is being upgraded for the 2020s.
Actionable Next Steps
If you are a visitor or a prospective student, here is how you should approach One Pace Plaza today:
- Download the Pace App: If you’re visiting for an event, the campus maps are updated in real-time to reflect construction closures. This will save you twenty minutes of walking around a brick wall.
- Visit the 6th Floor: If you can get access, the upper floors of One Pace Plaza offer some of the most unique, "up-close" views of the Brooklyn Bridge towers that you can find anywhere in the city.
- Look into the "Pace Ticket": For locals, the Schimmel Center often offers discounted tickets for people living in the 10038 zip code. It's worth checking if you're a neighbor.
- Monitor the Master Plan Updates: Pace University maintains a public "Master Plan" website. If you're a local business owner or resident, check this monthly. It lists upcoming "noisy" construction phases and sidewalk closures.
One Pace Plaza is no longer just a relic of the 70s. It’s a work in progress. It’s a massive, brick-and-mortar example of how New York City constantly eats its past to build its future. Whether you’re there for a degree, a show, or just passing by on your way to the bridge, it’s a building that demands your attention.