Author: Renee Cho

Uptown’s architects, Voith & Mactavish (V&M), are among this year’s recipients of the 2026 Arthur Ross Award for Excellence in the Classical Tradition, awarded by the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA).

Voith & Mactavish, which won in the architecture category, was noted for “architecture that expresses innovation in the context of tradition.” The ICAA noted that V&M has stayed true to their vision “by designing environments that support contemporary uses and carefully respond to the cultural and physical contexts of each site.”

This is the 45th year that the ICAA has bestowed these awards, dubbed the Academy Awards of the design world. Awardees are selected from an international slate and receive the honor for a body of work and consistent advancement of design in traditional idioms.

Earlier this year, V&M senior partner John Cluver–lead architect on the Uptown project–was named to the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows, its highest membership honor.

After a comprehensive search and bidding process, the Uptown Film Center has contracted with Shawmut Design and Construction as Construction Manager for the pre-construction planning period.

Pre-construction consists of a review of constructability and project documentation, development of detailed budgets, schedules, phasing and cashflows, and creation of a site logistics plan, among other activities.

Shawmut is a 100% employee-owned company with a long history of construction management in New York City. Recent relevant projects include The People’s Theater, four Brooklyn Public Library branches and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, which is in progress.

The Uptown project is still on track for a late 2028 opening.

The Uptown is pleased to announce that Gina Duncan has joined the board. Gina’s extensive background in film and more than two decades of experience leading arts organizations makes her an invaluable asset to the Uptown board.

Currently, Gina is CEO of The Moth, the nonprofit storytelling organization dedicated to the art and craft of personal narrative. She joined The Moth following her tenure as president of the prestigious Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), where she guided the organization through a major period of transformation. Previously she was Producing Director at the Sundance Institute, where she was responsible for producing the festival and strengthening the institute’s engagement with independent artist and film industry communities. Before Sundance, she served as VP of Film and Strategic Programming at BAM, leading the film program and BAMcinemaFest.  Earlier in her career she was Director of Industry Engagement and Special Programs at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, NY.  Here, Gina curated and executed specialized film series and served as a bridge between the local community and the larger film industry.

In addition to the Uptown, Gina also sits on the board of the Arthouse Convergence, a non-profit organization that connects and advocates for independent, community-focused movie theaters and film festivals.