Navigating NYC during A’18

Conference news
, by Jeanne Procope

Get ready for a city-wide experience!

We’re hosting core sessions at curated venues around the city, making it easy to walk, bike, or take the subway between locations.

Read on for helpful advice and tips to help you navigate, explore, and enjoy your time at A’18.

Conference locations

Sessions, parties, and events are happening at seven main locations. You’ll find information for each of these locations below. For fun, we’ve also included nearby architecture hotspots!

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
W 35th St. & 11th Ave.

  • Nearest subway: 34 St./Hudson Yards or 34 St./Penn Station
  • Nearest bikeshare station: 34th St. & 11th Ave.
  • Nearby architecture: Chelsea Condos by Zaha Hadid (520 W 28th St.)

At this location:

  • The Architecture Expo, 800+ exhibitors and 200,000 sq. ft. of the newest materials and products
  • Keynote simulcasts on Thursday and Friday
  • Expo credit courses
  • Tour departures
  • Conference registration, including Radio City Music Hall tickets and pre-ordered MetroCards

Hilton Midtown
1335 6th Ave.

  • Nearest subway: 7 Ave. or 47-50 St./Rockefeller Center
  • Nearest bikeshare station: Broadway & W 51st St.
  • Nearby architecture: The Plaza Hotel, Lever House, 432 Park Ave.

At this location:

  • Conference registration, including Radio City Music Hall tickets and pre-ordered MetroCards
  • ArchiTalks and seminars

Radio City Music Hall
Rockefeller Center at 1260 6th Ave.

  • Nearest subway: 47-50 St./Rockefeller Center or 50 St./Broadway
  • Nearest bikeshare station: W 52nd St. & 6th Ave.
  • Check out nearby architecture: St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, the Seagram Building

At this location: Keynotes and Spotlight Speakers

The New School
University Center at 63 5th Ave.

  • Nearest subway: 14 St./Union Square or 14 St./6 Ave. (F line)
  • Nearest bikeshare station: W 13th St. & 5th Ave.
  • Check out nearby architecture: The Cooper Union

At this location: Pro Series sessions, four brilliant sessions by keynoters, award winners, and more.

Hammerstein Ballroom
311 W 34th St.

  • Nearest subway: 34 St. & 8 Ave.
  • Nearest bikeshare station: 8th Ave. & W 33rd St.
  • Check out nearby architecture: Empire State Building

At this location: The Party! featuring music by En Vogue, The New Millennials, and DJ (LUV).

The Center for Architecture/AIA New York
536 LaGuardia Pl.

  • Nearest subway: W 4 St. or Broadway/Lafayette
  • Nearest bikeshare station: LaGuardia Pl. & W 3rd St.

At this location: The AIA New York chapter and the Center for Architecture, which is hosting several exhibits including the Zero Waste Exhibit.

Getting around

Traffic in New York is unpredictable, which means traveling by car is your slowest option, whether you choose a taxi, city bus, or a rideshare service.

Whenever possible, we recommend walking, biking, or taking the subway between locations. Applications like Google maps will give you instant directions and times for walking, biking, or taking the or subway.

City streets follow a grid system, making it easy to navigate, even if it’s your first time in the city. Here are a few important points to remember:

  • Streets run east to west
  • Avenues run north to south
  • Lexington, Park, and Madison Avenues run between 3rd and 5th Avenues
  • 5th Avenue divides Manhattan between East and West sides
  • 6th Avenue is also called the Avenue of the Americas

Riding the subway

The New York City subway system operates 24/7, so you’ll always have a ride. If you didn’t pre-order a MetroCard when you registered for conference and you’re planning to ride the subway, you’ll need to purchase one. Most stations sell them, as do neighborhood merchants. Use this helpful resource on the MTA website to find out where you can purchase a MetroCard.

