The Engineering Societies' Building, also known as 25 West 39th Street, is a commercial building at 25–33 West 39th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

, United States. Located one block south of

Bryant Park Bryant Park is a public park located in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Privately managed, it is located between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas ( Sixth Avenue) and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan. The e ...

, it was constructed in 1907 along with the adjoining Engineers' Club. The building was designed by Herbert D. Hale, of the firm Hale & Rogers, along with Henry G. Morse, in the

neo-Renaissance Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range ...

style. It served as the clubhouse of the United Engineering Societies, composed of its three founding societies: the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME),

American Institute of Mining Engineers The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) is a professional association for mining and metallurgy, with over 145,000 members. It was founded in 1871 by 22 mining engineers in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Uni ...

(AIME), and

American Institute of Electrical Engineers The American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) was a United States-based organization of electrical engineers that existed from 1884 through 1962. On January 1, 1963, it merged with the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE) to form the Insti ...

(AIEE). The

American Society of Civil Engineers American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

(ASCE) joined the partnership in 1917. The Engineering Societies Building's facade is divided into three horizontal sections. The building was originally thirteen stories tall, excluding the second story, which was not visible from the facade. The lowest three stories comprise a rusticated base of

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

, including a

colonnade In classical architecture, a colonnade is a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building. Paired or multiple pairs of columns are normally employed in a colonnade which can be straight or cur ...

with Doric columns. Above that is a seven-story stone midsection, followed by another

loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...

similar to that on the base. Inside, the building's first story contains the lobby. The second story is hidden beneath what was originally a double-tiered auditorium with 1,000 seats. The fifth and sixth stories contained several lecture rooms, and the seventh through eleventh stories contained engineering offices; the twelfth and thirteenth stories were devoted to an engineering library. Two stories were added later. The Engineering Societies' Building was funded by

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...

, who in 1904 offered money for a new clubhouse for New York City's various engineering societies. The Engineers' Club did not want to share a building with the other societies, so an

architectural design competition An architectural design competition is a type of design competition in which an organization that intends on constructing a new building invites architects to submit design proposals. The winning design is usually chosen by an independent panel ...

was held for two clubhouse buildings. By the 1950s, the Engineering Societies' Building was becoming too small for the engineering societies' needs, and the societies sold the clubhouse in 1960. In the late 20th century, the building was used by fashion firms such as women's clothing retailer

Lane Bryant Lane Bryant Inc. is an American women's apparel and intimates specialty retailer focusing on plus-size clothing. The company began in 1904 with maternity designs created by Lena Himmelstein, Lena Himmelstein Bryant Malsin. Lane Bryant, Inc., i ...

and fashion designer

Tommy Hilfiger Thomas Jacob Hilfiger ( /hɪlˈfɪgər/; born March 24, 1951) is an American fashion designer and the founder of Tommy Hilfiger Corporation. After starting his career by co-founding a chain of jeans/fashion stores called People's Place in upst ...

. The building has been owned by

Thor Equities Thor Equities is a real estate development, leasing and management firm, with headquarters in New York City, London and Mexico City. Thor Equities owns property in the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia, India and Latin America, including Londo ...

since 2005, and it was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 2007.

Site

The Engineering Societies' Building is at 25–33 West 39th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of

. The building occupies a rectangular land lot with a frontage of along 39th Street, a depth of , and an area of . The building was once connected to the

Engineers' Club Building The Engineers' Club Building, also known as Bryant Park Place, is a residential building at 32 West 40th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, United States. Located on the southern edge of Bryant Park, it was construc ...

to the north. The Engineering Societies' Building is on 39th Street, one block south of

, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. On the same block are

The Bryant The Bryant is a residential building at 16 West 40th Street, south of Bryant Park, in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, developed by HFZ Capital Group and designed by the firm of architect David Chipperfield. The building topped out in 2016, an ...

and

452 Fifth Avenue 452 Fifth Avenue (also the HSBC Tower and formerly the Republic National Bank Building) is an office building at the southwest corner of Fifth Avenue and 40th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The building includ ...

to the east; the Haskins & Sells Building to the west; and the

American Radiator Building The American Radiator Building (also known as the American Standard Building) is an early skyscraper at 40 West 40th Street, just south of Bryant Park, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It was designed by Raymond Hood an ...

