Association of the Bar of the City of New York
Why it's listed
Midtown Manhattan's West 44th Street holds the headquarters of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, a limestone building put up in 1895-96 to designs by Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz. It runs through the block to 43rd Street and rises five stories on the 44th Street side. Fluted Doric columns frame the entrance, and double-height pilasters and Ionic columns mark the two-story library inside. The interior keeps marble columns, oak woodwork and marble fireplaces. The building represents the clubhouses that once filled this district, where the Century, Harvard and Yacht clubs also settled. The Association was founded in 1870 in response to judicial corruption and the Tweed ring, and its presidents included Charles Evans Hughes and Henry L. Stimson. Its library is among the largest legal collections in the country. Eidlitz, trained in Europe and versed in Classical and Renaissance traditions, gave the building a restrained, dignified character that contrasts with the surrounding office towers.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a well-preserved example of the elegant clubhouses built in Manhattan's clubhouse district around 1900. It reflects Eidlitz's skill with classical detail and houses one of the country's largest legal libraries. It also serves as the center of the city's legal profession, tied to the Association's founding in 1870 in reaction to the Tweed ring.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80002666, listed January 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 42 W. 44th St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | January 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002666 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical (Classical Revival clubhouse) |
| Areas of significance | Education, Law, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied by the Association; interior in close to original condition, with skylights covered and air conditioning added. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.75522, -73.98199 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80002666.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5915627
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.