For the first time in its storied history, Times Square will be home to a flagship u
niversity campus as Touro University opens its new Cross River Campus at 3 Times Square. Nearly 3,000 students and staff will call the new campus home.
Touro created the unified campus to house its College of Pharmacy (TCOP), New York School of Career & Applied Studies (NYSCAS), Graduate School of Business (GSB), Graduate School of Education (GSE), Graduate School of Jewish Studies (GSJS), Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) and Graduate School of Technology (GST). The 11-floor vertical campus includes a student center, fully automated kosher dining area, a full-scale in-store pharmacy as well as state-of-the-art classrooms, research labs and some administrative offices.
To commemorate this momentous achievement, Touro leadership, along with key stakeholders and supporters, gathered on Monday.
New Campus Began With a Dream
“Today is truly a glorious day for Touro University. After a half century of growth and service to humanity, Touro has arrived at the crossroads of the world: Times Square, New York City. We couldn’t be happier to be here,” said Rabbi Moshe D. Krupka, Touro executive vice president.
In introducing Touro President Dr. Alan Kadish, Rabbi Krupka shared that Touro’s arrival at their long-awaited new home “began with a dream that our president had a bit more than a decade ago. Like any great leader, he was tenacious in pursuing that dream and he brought us to this moment as an institution that is strong academically, socially and financially.”
“The grand opening of our Cross River Campus marks a new and exciting chapter of Touro’s storied history in New York City, and we thank all of those who have accompanied us in turning that page. Even though we have campuses located across the United States and abroad, New York has always been our epicenter and we are elated to have planted our flag right here,” said Dr. Alan Kadish, president of Touro University. “Several years ago, while New York City’s economy was suffering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Touro’s leadership never stopped looking ahead. We believed in the resilience of New Yorkers … we believed in the dedication of our students … and we believed in the future. As the nation’s largest nonprofit institution of higher and professional education under Jewish auspices, Touro demonstrated its beliefs and positive outlook with a major investment—an investment in our students, an investment in our institution, and an investment in New York. Behind me are the first dividends of our investment—this beautiful, new, state-of-the-art 300,000 square-foot campus.”
Prime Real Estate
3 Times Square, originally developed by Rudin as the North American headquarters for Reuters Group PLC in the early 2000s, recently underwent capital improvements, including the creation of a new, glass-walled triple-height lobby and a sculptural façade screen designed to diffuse the light of Times Square. The building is easily accessible to Grand Central, Port Authority and Penn Station, providing an ideal campus for commuting faculty and students.
“Touro University is one of our most cherished educational institutions. Their bold decision to create a flagship campus at 3 Times Square is the embodiment of New York’s ability to thrive through constant reinvention and adaptation,” said Bill Rudin, co-chairman and chief executive officer of Rudin. “Touro’s daily flow of students, faculty and staff through Times Square has already injected an added sense of vitality to the neighborhood.”
“Higher education has been a stepping stone for so many young people in our city, and with this incredible new campus, New Yorkers throughout the five boroughs will have access to the state-of-the-art classrooms, research labs, and more,” shared New York City Mayor Eric Adams in a statement. “Congratulations to Touro University on their brand-new Cross River Campus right in the heart of Manhattan. This campus is going to bring new energy to the Midtown community.”