Civic Hall is an event and conference venue at the edge of Union Square in Manhattan, with an auditorium for up to 500 guests at a standing reception and a set of conference and classroom spaces for groups of 8 to 75. It is at 124 E 14th Street and is rented for conferences, galas, weddings, keynotes, classes and workshops.
Seminars and company events
The Craig Newmark Auditorium is the main room. The site gives three configurations: a 250-person gala dinner, a keynote address for more than 300, and a standing cocktail party for more than 500. The room covers 6,500 square feet on an open floor plan, with streaming cameras and a video wall, and a coat check for 400 people. That makes it a fit for a conference plenary, an all-hands meeting, a product launch or an awards dinner.
Smaller sessions can run in the symposium spaces. The site describes them as five mixed-use spaces totaling 5,500 square feet, which can be rented separately, all together or in any combination. All rooms can be configured to the theme of the meeting or event, so a conference can pair the auditorium with breakout rooms in the same building.
Weddings and receptions
Civic Hall lists weddings among the events it can host, alongside galas and keynote speakers. The auditorium's gala dinner layout for 250 guests is the figure to use for a seated reception, and the standing cocktail format reaches more than 500. The site does not detail wedding services, so ask what the team provides for ceremonies and catering.
Rooms and capacities
- Craig Newmark Auditorium: 6,500 sq ft; 250 seated for a gala dinner, 300 or more for a keynote, 500 or more standing.
- Symposium spaces: five mixed-use spaces, 5,500 sq ft in total.
- Conference rooms: 8 to 12 people.
- Flexible room: several dozen people, up to 75 attendees, with furniture and A/V.
- Classroom space: desks, chairs and instructor A/V for 10 to 50 students.
Special rates exist for nonprofits, community organizations, Civic Hall members and Zero Irving tenants.
Catering
The official pages reviewed do not describe a catering program or a list of approved caterers. Ask the events team how food and drink are handled for a seated dinner.
History and setting
The auditorium was made possible by a donation from Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies. Civic Hall is also a tech community hub with training programs, memberships and public events, so event dates are shared with that activity. Union Square is a central, transit-rich location.
Getting there
Civic Hall is at 124 E 14th Street, New York, NY 10003, at the edge of Union Square. The site describes the area as a transit-rich central hub. To book, fill in the space rental form with the nature of the event and the estimated number of guests.
