Motor Boat Club of America Changes [1907]

The New Home of the Motor Boat Club of America

The large four story and basement brownstone building, located at 304 West 58th Street, New York City, until recently occupied as a private dwelling, will be the future home of the Motor Boat Club of America. Alterations are now under way to put the building into shape for occupancy by the club and when completed will give the club a home of which it may be justly proud.

No expense is to be spared in making the building a first class up-to-date club-house. The basement will be transformed into a grill room. The interior finish will be that of old English. It will be one of the finest of its kind in this country and will be under the management of Reisenwebers. The entrance to the grill room for the members will be either through a door leading directly to the street or by way of the Club's private entrance. The first floor will contain a Reception and Library room in front with the Club's office and Board of Governor's room in the rear. The second floor will be the Banquet room. This room will run the entire length of the building, some 60 feet. it will be fitted out in a nautical manner, that of a ship's cabin. Both ends of the room will be gangways, while port holes will be around the side walls out of which will come rays of electric light.

In the ceiling will be three separated gratings with colored or smoked glass, with clusters of electric lights behind them, while additional light will be had from three large glass globes supported by brass chains hung directly under these gratings. The stairway leading from the floor below will be inclosed, as also will be that of the stairway leading to the floor below. Around this partition will be leather settees, and over the doorway leading from the floor below and the doorway leading to the floor above will be placed port and starboard lights. This room will be used entirely for meetings of the Club, dinners and lectures, and will accommodate one hundred and twenty-five people, and when not used by the club will be open for the holding of annual meetings and dinners of the representative yacht clubs.

The third floor will contain the billiard room in front, the model room in the rear and a lavatory, while the fourth floor will be set aside for the sleeping apartments for members and a large bath. The drapings and furniture will be very handsome and appropriate. it is expected that the house will be ready for occupancy on or about November 1st. The club intends maintaining stations at very convenient points for the use of its members for anchorage and supply purposes. Three of these stations are in operation and it is intended next season to add at least four more.

(Transcribed from Yachting, December, 1907, pp. 312, 314. )

[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page. —LF]