Artist Studios – aka Y.M.C.A. Building 1869-1903 – 52 E 23rd Street – 23rd Street and Fourth (Park S.) Ave – James Renwick Jr. Architect

Y.M.C.A. - 52 East 23rd Street - 23rd Street and Fourth Avenue NYC
James Renwick Jr. - Architect
(public domain)

The first built for the YMCA purpose building in the United States in New York City, the “Christian Clubhouse”, was located at east 23^rd Street, SE corner, and then Fourth (Park) Ave and finished in 1869.

Built across from the National Academy of Design on the NW Corner of 23^rd Street and present day Park Avenue South, the YMCA building had 40 artist studios for rent on the top two floors, 4^th and 5^th floors.  Rent from the studios subsidized the mission of the "Y" as a Christian clubhouse with Library, Reading Room, lounges, classrooms, lecture rooms, large Auditorium and Gymnasium in the basement. Also some store fronts for rent on the NE corner frontage.

That along the timeline some of the artists who rented space at "52 E. 23^rd Street" NYC were:

Edwin Austin Abbey 

Robert Swain Gifford  

George Henry Story 

Louis Comfort Tiffany

Alexander Helwig Wyant (who also died there in his studio)

  

Recommended Reading:

Paula Lupkin - Manhood Factories: YMCA Architecture and the Making of Modern Urban Culture (Architecture, Landscape and Amer Culture)

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