New York City, with its recognizable neighborhoods, has been known for constantly reinventing itself to address the needs of its residents and fluctuations in the local economy. It has flourished as a major attraction to various ethnic groups that have settled in these varied neighborhoods from its beginnings as a Dutch fur-trading port to its present state.

The Hudson Yards, is the city's most underutilized and underdeveloped property due to its current zoning and lack of access by subway service. This thesis explores development of an identifiable neighborhood for the Hudson Yards through the creation of a civic urban space with a multicultural institution as its anchor. Seen as the city's "last frontier ," the site creates a great opportunity to celebrate the city's multicultural history by developing an institution with community services that seeks to promote the preservation, performance, and educational exchange of the performing and visual folk arts.