and

Bryant Park Studios The Bryant Park Studios (formerly known as the Beaux-Arts Building) is an office building at 80 West 40th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, at the corner of 40th Street and Sixth Avenue. The building, overlooking t ...

to the northwest. Other nearby places include the

New York Public Library Main Branch The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, commonly known as the Main Branch, 42nd Street Library or the New York Public Library, is the flagship building in the New York Public Library system in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. ...

one block to the north, as well as the

Lord & Taylor Building The Lord & Taylor Building is an 11-story commercial building in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, that formerly served as Lord & Taylor's flagship department store in the city. It is at 424–434 Fifth Avenue between 38th and 39th Streets. ...

to the southeast. The Engineering Societies and Engineers' Club buildings collectively served as a center for the engineering industry in the United States during the early and mid-20th century. The adjoining area included the offices of three engineering publications on 39th Street, as well as Engineers' Club member

Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla ( ; ,"Tesla"
''

Architecture

The Engineering Societies' Building was designed by Herbert D. Hale, of the firm Hale & Rogers, along with Henry G. Morse in the

style. It was constructed as a shared clubhouse for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME),

(AIME), and

(AIEE). The main requirement was that the interior had to include space for the three founding societies. The building was originally thirteen and a half stories tall with a height of . Two additional stories are set back from the street; they were added in 1916. The building measures , since New York City building codes of the time required that only 85 percent of a land lot's area be occupied. The industrialist

, who financed the building's construction, owned a private residence at 23 West 39th Street, thus preserving views from the east. A driveway surrounded the building, connecting to the passenger and freight elevators, as well as the shipping and receiving offices. Vehicles could enter the driveway through a covered arch on the eastern side of the building, drop off passengers, and exit through the western side.; Wrought-iron gates were placed in front of the driveway. The eastern driveway entrance was replaced in 1913 by a six-story building on 23 West 39th Street, while the western entrance still exists and contains a service gate. Under a deed restriction, the adjoining building to the east was restricted to a height of .

Facade

The facade had decorations on all four sides because it was designed to be set back from adjoining structures. The facade is built of limestone up to the third story auditorium, above which it is gray mottled brick and terracotta. The facade was meant to indicate the interior uses: the lower section contained auditoriums, the middle section contained offices, and the upper part contained the library. The facade's principal

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Ver ...

faces south on 39th Street. It is five bays wide and is organized into three horizontal sections: a base, shaft, and capital. The eastern elevation is designed in a similar arrangement, while the western elevation is made of plain brick. The adjacent structure at 23 West 39th Street, designed for the Engineers' Club, has a storefront and a five-story, two-bay-wide brick facade.

Base

Engineering Societies Building AABN 1907 p 421

The base is three stories high. The ground story is made of rusticated blocks of

above a

water table The water table is the upper surface of the zone of saturation. The zone of saturation is where the pores and fractures of the ground are saturated with water. It can also be simply explained as the depth below which the ground is saturated. T ...

made of stone. The middle three bays are slightly recessed from the outer bays, and a

frieze In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...

runs above the ground story. There are five openings, each topped by

voussoir A voussoir () is a wedge-shaped element, typically a stone, which is used in building an arch or vault. Although each unit in an arch or vault is a voussoir, two units are of distinct functional importance: the keystone and the springer. The ...

s and a tall keystone. The westernmost opening serves as the current entrance to the building, and the center opening is a garage door; the other three openings are square-headed windows. A bronze plaque with the words "Engineering Societies" was hung above the original main entrance. Because the auditorium inside had a sloped floor, the second story was designed as a partial story and is not visible from the facade. On the third and fourth stories, the three center bays contain double-height arches. Each arch has a balcony and an

aedicula In ancient Roman religion, an ''aedicula'' (plural ''aediculae'') is a small shrine, and in classical architecture refers to a niche covered by a pediment or entablature supported by a pair of columns and typically framing a statue,"aedicula, ...

r stone doorway, topped by a triangular

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedim ...

with a frieze and

console bracket In architecture, a corbel is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal jutting from a wall to carry a superincumbent weight, a type of bracket. A corbel is a solid piece of material in the wall, whereas a console is a piece applied to the s ...

