About 20 Manor Drive

Meet the Founder

Josh working in his studio workshop at 20 Manor, a private estate in Westchester County with artist residency and creative spaces

20 Manor Drive is the culmination of my two careers - entertainment and art.

Josh Hadar

For nearly a decade, I owned and operated the legendary Studio 54 - yes, that Studio 54. In the mid-’90s, my partners and I bought the nightclub out of foreclosure, just before Times Square’s revival, and restored it to its 1918 origins as a theater. We reopened in 1998 with Cabaret and soon expanded into Studio 54 Promotions, A multi-faceted event production company.  Over the next 8 years, Studio 54 Promotions produced thousands of events.  Product launches, film premieres, concerts, weddings, even Off-Broadway shows and a successful nightclub and Lounge. After selling the venue to the Roundabout Theatre Company in 2006, I shifted my focus to my growing passion for sculpture and the arts.

Josh in the nightlife scene, reflecting his creative background before founding the artist studio at 20 Manor estate in New York
Creative portrait connected to Josh’s artistic career, now part of the artist residency at 20 Manor private estate near New York City

It was around 2004 when I discovered my passion for working with metal. It began with a welding class on the Lower East Side at the Educational Alliance, learning Oxy-Acetylene welding alongside three amazing ladies who were octogenarian Holocaust survivors who would bring me homemade rugelach before firing up their torches. I was completely hooked, I soon discovered a dumpster full of abandoned bicycles in SoHo, dragged several back to a storefront on Lafayette Street, and began experimenting with bicycle forms. Soon after, I moved to a garage on Crosby and Broome St., where I created functional, sculptural bicycles and motorbikes exploring sustainability and design. My projects evolved into solar-electric “power stations” - tree-like sculptures with photovoltaic leaves which charge electric bikes.

Josh outside a creative studio space, reflecting the artistic roots of 20 Manor private estate in Westchester County
Josh working on a custom metal piece in his workshop, part of the artist studio at 20 Manor private estate near New York City
Josh building a metal bicycle frame in his studio, representing the creative residency at 20 Manor estate in New York

At one point, artist David Byrne spotted my work and invited me to do a group show with him at The New Museum on Bowery, which sparked broader attention - leading to gallery exhibitions and features in publications like Architectural Digest, and T Magazine, as well as ad campaigns for Saks 5th Avenue and Balenciaga. I now have installations that live permanently in Times Square, Milan, and Beijing as my career takes me around the world.

Magazine covers featuring Josh’s work, reflecting the creative background behind 20 Manor private estate and artist residency in New York
Fashion magazine spread featuring Josh’s design work, part of the creative story behind the artist studio at 20 Manor

Everything I experienced across event entertainment and art came together at 20 Manor Drive. I built a state-of-the-art studio and began inviting artists to work, collaborate, and experiment, allowing the property to evolve into both a studio and an artist residency. Set within a private estate, it has become a cornerstone where creative work, artist residencies, and life celebrations converge.

Publication featuring Josh’s art installation, connected to the creative residency at 20 Manor private estate near New York City
Josh’s outdoor art installation in Milan, reflecting the artistic vision behind the creative residency at 20 Manor private estate
Metal sculpture of a twisting tree with pink flowers, situated above a reflecting pool, in front of a traditional wooden Japanese building with a tiled roof. 
Beijing, China
Press coverage of Josh’s design and eco-art projects, part of the creative background of 20 Manor artist residency near New York City