Opened in late 2009, the D’Angelo Center is a significant facility at St. John’s University, serving both academic and student life on the Queens, NY campus. Known as “DAC,” this 127,000-square-foot building was named after Board of Trustees Chair Emeritus Peter P. D’Angelo and his wife, Trustee Margaret La Rosa D’Angelo.
Mr. D’Angelo, President of Caxton Alternative Management, LP, earned his MBA from St. John’s University while Mrs. D’Angelo graduated from The School of Education at St. John’s. Both have received honorary degrees from the institution.
“For me and Peg, this is a great day,” Mr. D’Angelo said in 2009. “We’re honored and privileged to have our names on this building and be forever associated with St. John’s University.”
The DAC features a 144-foot bell tower with a gold leaf-layered torch inspired by the Statue of Liberty’s torch—a tribute to welcoming visitors to New York Harbor.
The $77 million building incorporates design elements reminiscent of Ellis Island’s Great Halls as part of the University’s mission to educate immigrant children. “The central seating area features a double-height space with round-arch windows,” explained Mark Thaler of Gensler Architects.
Often called “the living room,” the central seating area includes a stone fireplace and grand piano with views of the New York City skyline.
DAC hosts various student-focused offices like Campus Activities; First-Year Mentoring; Fraternity and Sorority Life; New Student Orientation; Office of Multicultural Affairs; and Student Government, Inc.
Facilities include 14 classrooms, seminar rooms, recreation space, cafeteria services, student organization offices, and Sodano Coffee House. The fourth floor houses a nearly 4,000-square-foot ballroom for university events and other occasions.