s. The rest of each arch contains a glass-and-iron frame, as well as a console bracket above the center and carved fronds at the corner

spandrel A spandrel is a roughly triangular space, usually found in pairs, between the top of an arch and a rectangular frame; between the tops of two adjacent arches or one of the four spaces between a circle within a square. They are frequently fill ...

s. The three arches are separated from each other by pairs of Doric-style columns, while the outer arches are flanked by a Doric column and a pilaster. Above the columns and pilasters are an entablature, which includes brackets with carved wreaths and

dentil A dentil (from Lat. ''dens'', a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice. Dentils are found in ancient Greek and Roman architecture, and also in later styles such as Neoclassical, Federal, Georgian R ...

s directly above each of the columns. A cornice with dentils projects above the fourth story.; The outer bays each contain a tall aedicular window with a paneled sill. Above each aedicular window is a cornice and a wide tripartite window.

Shaft

The fifth through eleventh stories constitute the building's shaft, or midsection. As with the base, the three middle bays are slightly recessed and the outer bays are designed as projecting pavilions. The fifth story is designed as a transitional story. Within each of the middle bays is a balustrade, an aedicular window, and a cornice with console brackets. There are stone roundels flanking each of the fifth-story windows, above which is carving of a lion's head with a swag in its mouth. The outer bays of the fifth story are plain rectangular windows with shallow stone cornices. W_39_St_Sep_2021_02

On the sixth through eleventh stories, the center three bays each contain a six-story-high opening. Each of the openings contains iron bars, which divide the windows into section. Additionally, spandrel panels separate the different stories. At the eleventh floor, there is a bracket above each of the middle bays, and the windows are flanked by carvings, which depict a roundel, a lion's head, and a wreath dangling from the lion's mouth. Within the outer bays, each of the sixth through eleventh stories contains a rectangular window with a sill at the bottom and a stone panel at the top. Each of the outer bays' windows contains a brick surround, as well as iron bars that divide the window openings into nine panes.

Capital

The top of the building contains a

similar to that at the base. The loggia consists of double-height arches, which are each flanked by columns. The outer bays each contain wide tripartite windows. Above the loggia is an architrave. There is a cornice above the thirteenth story, containing a cornice with dentils and lions' heads. The two top stories, added to the roof in 1916, are set back from the street wall. They contain square-headed window openings and a brick cladding.

Structural features

The steel used in the building construction weighs a total of . The

foundation Foundation may refer to: * Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization ** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S. ** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...

consists of 46 piers descending to the underlying layer of rock, which ranges between below the curb.; Two of these piers each carry a live load of and contain steel columns weighing . The double-height auditorium at the third story was spanned by girders measuring wide. The ceiling was supported by three plate girders and a lattice girder. The steel plate-girders in the ceilings of the main auditorium weigh tons each, while the steel lattice truss on the sixth floor weighs . All the steel work in the building is covered with of semi-porous terracotta, and the columns are grouted with concrete. The floors are built with segmental arches of terracotta, above which is a layer of cinder-concrete. All exterior walls are furred with a terra-cotta block to prevent moisture from being driven through the walls. The fourteenth to sixteenth stories are supported by four columns resting directly on the underlying layer of bedrock.

Interior

The building has of interior space. There were three passenger elevators, surrounded by an iron grille lined with wire glass. On each side of the elevator core, wide stairways rose to the sixth floor, above which a stair led to the library. A freight elevator was installed on the eastern side of the building, while a service stairway on the north side connected all stories. The basement had a boiler room, engine room, and coal storage areas, but it obtained electricity light and power from the city's electrical grid. There were three boilers for heating, as well as four blowers in the basement for ventilating. Low-pressure steam was provided twenty-four hours a day, year-round, by radiators below each window. The ventilation system could be toggled for each room, and the blowers from the basement pushed air to the roof, where it was exhausted by four fans. The designers minimized the usage of woodwork in the building; where wood was used, it was designed to be fireproof. The large window sashes were built of cast-iron, while other windows were built with wood covered with iron. Additionally, iron doors were used at the lower stories. The ninth-story door leading to the Engineers' Club was made of copper on wood. All finished floors throughout the building were of cement, marble, or terrazzo, except the library. main auditorium, and lecture rooms, where maple was used. There was also an water tower on the roof, fed by two electric pumps, as well as a standpipe at either end of the building.

