spacepace

Built in 1858 for The New York Times, the building had been expanded over the years, from five to sixteen floors. By purchasing 41 Park Row, the college acquired 100,000 square feet of usable floor space, compared with the 61,000 square feet it occupied at the time of purchase. According to Charles T. Bryan, chairman of the board of trustees, speaking to an overflow crowd at the 1951 Pace commencement in the grand ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria, acquisition of the former newspaper building "would permit the college to add a number of desirable features that are not now practicable." Among the improvements envisioned by the trustees were an auditorium, cafeteria, sizable library, science laboratories and gymnasium. Mr. Bryan added: "Space will be available for increased student activities. Space will be available for alumni affairs to serve the more than 70,000 former students."     Alumni were especially enthusiastic about the new building. The Pace Alumni Magazine reported in the fall of 1951 that the renovations were already underway and that 50 classrooms, rather than the 35 occupied by the college in its rented quarters, would be available. Plans for the library, which was to occupy two entire floors, included shelf space for 50,000 books and one seat for every three students. As for recreational facilities, the magazine declared, "Facilities in the sub-basement will include regulation size bowling alleys, a large swimming pool, a full-size handball court, and a gymnasium. Extending from the sub-basement into the basement, a balcony with seating space for spectators will overlook the swimming pool. A similar balcony is also planned for the gymnasium. The bookstore, a sixty-five-foot shooting range, shower rooms and locker rooms are also among the facilities planned for the basement."

    The plans for the recreational facilities turned out to be a bit too ambitious, but the renovations needed for strictly academic pursuits were completed. To finance all of this, the trustees authorized a development campaign and appointed the college treasurer, Frederick M. Schaeberle, as Director of Fund Raising.

    While Mr. Schaeberle raised the necessary money, work progressed at 41 Park Row. As the approximately 100 commercial tenants moved out, the renovators set about their work in different parts of the building. Changes in the overall plan were also considered. For example, the trustees discussed the possibility of creating living space for the President in the new building. Given the fact that President Pace spent between twelve and fourteen hours per day at the college and was obliged, at times, to do official entertaining, the idea had merit but no action was taken.

    Once the last commercial tenant, the Old Times Cafe, vacated its space on the ground floor of 41 Park Row, the renovations went full speed ahead. By April 1953 the college was holding classes in the building. A temporary certificate of occupancy had been issued by New York City pending the completion of all planned renovations and some fire safety improvements.

    The well-being of everyone at the college had always been President Pace's top priority. Before 41 Park Row was ready for occupancy, the President organized daily fire safety patrols of 225 Broadway and regular inspections at 41 Park Row to prevent fires during reconstruction of that building. In 1959, following a devastating fire in a Chicago school, Pace College examined its fire safety program. Although an unannounced inspection by the New York City Fire Department uncovered no violations, the college augmented its fire prevention program by installing sprinklers and automatic detection devices.

    Making 41 Park Row safe and attractive certainly enhanced the college's academic environment, but even before the final touches, which included a plaque dedicated in 1959, were put on the historic Times building, it was evident that Pace needed additional space. In the spring of 1959, 4000 students and 150 faculty members were fully utilizing all sixteen floors of the new building. Despite a public assertion that a day student population of 1,200 would be optimum, the trustees were unwilling to cap the institution's growth at a time when they felt that "the opportunities for a downtown university in this City of New York are almost limitless."  They therefore set about finding new space for expansion.

    Discouraged by the high price of land in lower Manhattan, which at the time cost approximately $45 per square foot, the trustees heeded President Pace's suggestion "to muscle in on a Title I Housing Project."  This was the genesis of the Civic Center building. With characteristic speed when it came to real estate matters, the trustees authorized the architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to undertake a preliminary study for a new Pace campus and college officials began negotiating with the City of New York. While it would be years before the Pace Civic Center building would be erected, the wheels had been set in motion and once again, Pace College was on the move.

In 1953 the New York State Education Department authorized Pace college to award the B.A. degree.

In 1956 Pace marked it's 50th anniversary with an impressive convocation.  To learn more about this important milestone, click "Pace's Golden Anniversary."