History and architecture
This 1884-1885 building, the first branch erected by the New York City YMCA Board of Directors, is the sole survivor of New York's nineteenth-century YMCA branches and the major surviving New York City work of architect Bradford L. Gilbert. This building originally housed the Young Men's Institute, a membership organization intended to promote the physical, intellectual, and spiritual health of young working men in the densely crowded Bowery. The five-story Queen Anne style building has a largely intact facade, which is asymmetrically organized with a recessed entry at the south bay; a rusticated sandstone base with segmental arches; a mid-section featuring giant pilasters framing a double-story arcade with recessed metal-enframed windows; and a top section crowned by a slate-covered mansard roof pierced by two dormers.
The larger dormer has a pediment with terra-cotta decoration surrounding the commencement date, 1884. In 1915 the firm of Parish & Schroeder renovated the three lower stories at the rear for an enlarged gymnasium, new shower and locker room, and a swimming pool. The YMCA left the building in 1932, and it has since become studio/residential space for artists, many of whom are world renowned, and it houses a teaching and meditation center for a community of Tibetan Buddists.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.