American Academy of Dramatic Arts (New York City, New York) | school, interesting place, Federal style (architecture)

 school, interesting place, Federal style (architecture)

6-story Federal-revival style building completed in 1907. Designed by McKim, Mead & White as a clubhouse, it was originally built as the Colony Club, the first social club established in New York City by, and for, women. The decorator in charge was Elsie de Wolfe, the "Chintz Lady."

The grayish-red brickwork on the 5-bay facade, with its admirable texture and color, is very unusual in its pattern. A handsome white limestone is used for the splayed window lintels, trim, cornice and stones at the comers. The 2nd floor lounge is well expressed on the exterior by five round-arched window openings with French doors and sash above extending to a 2-story height. The doors lead to a shallow balcony with thin iron railing, which is supported by thin pilasters and extends the entire width of the building. This provides a very pleasant shadow to accent the entrance and ground floor windows.

The central entrance is recessed under a shallow arch, and up a short set of steps. Narrow stone pilasters (doubled at the ends) divide the bays of the ground-floor brickwork, with small Corinthian capitals. A secondary entrance is in the southern bay, while the two northern bays have been filled in.

A beautiful, dentiled and modillioned stone cornice crowned by a perforated railing separates the lower four floors from the curb roof and its five dormers, which give light and air to the dining room. The dormers alternate rounded and triangular pediments, breaking the slate-shingled mansard. Glass enclosures on top of the roof declare the presence of a delightful roof garden. A large brick chimney caps each end of the roof line.

After only seven years in their magnificent clubhouse, he Colony Club laid plans to move. On February 28, 1914 the membership voted to buy land at the northwest corner of Park Avenue and 62nd Street as the site for its new headquarters. During World War I, the original clubhouse was used first as a convalescent hospital, then as a nurses’ mobilization center. It was then taken over by the new Carroll Club for Catholic girls. In 1956 the Carroll Club moved to No. 22 East 38th Street and the building was sold to Simon Brothers, a real estate development firm. The company sold the property a year later and it was converted to an arts center with three small playhouses. The Center opened on February 27, 1958 and offered along with live theater, a Ballet Russe dance school, modern and Indian dance classes, art exhibition and lecture spaces. In 1963 the building was purchased for about $500,000 by the American Academy of Dramatic Arts; the exterior was restored in 2003.

The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a fully accredited 2-year conservatory. The oldest acting school in the English speaking world, the Academy in New York was founded in 1884 to train actors for the stage. In 1974, the Academy opened another campus in Pasadena, California, which made it the only professional actor training school in both major centers of American theatrical activity.

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