Grant of $428,000, and The Kresge Foundation had donated another $100,000, enough to pay for a full renovation. Town Hall was closed in July 1984 for a renovation spanning two and a half months. The façade was cleaned, while the auditorium was refurbished and restored, with a new carpet and renovated seats. Because of the landmark status of the building, the seats were restored to their original condition rather than being replaced, while the rear wall was coated in wash to preserve the acoustics. Leffler also sought to make the building wheelchair-accessible and relocate some of the rooms. The renovated hall officially reopened on October 14, 1984. Late 20th century to present The NYU Club continued to occupy Town Hall's upper-story clubhouse space until 1989 when it filed for bankruptcy. The clubhouse space was leased the following to the New Yorker Club, a majority-minority social club, which raised $800,000 to renovate the clubhouse space. The Town Hall Foundation received a $281,000 grant in 1992 to fund the restoration of Town Hall's marquee. The architect Bonnie Roche was also hired to replace the doors, add information kiosks, and make the venue wheelchair-accessible. Town Hall had become profitable by the late 1990s, with an attendance of 400,000 in 1996. The Town Hall Foundation was raising money for a roof replacement, seat refurbishment, and repainting of the interior. The foundation also wanted to produce its own events, so it started raising funds for a sound system, and it also sought to create a chamber orchestra and host a festival of foreign films. In March 2012, the United States Department of the Interior designated Town Hall as a National Historic Landmark. The Rockwell Group proposed replacing the lighting on the façade and marquee in 2019. Notable performances While the Town Hall was initially intended as a speaking hall, it quickly became known for musical performances and recitals, leading one New York Times writer to call it an "accidental concert hall". McKim, Mead & White had written in 1921 that the venue could be adapted to "concerts, moving picture exhibitions, and similar entertainment". Throughout its history, the Town Hall has hosted performances by hundreds of musicians and composers. 1920s and 1930s Town Hall hosted musical performances and other recitals initially as a way to gain revenue. The first musical event held at the venue was a recital by Spanish violinist Juan Manén on February 12,