The New York City Mayor's Office, Department of Cultural Affairs and Department of Design and Construction are embarking on a $17.8 million renovation to transform a 1857 firehouse in Cobble Hill into a permanent music center and school for the Noel Pointer Foundation (NPF).
The foundation is named after the Grammy-nominated jazz violinist Noel Pointer. NPF serves young people across the five boroughs with music education programming.
Chinita Pointer, CEO and president of the Noel Pointer Foundation, says it's a dream come true.
“I drew a sketch of the building that I wanted, and so that sketch is part of our deck so that you can actually see the sketch. So in 2002, I knew that I wanted our own building. I just didn't know how. I didn't know how it was even going to come. But thank God it did," said Pointer.
The new building will have a music library, soundproofed rooms, private lesson rooms, etc.
“This program started in a very tiny office in my home. For 30 years, we were all over the place. But now this is becoming our permanent home, where kids can just say, I'm going to the Noel Pointer Foundation, and this is our home where I can learn how to play music," said Pointer.
Organizers say it will take about two years to complete.