First and second stories

Engineering Societies Building AABN 1907 p 425 (lobby)

The floor surface of the first story is made of Tennessee marble tiles surrounded by a colored-marble border. The main foyer had twelve large columns of Swiss Cipolin marble. A small flight of steps led from the foyer to the elevators.; Gold decoration was also used in the foyer, and individual lamps were placed in recesses on the foyer ceiling. On the foyer walls, facing toward the main entrance, were two large bronze tablets. One tablet had a relief portrait of Carnegie and the words of his short letter, in which he gifted $1.5 million to the construction of the Engineering Societies' and Engineers' Club buildings. The other tablet had a statement saying that the land was given by members and friends of the three founding societies: the ASME, AIME, and AIEE. The foyer has since been converted into a garage. At the rear of the first floor were receiving and shipping offices, through which all freight and goods were handled. The offices contained an information bureau and a telephone and telegraph service. The elevators and a main staircase were also grouped on one end of the hall. The entrance vestibule contains two small flights of steps to the elevator lobby. A set of stairs at the rear of the elevator lobby connected with a glass door. This glass door led to a courtyard, across which was the entrance to the Engineers' Club. The main staircase led directly to the third-story auditorium. This staircase has a decorative metal railing, as well as a niche at the first story, which is flanked by piers and topped by an entablature. The second story was directly below the raked floor of the auditorium. Bathrooms were placed on the second story, occupying most of the space that would otherwise have been left vacant due to the auditorium's raked floor. There was also a coatroom, arranged in several rows. An "assembly and smoking room for informal meetings", a catering room, and exhibit space was also provided.

Auditorium

The third and fourth stories contained a 1,000-seat auditorium, which was designed to accommodate each of the engineering societies' meetings. There was a

parterre A ''parterre'' is a part of a formal garden constructed on a level substrate, consisting of symmetrical patterns, made up by plant beds, low hedges or coloured gravels, which are separated and connected by paths. Typically it was the part of ...

level and a gallery level above it, which contained red-leather chairs. The auditorium was designed around a small speaking platform, rather than around a large stage, so all audience members could easily see the speaker at all times. The front of the gallery was bordered in red plush, and the proscenium arch contained a decorative cartouche with the badges of the three founding societies. There were side brackets for lighting, but the auditorium was primarily lit by incandescent lamps above a glass ceiling. The ceiling was placed about below the fifth-floor slab, and the lamps were installed in the intermediate space. The acoustic properties of the space were described in a contemporary media source as "remarkably good". The speakers' platform had anterooms and a connection to the freight elevator. On both the parterre and the gallery floors, corridors surrounded the auditorium, allowing audience members to easily access the auditorium and providing a space for conversation. Four stairs, one from each corner of the auditorium, provided emergency exits. The stairs and elevators opened directly onto the two floors of the auditorium so it could be evacuated quickly in case of emergency. The third and fourth stories have since been converted to regular office floors; they are placed behind the arches on 39th Street.

Upper stories

An initial plan in ''The New York Times'' had the library on the fifth floor, the founding societies' offices on the sixth to eighth floors, and rental space on four subsequent floors. As built, the fifth and sixth stories contained several lecture rooms.; ; On the fifth floor, there were two large assembly rooms, which could be used either independently or in tandem.; There were also two smaller rooms on this floor. The smaller rooms could be used either on their own or as an auxiliary space for either of the larger rooms. The sixth floor had smaller assembly rooms, which could be used for small gatherings.; ;

Cove lighting Cove lighting is a form of indirect lighting built into ledges, recesses, or valances in a ceiling or high on the walls of a room. It directs light up towards the ceiling and down adjacent walls. It may be used as primary lighting, or for aesthe ...

was used in the assembly rooms. Some of the original decorative details remain in the fifth floor's large assembly rooms, such as moldings, wall paneling, and ceilings. On the south wall, where the windows overlook 39th Street, there are also paired piers. The seventh and eighth floors were reserved for "associate" societies that dealt primarily in science or engineering, such as the

Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) is a global professional society that provides a forum for the advancement of the engineering profession as applied to the marine field. Although it particularly names the naval archi ...

and the

National Electric Light Association The National Electric Light Association (NELA) was a national United States trade association that included the operators of electric central power generation stations, electrical supply companies, electrical engineers, scientists, educational i ...

