A New “Debut” in Shubert Alley

Broadway isn’t the only place debuting exciting new features. We’re pleased to share that our latest “opening” in Shubert Alley has been a major success. If you’ve walked through the (often very breezy) Alley recently, you may have noticed a significant improvement: the installation of our new ADA-compliant restroom facilities.

This upgrade brings two fully accessible, single-occupant unisex restrooms, along with a new custodial closet. Most importantly, patrons who require an accessible restroom no longer need to make the trip to Sardi’s—convenience and accessibility are now right next door.

To ensure comfort in every season, an entry vestibule was added to maintain consistent heating and cooling while also preserving privacy. Access to the restroom remains exclusive to Shubert Theatre patrons; FOH staff will escort users and operate the automatic door opener as needed.

Though the space itself is modest, the effort behind it was anything but. This project brought together seven engineering and architectural design disciplines and ten construction trades. To make room for full-height ceilings—and to improve the Booth Theatre star dressing rooms above—steam radiators and outdated air conditioners were removed from three dressing rooms and replaced with modern fan coil heating and cooling units.

A huge thank you to Emily Qiu, Facilities Project Manager, for overseeing this complex project and guiding it to a successful (and nearly on-time!) completion.