Landmarks Preservation Comnission f:.ept:ember 1.1, 1979, Designation List. 127 LP-1019 NEW YORK YAClfr CWB BUILDING, 37 't'iest 44th Street, fbrough of Manhattan. Built 1899-1900; architects Warren & lt\etnore. Landma.rk site: Borough of Manhattan TaX Map Block 1260, lot 16. On November 14, 1978, the landmarks Preservation Ccmni.ssian held a public hearing on the proposed designation as a Landlrark of the New Yor.k Yacht Club Building arx:1 the proposed designation of the related Landmark Site (Item No. 8}. The hearing was continued to Janua:cy 9, 1979 (Item No. 1) and again to March 13, 1979 (Item No. 1) • All three hearings were duly advertised in accordance with the provisions of law. Four witnesses spoke in favor of designation. 'I'v.o witnesses spoke in opposition to designation. DESCRIPTIOO AND ANALYSIS A brilliant synthesis of the Beaux-Arts· tenets of character and corrposition, the New York Yacht Club Building marked the debut of the noted New York archi tectural finn of warren & ~trrore. Built in 1899-1900 in the fashionable club house district along 43rd and 44th Streets, the building becane the fifth hone of the country• s nost prestigious yachting organization. Founded in 1844 by a group of nine New York yachtsrcen a.lx)ard a schooner anchored off the Battel:y, the New York Yacht Club is the forem:>st and oldest yachting institution in the comt.ry. Established during the era of the great Olina Clippers, the club was incorporated for the purpose of encouracnng yacht II building and naval architecture and the cultivation of naval science. "1 The New York Yacht Club was established during a era of unprecedented cx:rmercial and industrial eJq:>anSion. In 1851 buoyed by its industrial success, England invited the 'WOrld to a great industrial exhibition where it challenged the other nations to present exanples of their nodern technology. The s\Jtll.'er of 1851 was filled with related events to anuse the visitors to the exhibition. In this spirit of rivalry a full schedule of yachting events had been planned, no doubt to remind the world of England's historical supremacy ·of the sea. As early as the autuxm. of 18SO an enthusiastic English rrerchant suggested that a group of New York businessrren enter one of the city's speedy pilot boats into c<:xtpetition for the Royal Yacht Squadron Cup which was a oalebrated prize c. . given by England's leading yacht clllb~ John Stevens and George L. Schuyler, two of the founding nembers of the newly established New York Yacht Club took . up the English challenge. 'lhe two yachtsnen turned to the skills of George Steers who was known to design the fastest pilot boats in the New York area. The son of an English shipwright, Steers had made an early reputation for himself in the New York area by designing successful racing boats. Although his business activity dealt primarily with pilot boats, Steers had continued to produce designs for serious yachtsrren, iriclWing several nembers of the New York Yacht Club. In 1850 at the age of 30, Steers Was enployed by the city's leading shipbuilder, William H. Brc:Mn., whose boatyard was located at the foot of 12th Street on the East River. With the facilities of Brown's roatyard at his disposal, Steers designed and supervised the construction of the fanous yacht .Aroorica which on August 22, 1851, swept past fifteen i.nternational .canpetitors to win the fanous English yachting cup which cane to bear her na:rre. In 1867 the .Arcerica • s C1N!lerS presented the cup to the New York Yacht Club which has continued to dani.nate this celebrated

yachting ccs:rpetition. The ardent sponsorship of and interest in innovative boat design has continued to shape the n:anl:-ership of the New York Yacht Club.2 Following its organization aboard John c. Steven's schooner, the New York Yacht Club held its first official meeting at Windhorst's coffeehouse on Park Row. On July 15, 1845, the yacht club regan its occupancy of a colorful Gothic Revival clubhouse locat

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