. These tenants could also use the auditorium. Each of the ninth through eleventh floors were devoted to the offices of the founding societies: AIME to the ninth, AIEE to the tenth, and ASME to the eleventh.; ; ; Outside the elevators on these stories was a terrazzo floor with a plaque corresponding to the society that occupied that story. These floors were all devoted to administrative and executive work, and they were arranged in different layouts for each society. The ninth story had a footbridge, which connected to the tenth story of the Engineers' Club Building. The twelfth and thirteenth floors were used as the libraries of the three founding societies and for other engineering collections. The twelfth floor contained the stacks, while the thirteenth floor had a reading room with stacks, a delivery desk, reading tables, and chairs. Additionally, space was reserved for working alcoves and activities such as photographic reproduction and drawing. Media of the time described the library as being "retired, quiet, free from noise and dust, ndopen at all times to any reader". The eastern end of the reading room, facing the elevators, had a bronze bust of Andrew Carnegie, carved by Mrs. E. Cadwalader Guild. The twelfth and thirteenth stories contain some original moldings but have been largely redesigned. The fourteenth and fifteenth stories have always been used as office space. The fourteenth story has a mezzanine. When fashion designer

used the building as a showroom, there was a grand suite on the sixteenth floor, with three private bathrooms, a kitchen, and a dining room.

History

The first proposal for what would become the Engineering Societies Building occurred in 1895, when

(AIEE) member W. D. Weaver asked businessman

to fund a building for the shared use of several societies. This plan did not pass. On February 9, 1903, Carnegie attended a dinner for the AIEE's library, where the institute's president talked about the need for a shared engineering societies' clubhouse. Carnegie then talked with AIEE president Charles F. Scott and board chairman Calvin W. Rice over the idea of a new clubhouse. Five days after that dinner, Carnegie agreed to donate $1 million for the erection of such a building.

Development

Planning

The Iron and steel magazine (1898) (14758753466)

Carnegie acquired five land lots on 39th Street, measuring , in May 1903. Carnegie had acquired these lots specifically because they were directly behind the Engineers' Club. Carnegie offered to donate $1 million (about $ million in ) to fund the construction of a clubhouse for several engineering societies on that site. The engineering building would house the ASME, AIME, and AIEE. The ASCE had also been invited to join the Engineering Societies Building but declined, preferring to stay at its clubhouse at

220 West 57th Street 218 West 57th Street (formerly known as the Society House of the American Society of Civil Engineers or the ASCE Society House) is a building on 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It was designed by Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz in the ...

. Originally, the Engineers' Club was to occupy space in the engineering building. However, this was deemed logistically prohibitive, so two buildings connected at their rears were developed. In March 1904, Carnegie increased his gift to $1.5 million (about $ million in ). The gift was to be shared by both the club and the societies, with $450,000 for the Engineers' Club and $1,050,000 for the engineering societies. Carnegie's gift only covered the costs of the respective buildings, and the club and societies had to buy their own respective land lots. The engineering societies' site cost $517,000. ''The New York Times'' wrote of the sites: "The location agreed upon is probably the best which could be found on the American continent. For the next quarter of a century at least it will be close to the business centre of New York."

Design and construction

After Carnegie's gift, the ASME, AIME, AIEE, and Engineers' Club formed a Conference Committee to plan the new buildings. Because of Carnegie's international fame and his large gift, the design process was to be "a semi-public matter of more than ordinary importance", as a 1907 article described it. The Conference Committee launched an

in April 1904, giving $1,000 each (about $ in ) to six longstanding architecture firms who submitted plans. Other architects were allowed to submit plans anonymously and without compensation. Any architect was eligible if they had actually practiced architecture under their real name for at least two years. The four best plans from non-invited architects would receive a monetary prize.

