When the doors open in April at the renovated Webster Hall — the East Village club, once known as the Ritz, that was renowned for its mix of rock shows and raucous dance parties — music fans will find a revamped entryway and lounge, new bathrooms and upgraded acoustics. But the most important change may simply be the arrival of an elevator. Webster Hall, housed in an 1886 building, part of which has been declared a landmark, is a rabbit warren of staircases and anterooms that surround a grand ballroom. But without an elevator, handicapped patrons had to be carried inside and loading equipment was a daily ordeal. “This room has been needed — we felt its absence,” said Marty Diamond of Paradigm Talent Agency, who booked the club in its 1980s iteration as the Ritz.

Source: New York Times February 21, 2019 11:48 UTC