Fountain House Organization (New York City, New York)

 clubhouse, interesting place, 1965_construction, social service department / organization, Colonial Revival (architecture)

5-story Neo-Georgian clinic/office/clubhouse building completed in 1965. Designed by Eggers & Higgins for the Fountain House Foundation, it is clad in pale red brick, seven bay wide, with the first three floors of the three western bays projecting forward from the rest of the facade, which is set back. The main entrance is in the middle bay, behind a short set of steps, with green wood paneled double-doors and a narrow glass transom framed by fluted limestone pilasters supporting an entablature with a dentiled cornice. The three ground-floor windows to the east are set behind a low brick wall with stone coping; there is an iron gate at the east end of the wall, and two stone sphere topping the end posts, which along with a lower front walls section, enclose planters fronted by a black iron railing. The three windows, as well as the three on the projecting facade to the west of the entrance, and the one window on the east-facing side wall of the projecting section, have multi-paned, white wooden framing, stone sills, and splayed brick lintels. The westernmost window replaces an original doorway, as evidenced by the different brick around it. The ground floor is capped by a flat stone band course.

The 2nd floor has taller multi-paned windows, with the three on the recessed east facade fronted by a decorative, low black iron railing. The 3-bay projecting section at the west sets back above the 3rd floor, where there is a stone coping and short, decorative iron railing. The 4th floor, seven bays across, is topped by a stone cornice and short, angled, slate roof that recesses back to the a top floor consisting of an open verandah fronted by an iron railing and plantings. It is enclosed by the two brick end piers and a simple cornice at the roof line.

Fountain House was founded in 1948 and is dedicated to the recovery of men and women with mental illness by providing opportunities for our members to live, work, and learn, while contributing their talents through a community of mutual support. The organization operates employment, education, housing and wellness programs.