William Robert Ware William Robert Ware (May 27, 1832 – June 9, 1915), born in Cambridge, Massachusetts into a family of the Unitarian clergy, was an American architect, author, and founder of two important American architectural schools. He received his o ...

was hired to judge the competition. That July, the committee examined over 500 drawings submitted for the two sites. Hale & Rogers and Henry G. Morse, who had not been formally invited, were hired to design the Engineering Societies' Building. Herbert D. Hale of Hale & Rogers was the grandson of the preacher

Edward Everett Hale Edward Everett Hale (April 3, 1822 – June 10, 1909) was an American author, historian, and Unitarian minister, best known for his writings such as " The Man Without a Country", published in '' Atlantic Monthly'', in support of the Union ...

. Henry D. Whitfield and Beverly King, a relatively obscure firm that had nonetheless been formally invited, won the commission for the Engineers' Club Building. Nepotism may have been a factor in the Engineers' Club commission, as Carnegie was married to Whitfield's sister Louise. Hale and Morse received one of the four prizes for non-invited architects; the others were

Trowbridge & Livingston Trowbridge & Livingston was an architectural practice based in New York City in the early 20th-century. The firm's partners were Samuel Beck Parkman Trowbridge and Goodhue Livingston. Often commissioned by well-heeled clients, much of the fir ...

, Frank C. Roberts & Co. with Edgar V. Seeler, and Allen & Collens. The United Engineering Society, which represented the ASME, AIME, and AIEE, took title to the main land lot between 25 and 33 West 39th Street in December 1904. An additional land lot at 23 West 39th Street was acquired the next April. By July 1905, construction had not yet started because Hale & Rogers considered all bids for the construction contract to be too expensive. That December, the United Engineering Society prepared a set of five criteria. The new building had to contain offices for the three societies, an auditorium, a library, space for other engineering societies, and a driveway. By the following month, the building was under construction and had reached the fourth floor. Andrew and Louise Carnegie laid the

cornerstone The cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. Over tim ...

, a box containing various mementos, at a simple ceremony on May 8, 1906.

Society house

The Engineering Societies' Building was dedicated on April 16 to 19, 1907. At the official opening on April 16, U.S. president

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

sent a congratulatory letter to the United Engineering Societies, and the societies thanked Carnegie for his gift. The next day, April 17, the presidents of each society gave speeches and medals were given to society members. The ASME, AIEE, and AIME hosted their first events over the next two days.

1900s to 1940s

The Engineering Societies' Building and the Engineers' Club Building quickly became part of an engineering hub in Midtown Manhattan, with both national and international conferences being held there. One of the earliest events at the building was a 1908 speech by U.S. Army general George Owen Squier, who predicted that aerial warfare would not be successful, as well as a 1911 speech by astronomer

Percival Lowell Percival Lowell (; March 13, 1855 – November 12, 1916) was an American businessman, author, mathematician, and astronomer who fueled speculation that there were canals on Mars, and furthered theories of a ninth planet within the Solar System. ...

, who spoke of

life on Mars The possibility of life on Mars is a subject of interest in astrobiology due to the planet's proximity and similarities to Earth. To date, no proof of past or present life has been found on Mars. Cumulative evidence suggests that during the ...

. Among the other events in the building was a conference for an international association for testing materials, described as "the most important of its kind ever called together", and a large stamp exhibition in 1913. Several awards were also granted there, including the AIEE's annual Edison Gold Medal, as well as the

Verein Deutscher Ingenieure Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI) (English: Association of German Engineers) is an organization of over 150,000 engineers and natural scientists. More than 12,000 honorary experts process the latest technical findings each year to promote the techn ...

's 1913 Grashof Medal, given to

George Westinghouse George Westinghouse Jr. (October 6, 1846 – March 12, 1914) was an American entrepreneur and engineer based in Pennsylvania who created the railway air brake and was a pioneer of the electrical industry, receiving his first patent at the age ...

. The Engineering Foundation was established at the building in 1915, and a "Museum of Safety and Sanitation" was housed there as well. In 1913, Beverly Sedgwick King designed a six-story annex to the Engineers' Club on the adjacent lot at 23 West 39th Street. The annex, completed in 1915, replaced the carriage entrance of the Engineering Societies' Building. The United Engineering Societies agreed to let the Engineers' Club use the eastern wall of the Engineering Societies' Building as a

load-bearing wall A load-bearing wall or bearing wall is a wall that is an active structural element of a building, which holds the weight of the elements above it, by conducting its weight to a foundation structure below it. Load-bearing walls are one of the ea ...

