Financial District in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

The Downtown Athletic Club

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 7, 2017

1. The Downtown Athletic Club Marker

Inscription.
The former Downtown Athletic Club, built between 1929 and 1930, is one of Manhattan’s most distinctive art deco skyscrapers. Designed by Starret & Van Vleck, the building is a rare example of a vertical clubhouse. The irregular massing of the design reflects the shape and configuration of the original athletic facilities, which included a swimming pool, tennis courts, and miniature golf. Since 1935, the club has sponsored the Heisman Memorial Trophy, awarded to the nation’s outstanding college football player. The club closed in 2002 and the building was converted to the Downtown Club Condominium in 2005.

Erected 2009 by New York Landmarks Preservation Foundation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Parks & Recreational Areas • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1929.

Location. 40° 42.374′ N, 74° 0.953′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in the Financial District. Marker is on West Street south of Morris Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is mounted at eye-level, directly on the subject building, just right of the main entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 20 West Street, New York NY 10004, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of

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this marker. Brooklyn Battery Tunnel (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Walloon Settlers (about 500 feet away); Salvation Army (about 600 feet away); In Honor of Peter Caesar Alberti (about 600 feet away); Elizabeth H. Berger Plaza (about 600 feet away); Bulkhead Line Est. by Dept. of Docks in 1871 (about 600 feet away); February 16, 1926 (about 600 feet away); September 10, 1926 (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.

Also see . . .
1. Downtown Athletic Club.
The Club was founded in 1926. By 1927, it had purchased this site next to the Hudson River to construct its own building. It was completed in 1930. The high cost of land necessitated a tall building, and the relatively small lot size dictated that the different functions and facilities of the club, including swimming pool, gymnasium, miniature golf course, squash, and tennis courts, as well as dining rooms and living quarters, be accommodated on separate floors. (Submitted on March 6, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Downtown Athletic Club.
(This link provides many excellent images of the building, as well as additional information.) The boxy shape and variety of setbacks in the Downtown Athletic Club Building demonstrate the effects of the 1916 Building Zone Resolution, but also give some

The Downtown Athletic Club Marker (<i>wide view; marker visible on right</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 7, 2017

2. The Downtown Athletic Club Marker (wide view; marker visible on right)

indication of the various purposes assigned to different sections of the building. The architects juxtaposed the simple massing of the building with stylized, theater-like entrance prosceniums on both facades and a dextrous use of flat and angled brick, creating a dramatic addition to the city's skyline. The powerful chevron motifs in the rectangular areas over the entrances and in the spandrels between the windows of the upper stories are a variation of a common design theme of the period, reflective of the speed and energy of the Jazz Age. (Submitted on March 6, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

3. Heisman Trophy. Wikipedia entry. (Submitted on February 29, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

The Downtown Athletic Club (<i>art deco architectural detail</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 7, 2017

3. The Downtown Athletic Club (art deco architectural detail)

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 7, 2017

4. The Downtown Athletic Club (art deco architectural detail)

The Downtown Athletic Club, May 2002 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, 2002

5. The Downtown Athletic Club, May 2002

Even during its renovation into condominiums, it still showed the proud billing as "Home of the Heisman Trophy".

The Downtown Athletic Club seal, May 2002 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, 2002

6. The Downtown Athletic Club seal, May 2002

The Downtown Athletic Club building, middle. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, December 23, 2018

7. The Downtown Athletic Club building, middle.

The Heisman Trophy image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, January 31, 2020

8. The Heisman Trophy

At 111 Broadway, the home of the Heisman Trophy Trust.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 6, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,239 times since then and 201 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 6, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 5, 6. submitted on December 6, 2018, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 7. submitted on December 23, 2018, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 8. submitted on February 29, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.