The latter organization had recently been advised that its bid to become a tenant of a new building in Harlem had been rejected despite its having secured commitments of $13 million in public funding to support the development of the space.

It has been a primary vehicle for Bill T. Jones to realize his creative vision, and is noted for its engagement with political and social issues.

In addition to Bill T. Jones' programming, New York Live Arts mounts an annual season of performances at its theater that features of a range of artists and companies, presented both independently and in partnership with other organizations.

In the theater, a high-ceilinged black-box space with a 42 x 30 foot sprung floor abuts a steeply-raked fixed seating area on one side.

The third level features two 1,200 square-foot windowed rehearsal studios, also with sprung floors, that can be combined to create a single space.