Tips for navigating the subway:

  1. Download the New York Subway MTA app, which has a route planner. It’s free for both Apple and Android users.
  2. Choose the subway line you need by letters and numbers, not colors, or you might end up in the wrong place!
  3. Determine whether you need an express or local train, which are distinguished on maps by black and white dots and bars. Black dots and bars indicate local stations, and trains that make every stop on the line will stop here. White dots and bars indicate express stations, and all trains on a line will stop here. NOTE: If you get on an express train, it will skip certain stops. Be sure to consult the subway map to confirm the express train won’t skip over your stop.
  4. To get on the correct platform from the street, check the sign that designates uptown (the upper part of Manhattan) or downtown (generally the lower part).
  5. If you’re not sure whether you’re getting on the right train or standing on the right side of the platform, ask somebody! There are also maps in every station.

Traveling to & from airports
We cannot say this enough. Please plan enough time to travel between locations. This includes getting to and from the airport. If you’re taking a car or taxi, give yourself extra time.

Use this info to help plan how you’ll get to and from the airport.

JFK Airport

  • Taxi: The flat-rate fare is $52.80. 50–60 minutes to/from Midtown.
  • Subway: $7.75 ($5 for AirTrain JFK and $2.75 for subway) on the A subway line at the Howard Beach–JFK Airport station, or the E, J, Z subway lines and Long
    Island Rail Road (LIRR) train at the Sutphin Blvd./Archer Ave. station.
  • Train: $5 AirTrain JFK connects to LIRR Jamaica Station, $10 peak/$7.25 off-peak train to Penn Station (Note: $6 surcharge for tickets purchased onboard train). On Saturday and Sunday, the fare to Penn Station is $4.25. The trip to Penn Station is 20 minutes (not including AirTrain ride).
  • Public bus: $2.75 (with free transfer to subway line into Manhattan). The Q3 bus at JFK connects to the F subway line, the B5 connects to the 3 and 4 lines, and the Q10 bus connects to the E and F lines. 60–75 minutes to/from Midtown.

LaGuardia Airport

  • Taxi: Metered fare is approximately $30–$50 (excluding tolls and gratuity). There is a $1 surcharge for trips taken 4–8pm on weekdays and a 50-cent surcharge for trips taken 8pm–6am daily. 30 minutes to/from Midtown.
  • Public bus: Fare is $2.75 for the Select Bus Service M60 between LaGuardia and Manhattan’s Upper West Side (106th Street and Broadway), with stops at all major Manhattan subway lines (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A, B, C, D). 45–60 minutes to/from Manhattan. The express Q70 bus goes to the 82nd St./Jackson Heights subway station (for the 7 subway line) and the Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave. subway station (for 7, E, F, M or R lines). Add 15–20 minutes for the subway ride.

Newark Liberty International Airport

  • Taxi: Service to Midtown is permitted only via New Jersey-regulated taxis. Metered fares range $60–$75 (excluding tolls and gratuity). During weekday rush hours (6–9am and 4–7pm) and on weekends noon–8pm, there’s a $5 surcharge to anywhere in New York State, except Staten Island. Seniors (ages 62 and older) receive a 10% discount. New Jersey taxis add a $5.50 surcharge to all credit card transactions. Note: When traveling to Newark Liberty from Midtown, taxi service is via NYC’s regulated taxis. Metered fares range $69–$75, plus a $5 surcharge (excluding tolls and gratuity).
  • Train: AirTrain Newark is free between EWR terminals. Purchase a flat-rate $12.50 ticket for a connection on a NJ Transit or an Amtrak train into New York’s Penn Station. Note: Retain your $12.50 receipt to show to conductors on each train connection.

Questions?

If there’s anything we haven’t covered, here’s how you can get in touch.

  1. Contact us by email or phone.
  2. Ask anyone wearing an official A’18 staff or volunteer t-shirt at any of the conference locations in New York.
  3. Stop by an Information Desk on-site, located at the Javits Center and at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel.

Javits Center, Crystal Palace (Level 3)
W 35th St. & 11th Ave.

Hours:
Tuesday, noon–5 pm
Wednesday, 6:30 am–5:30 pm
Thursday and Friday, 6 am–6 pm

Hilton Midtown
1335 6th Ave.Hours:
Wednesday, 11am–5pm
Thursday and Friday, 6am–12pm
Saturday, 6am–4pm

We’ll see you there!