. The parties also agreed to share the walkways behind both buildings and construct a steel-and-glass loading dock for freight. Additionally, in 1914, the United Engineering Societies filed plans for two more stories atop the roof. The Wells Construction Company built the annex. The weight of the extra stories could not be supported on the existing pilings, so four new columns were constructed through the building, supported directly on the bedrock. The ASCE had been offered space at the Engineering Societies' Building in 1914, with the opportunity to be named as a "founding society" if it did so. The ASCE moved its headquarters to the Engineering Societies' Building by December 1917, after the additional stories were completed, and it became a "founding society". The Engineering Societies' Building continued to be used for major events, as in 1925, when U.S. Secretary of Commerce

Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gr ...

became an honorary ASCE member. The United Engineering Foundation held a fundraiser in 1928 to raise money for scientific research and to expand the library. The building also hosted conventions, such as for the electrical industry and for the mining and metallurgical industry.

1950s

By the 1950s, the Engineering Societies' and Engineers' Club buildings were becoming overburdened, in large part due to their own success. A 1955 ''New York Times'' article described the buildings as "the engineering crossroads of the world". The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) had wanted to join the United Engineering Societies at 39th Street, but the existing structure was too small to accommodate one more club. This led the United Engineering Societies' four constituent organizations to consider relocating as early as 1953. The engineering societies had originally considered moving to

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

, though other cities such as

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

and

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

were also contemplated. The societies created a five-person committee in April 1955 to select a site and obtain financing. In response, the city and state governments of New York tried to convince the societies to stay within New York City. By June 1956, the societies had voted against relocating out of the city. They were considering constructing an entrance from 40th Street on property owned by the Engineers' Club. A joint committee, consisting of three members each from the AIChE, ASCE, AIEE, AIME, and ASME, was created to determine the future of the clubhouse. In November 1956,

Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon, founded as Shreve & Lamb, was an architectural firm, best known for designing the Empire State Building, the tallest building in the world at the time of its completion in 1931. History The firm was founded in 1920 as Sh ...

were hired to conduct a study on whether to relocate the societies or redevelop the existing site. The Engineering Societies selected a site for a new clubhouse on First Avenue in

Turtle Bay, Manhattan Turtle Bay is a neighborhood in New York City, on the east side of Midtown Manhattan. It extends from roughly 43rd Street to 53rd Streets, and eastward from Lexington Avenue to the East River's western branch (facing Roosevelt Island).Gine ...

, across from the

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, in August 1957. Herbert Hoover announced plans for the new building that November, and construction on that building started in 1959. The societies moved to the new building in August 1961.

Commercial use

1960s to 1990s

The United Engineering Societies sold 25 West 39th Street to Fred Rudinger Associates in 1960 for $2 million. Rudinger planned to convert the basement, first story, and second story to a health club with a gymnasium, swimming pool, and saunas. The main lobby would become stores, the auditorium would be retained for fashion-industry events, and the other stories would become showrooms and offices. This did not happen and, by 1963, Rudinger planned to convert the building into a photographic center for about 30 studios displaced from the soon-to-be-destroyed

Grand Central Palace The Grand Central Palace was an exhibition hall in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The name refers to two structures, both located on Lexington Avenue near Grand Central Terminal. The original structure was a six-story structure built in 1893 ...

. William B. Goldin was hired to design a new marble-and-walnut lobby. The top twelve stories had ceilings measuring high, making them ideal for photography equipment. The lowest four stories would have become a 150-spot garage with a vehicle lift. The renovation was designed by Wechsler & Schimenti. Structural engineer Eugene Ho determined the existing columns to be strong enough to support the weight of new floor slabs. Women's clothing retailer

leased the 15th and 16th stories in 1964. The building was resold in 1969 to a client represented by Armand Lindenbaum, who paid $2.7 million. At the time, the lowest stories were characterized as containing a seven-story garage with 215 parking spots. The top twelve office stories had of space, occupied by tenants such as Lane Bryant and baby-food company

Beech-Nut Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation is a baby food company owned by the Swiss branded consumer-goods firm Hero Group. History Beech-Nut's roots go back to 1891, to the Mohawk Valley town of Canajoharie, New York. Raymond P. Lipe, along with his ...

