TheCity Club of New York is an independent, not-for-profit organization based inNew York City.
In 1950,The New York Times called the City Club of New York "a social club with a civic purpose"[1] whose members "fought for adequate water supply, the extension ofrapid transit lines, lower costs of foreclosure in private homes, and the merit system incivil service, [as well as] ... traffic relief, the prevention ofjuvenile delinquency."[2] The City Club claimed that it inspired the creation of thePort Authority of New York and New Jersey, and also fought forminimum wage laws, city parks, and playground programs.[3]
For 30 years the City Club of New York administered theAlbert S. Bard Award for Distinguished Architecture and Urban Design, which not only conferred honors on top city buildings but also used the occasion to comment on the state of municipal architecture in general.[4]
promote social intercourse among persons specially interested in the good government of the City of New-York, in securing honesty and efficiency in the administration of city affairs, and in severing municipal from national politics. The organization will also aim to procure the election of fit persons to city offices, and will exert its influence steadily in behalf of an honest, efficient, and independent city government.
The first club president wasJames C. Carter.[8] The group first met as a club in June 1892 at a dinner of about 200 men atSherry's.[1]
In 1913 the City Club commissioned a large boulder to commemorate the burial site of CaptainThomas Willett (died 1674), the first English mayor of New York, atLittle Neck Cemetery,East Providence, Rhode Island.[9] By the 1920s the City Club was advocating on behalf of making the city safer in areas like urban planning and transportation; they also expanded their advocacy to the State of New York as a whole. They published an annual "Murder Map," documenting the deaths of children due to traffic accidents and other unsafe urban conditions. In May 1937 the City Club bestowed its first annual "Citation for Meritorious Service" to New York City Parks CommissionerRobert Moses.[10]
Despite their earlier commendation ofRobert Moses' work, as time moved on the club opposed many of Moses' plans for the development of New York City: it successfully organized opposition to theBrooklyn-Battery Bridge project and was instrumental in the preservation ofCastle Clinton. In the late 1930s and early 1940s lawyer and civic activistAlbert S. Bard exercised his influence in civic and urban affairs through his work on City Club committees.[11] TheAlbert S. Bard Award (see below) was later named in his honor. The City Club celebrated its 50th anniversary in May 1942; among those in attendance were New York City MayorFiorello H. LaGuardia, New York State Lieutenant GovernorCharles Poletti, and former GovernorAl Smith.[7]
From 1962–1997, the City Club hosted roundtable luncheons, held every Friday except during the summer. Invited speakers (usually members) made presentations before the City Club. The luncheon presentations were aired live byWNYC-AM until 1987, when the station instead taped the luncheons and aired them during off-peak hours.[12]
The City Club caused controversy In 1967 in a strongly worded article by activist ChairmanI. D. Robbins about the perceived failures of theJohn Lindsay administration, particularly in regard to housing. Some club members objected to the article, asserting that it did not represent the official City Club position.[13] Robbins offered to resign but was not allowed to.[14]
In 1984 the City Club electedSally Goodgold as its first female president; she was noted for her ability to attract high-profile names to the Club's weekly luncheon speaker series.[16][17]
The club suspended activities in 2003. In 2013 the club hired a new president, Michael S. Gruen, and resumed its role of civic advocacy, taking on New York City MayorMichael Bloomberg'sEast Midtown rezoning plans.[6]
In 2018, the City Club sued to stop construction ofLittle Island at Pier 55, which led to the plans for the park being scrapped.[18][19] The park was later built after the state added funds.
In 2023, the City Club elected Layla Law-Gisiko president.[20]
The Club's first headquarters, located at 677 Fifth Avenue, was secured in October 1892.[8]
By the early 1900s, the City Club commissioned its own clubhouse at 55 West 44th Street, which was designed by architectAustin W. Lord and erected in 1904. After 40 years at that location, in 1944 the club moved to the Hotel Russell at 45 Park Avenue.[21] (The 44th Street structure is now the City Club Hotel.)[22]
In 1892 the club's membership was more than 650 men,[8] and by 1904, membership was 667 (including 195 lawyers, 61 bankers, 31 doctors, 28 stockbrokers, 26 editors and writers, and 13 clergymen).[3]
By 1950, City Club membership was down to 200 men and the club had been unsuccessful at recruiting a new generation of civic-minded applicants. In February 1950 they voted to disband, stating that the work they had been doing should be "entrusted to theCitizens Union ..., which has the staff to carry on...."[1] Shortly thereafter, however, the club was revived with an influx of younger men, and it vowed to continue its work.[23]
In 1969, club membership was about 200 men,[15] but had increased to about 400 in 1973.[24]
In 1974, the City Club of New York opened its membership to women.[6]
1911–1944 Joseph M. Price — key organizer of the Fusion Executive Committee, which in 1913 succeeded in electingJohn Purroy Mitchel mayor of New York, defeating theTammany Hall candidate[31]
TheAlbert S. Bard Award (full nameAlbert S. Bard Award for Distinguished Architecture and Urban Design) created in 1962 and administered by the City Club, honored those who helped enrich the intellectual and cultural life of the community through architecture and urban design. The award was conceived by City Club member architect Leon Brand, who envisioned "an architectural prize intended to raise the standard of excellence for building design in New York City."[32]
The Bard Award was born into controversy when the City Club refused to present any awards in its inaugural year, claiming that they were unable to find "a single work of civic architecture created in the city since 1958 worthy" of the award.[33] The New York chapter of theAmerican Institute of Architects sharply criticized the City Club for this pronouncement.[34]
For many years, the Bard Awards were distributed on alternate years for public and private buildings. Top awards were deemed "First Honor;" those that didn't reach such a high level were called "Merit Awards."[35] Award juries were composed of a rotating group of top architects and urban planners, as well as City Club of New York officers.[36]
The City Club stopped presenting the Albert S. Bard Award in the early 1990s;[32] winners included:
In 1967, in honor of their 75th anniversary, the City Club began presentingDistinguished New Yorker awards to a deserving citizen or citizens. The award presentation was often attended by the current New York City mayor. Recipients included:
