Bohemian National Hall
Bohemian National Hall is a five-story building at 321 East 73d Street on the Upper East Side, Manhattan. The building was built between 1895 and 1897 in neo-Renaissance style by architect William C. Frohne. It was a Czech American social and culture center in New York City. From the late 1930s to the 1980s it was rented out to various organizations, including the Manhattan Theater Club, which began there. In 1994 the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission named it a landmark.
In 2001, it was sold by the Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association to the Czech government for $1. In return, the Czech government agreed to renovate the building. Its first use after the change of ownership came in 2005, when it served as the venue for a celebration of the 70th birthday of Václav Havel, a kickoff event for Untitled Theater Company #61's Havel Festival. After a few more events, the Hall shut down for further renovation, reopening October 30, 2008.
Now the building is the seat of the Czech Consulate, the New York Czech Center, the Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association and the Dvorak American Heritage Association. In the building is also a small cinema, an art gallery, a major ballroom/theater and a roof terrace. Since May 23, 2011 a Czech restaurant called Hospoda is located on the ground floor of the building.