. By the 1980s, there was a wine bar-restaurant named Lavin's at 25 West 39th Street, as well as Caribbean tourism offices. Fashion designer

bought the building in 1996 as a showroom for his company, also called

. The designer added a television studio with two cameras, and his clothing collection took up a portion of the old library. Hilfiger spent $56 million to renovate the building. Hilfiger's showroom grew so quickly that, by 1999, he had to lease space in other buildings nearby.

2000s to present

As early as 2001, Hilfiger was considering selling 25 West 39th Street and an adjacent department store at 485 Fifth Avenue for a combined $100 million. In 2005, he sold the building to Crown Acquisitions and the Chetrit and Nakashe families for $53 million. His brand consolidated its showrooms at the Starrett–Lehigh Building in

Chelsea, Manhattan Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The area's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, the Hudson River and West Street to the west, and Sixth Avenue to the east, with its northe ...

, but had the right to occupy the building through June 2006. After the sale to Crown Acquisitions, three of the upper stories were leased to fashion brand 7 for all Mankind, fashion designer Rachel Roy, and watch company

Movado Movado is an American luxury watchmaker. It is best known for its Museum Watch. Movado means "movement" in Esperanto. The watches are known for their signature metallic dot at 12 o'clock and minimalist style. Movado traces its origins to La Ch ...

. Clothing firm

Polo Ralph Lauren Ralph Lauren Corporation is an American publicly traded fashion company that was founded in 1967 by American fashion designer Ralph Lauren. The company is headquartered in New York City, producing products ranging from the mid-range to the luxur ...

leased three stories in 2007 and expanded to another story two years later. Thor Equities itself used 25 West 39th Street as its headquarters. Per the terms of the 2005 sale contract, if 25 West 39th Street was resold before December 2006, Hilfiger was entitled to claim 20 percent of any profit. The buyer was legally 25 West 39th Street Realty, which in turn was controlled by a subsidiary of the Chetrit family; it transferred a full interest in the building to

for $80 million in September 2006. This led Hilfiger to sue for breach of contract in June 2007, saying he was owed $5.4 million. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2008 because the sale involved the controlling interest in the property, rather than the property itself. Children's wear manufacturer Weeplay Kids, whose subsidiaries included

Woolrich Woolrich, Inc. ( ) is an American outdoor clothing company that originated in Woolrich, Pennsylvania in 1830. History Woolrich, Inc., founded in 1830 by John Rich and Daniel McCormick, is the oldest manufacturer of outdoor wear in the United ...

and

Hello Kitty , also known by her full name , is a fictional Character (arts), character created by Yuko Shimizu, currently designed by Yuko Yamaguchi, and owned by the Japanese company Sanrio. Sanrio depicts Hello Kitty as an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphi ...

, leased a floor in 2014. Thor Equities had hired a team to potentially place the building for sale by mid-2016, with an asking price of $200 million. Thor would continue to occupy space on three floors; at the time, the fifth and ninth floors were vacant. Thor leased one story to coworking company Spark Labs that August, and designer

Halston Roy Halston Frowick (April 23, 1932 – March 26, 1990), known mononymously as Halston, was an American fashion designer who rose to international fame in the 1970s. His minimalist, clean designs, often made of cashmere or ultrasuede, were ...

took another story the following year. In late 2018, Thor leased space to Manhattan Community Squash Center. During 2019, Thor leased one story each to women's coworking space The Wing, engineering firm PVE, and marketing firm Converge. The next year, Thor hired Industrious to manage three floors of coworking space. Following the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City in 2020, Thor sued The Wing for $2.7 million in unpaid back rent. Music management firm Phase One Network took one story in 2021, and the building was fully occupied by January 2022.

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

* * * * * * * {{National Register of Historic Places in New York 1907 establishments in New York City Buildings and structures completed in 1907 Neoclassical architecture in New York City Clubhouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Manhattan Midtown Manhattan Office buildings completed in 1907 Office buildings in Manhattan