When George B. Mallory designed West Chelsea’s Terminal Warehouse in 1891, he built it around a 670-foot central rail tunnel connecting train, river, and city freight. Some 135 years later, Convene Hospitality Group (CHG) has transformed the landmark into The Mallory, a standalone special-events venue set directly within the historic building. “From the start, we wanted to celebrate Terminal Warehouse and its layers of history,” says Don Tomita, CHG’s director of design.
“We drew inspiration from multiple sources, including the historic building itself and the forgotten tale of the West Side Cowboys,” Tomita adds, referencing the riders who once led freight trains along Eleventh Avenue. “Our design weaves all of these stories together. Raw brick and concrete stay intentionally exposed, heavy metal details recall the freight lines that once occupied the building, and eclectic patterns and colors nod to the art-driven neighborhood.”
Following an extensive adaptive-reuse overhaul led by Design Agency, CHG’s VP of design Katie Timmerman reinterpreted the building’s history as a modern hospitality setting spanning three flexible floors for up to 550 guests. Preserving the building’s legacy was central to the project, from its 3.2 acres of brick masonry and 756 windows to its original sliding boxcar doors, 20-foot ceilings, and heavy-timber columns milled from trees dating back to 1512.
Within this historic shell, which overlooks the Hudson River, CHG discreetly integrated state-of-the-art production infrastructure. Custom rigging points, theatrical lighting, 4K projection, point-source audio, and collapsible chandeliers allow the space to shift instantly between private events, galas, and immersive installations.
“The Mallory was designed to adapt to virtually any vision while retaining the architectural integrity that makes it such a stunning venue,” says Nathan Atkinson, the venue’s general manager. “We’ve choreographed the experience from the arrival through the tunnel to every transition that follows, creating a journey that feels considered from beginning to end.”
