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New York—As mid-summer turned to late summer, the Convention Center that is nearly synonymous with the Big Apple got bigger. On August 1st, FAME, a three day apparel trade show featuring contemporary fashion for the women’s holiday/resort 2010 -2011 season, became the first event hosted by Javits Center North, the new 80,000-square-foot exhibition hall adjacent to the Jacob Javits Center.

“The Javits Center North debut was a complete success!” declared Britton Jones, President & CEO of Business Journals Inc., organizers of FAME. “Our exhibitors now feel like they have a new and exciting home and they are requesting that we run here again next season.”

The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York opened in 1986 as the successor to the NY Coliseum. Javits, the largest venue for conventions, trade shows, meetings, exhibitions and special events in New York City, hosts about 150 events and attracts an average attendance of 3.5 million per year.

The completion of Javits Center North concludes the expansion portion of an extreme make over of Manhattan’s most famous meeting complex. Already underway is the extensive renovation of the 760,000-square-foot Main Building, which will include extensive upgrades of all systems, a new skylight and roof, expanding and re-configuration of the entrances, and replacement of the curtain wall with glass panes. Although some parts of the center will be closed during the renovation—completion is expected by 2013—the new Exhibition Hall will be fully opened throughout the duration.

Jones was enthusiastic about both the atmosphere embodied in the new hall. “Exhibitors and retailers alike were inspired by the spacious, bright and inviting space,” said Javits. “On a logistical and promotional level, everything from move-in to move-out worked efficiently and seamlessly reflecting the great care and attention to detail that went into the design of the space.

Jones also pointed out that the interface between the two buildings—a corridor known as the Link—proved to be an effective and near-seamless meshing of the two spaces. “The traffic flow was excellent as attendees easily transitioned into the new building,” said Jones.

A little more than week after FAME, the New York International Gift Fair became the first event to use both the main Javits Center and the new Javits Center North. The event, which is held twice a year, is considered the premier gift and decorative accessories marketplace in North America.  The 2010 Summer edition featured about 2,800 exhibitors and had as expected attendance of 52,000. A show-within-a-show—Handmade Designer Maker, one of the 10 divisions encompassed by the event—had its debut at Javits Center North.

“The Javits Center North gives us, for first time in 25 years, purpose built column-free space that is the perfect platform for a handcrafted artisanal presentation,” said Dorothy Belshaw, Director of New York International Gift Fair and Senior Vice President of GLM, which owns and produces the event. “It is particularly appropriate because it is adjacent to the rest of exhibit hall, but its separate entrance also provides a “show-in-a-show” feel, which is important for the crafts market.”

“We are delighted with the opening of Javits Center North”, said Gerald T. McQueen , President & CEO, Jacob Javits Center. “The hall provides additional space for our existing customers while ensuring  a smooth transition during the renovation of our main building. Both expansion and renovation will bring in more business and thus more revenue to the City and State economies.”