Lincoln Center Unit Renamed After Receipt of Larger Gift

A performance room at Lincoln Center was officially renamed Monday in recognition of a $20-million gift made possible when a past donor gave up naming rights to the space to make way for a larger contribution, The Wall Street Journal writes.

The rechristened Appel Room recognizes the financier and philanthropist Robert Appel and his wife, Helen. Their donation, announced in January, will boost the endowment for the music program Jazz at Lincoln Center, whose board Mr. Appel chairs.

The fifth-floor amphitheater with a glass wall overlooking Central Park had been named the Allen Room in 2004, following a $10-million gift from the financial firm Allen & Co. The firm’s founder, Herbert Allen, gave back naming rights last fall in hopes of triggering a bigger donation.