The project of our team built upon the previous structural and restoration work that began in late 2003 in the eastern communication wing of the building. At the same time, our initial discussions with the investor about the building’s interior use began. The demolished skeleton of the building required the placement of a large number of diverse spaces, partly open to the public and partly subject to strict security regulations (such as the consulate). The possibilities for architectural and spatial solutions were limited by the existing structures, the capacity of escape staircases and elevators, and, above all, the complex fire and construction regulations of New York City. Only the street façade, fragments of stucco decoration in the large social hall, and a few black-and-white photographs of the active social life in the building from the 1940s were preserved from the original historic elements.

The decision regarding the nature of the reconstruction therefore stemmed from the condition of the dilapidated building at the beginning of the work: the monumentally protected street façade was to be restored with the utmost care to restore the original details, while the large social hall, which had hosted generations of compatriots, would reflect its original expression and materials after the integration of contemporary scenographic, ventilation, audiovisual technologies, and top-tier acoustic requirements. This was not to be a copy of the original state of the hall. For example, the side walls of the hall were newly rhythmically divided by pilasters in a high order to give the hall greater plasticity and thus a more even acoustic diffusion.

All other spaces in the building, such as the entrance foyer and halls, cinema, consulate offices, Czech center, gallery, performers' dressing rooms, rooftop terrace, etc., were designed in a contemporary style to represent Czech culture and the nation as modern and forward-looking.

At the festive evening on March 16, 2009, held at the New York School of Interior Design, the award was presented to the investor – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MZV), architect Milan Kvíz with Atelier M1, and the construction company PSJ Jihlava, a.s. The award itself was presented by Father John Kamas, who, in his speech, recalled the time when, as a young man, he regularly visited the building and participated in social activities with his parents, who were from the Czech lands. He reminded everyone that the entire area around the National Building was inhabited by Czechs and Slovaks and that it was impossible to communicate there in any language other than Czech.

He praised the exceptionally successful reconstruction that the building had undergone in recent years and emphasized the building’s extraordinary importance for the entire local community.

The Friends of Upper East Side Historic Districts selected the National Building as an example of a sensitively executed restoration of a historic building, which is a significant historical structure in Manhattan. The renovation is especially praised for preserving the original form of the social hall while ensuring modern theatrical, lighting, and sound technologies in the space, as well as the impressive solution for the modern sections of the building, which now serves as the general consulate and cultural center.