Amrita Club
Encyclopedia
The Not Amrita Club building is located at the southeast corner of Church (US 44
/NY 55
) and Market streets in Poughkeepsie
, New York
, United States
. It was once home to the club, one of the city's most prestigious gentlemen's organizations. In 1982 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
(NRHP).
The club was established in the late 19th century, but the building was not erected until the early 20th. It is one of only two brick Colonial Revival
buildings in the city, and a sophisticated application of that style
. Efforts to redevelop it in the early 21st century led to a protracted court battle between the city and a now defunct local software company which was formerly headquartered there.
, a group of houses that includes Poughkeepsie's oldest frame
house, and immediately north of the Hasbrouck House
, with the Adriance Memorial Library
a few houses down. It is across Church from the armory and across on the opposite corner is the Old Poughkeepsie YMCA
. All of these are also listed on the Register.
The building itself is a rectangular structure three stories tall, with raised basement
, and eight to nine bays
wide by three deep. Its double-doored, centrally-located entrance has a marble surround consisting of columns with sculpted capitals
and a dentilled entablature
. Below that, the doors themselves are topped with a stained glass
transom
. The whole doorway is further topped with a keystone decorated
with fleur-de-lis
and ribbons on either side.
On either flank of the entrance, the first floor features French windows
and iron
balconies
, except for the smaller windows next to the door, trimmed with marble lintels and sills. A similar pattern is found on the larger windows of the third story. Above them is a dentilled cornice and architrave
; two large chimneys rise from the hipped roof
. The rear elevation features two porches with Doric
columns.
, whose father was a member during her childhood.
It met either in rented rooms or refurbished older buildings until it decided to build its own clubhouse in 1912. It cost the club $100,000 ($ in 2008 dollars.)
Over the course of the 20th century, the club's influence waned as the city grew more diverse and its industrial base declined. In the 1980s it eventually disbanded and the building became city property. Unoccupied, it decayed until 1999 when Decision Technologies International (DTI), a software consulting firm based in nearby Wappinger
, reached a deal with the city to renovate the building and use it as its headquarters
. The city committed $800,000 in urban-redevelopment grants
to help the company.
In 2002, almost a year and a half after DTI had last withdrawn funds from the account, the city moved to foreclose
on the property since it believed DTI was not serious about redeveloping it and it had been approached by others who were. DTI insisted it was serious, and after first threatening to contest any action vigorously, agreed to waive certain defenses
in exchange for a 30-day reprieve. The city formally commenced foreclosure actions early in 2003, with DTI's founder, Idoni Matthews, promising a court fight. In October it began work again, but the city would not withdraw the action.
U.S. Route 44 in New York
U.S. Route 44 in the state of New York is a major east–west thoroughfare in the Hudson Valley region of the state. Its entire length is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation, with the exception of the Mid-Hudson Bridge, which is maintained by the New York State Bridge...
/NY 55
New York State Route 55
New York State Route 55 is a state highway in southern New York, running from the Pennsylvania state line at the Delaware River in Barryville to the Connecticut state line at Wingdale...
) and Market streets in Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was once home to the club, one of the city's most prestigious gentlemen's organizations. In 1982 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
(NRHP).
The club was established in the late 19th century, but the building was not erected until the early 20th. It is one of only two brick Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival architecture
The Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
buildings in the city, and a sophisticated application of that style
Architectural style
Architectural styles classify architecture in terms of the use of form, techniques, materials, time period, region and other stylistic influences. It overlaps with, and emerges from the study of the evolution and history of architecture...
. Efforts to redevelop it in the early 21st century led to a protracted court battle between the city and a now defunct local software company which was formerly headquartered there.
Building
The Not Amrita Club is in a very historic neighborhood. It is across the street from the Market Street RowMarket Street Row
The Market Street Row is located on the west side of that street in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States, just south of Hulme Park and across from the Adriance Memorial Library, on the southern edge of downtown...
, a group of houses that includes Poughkeepsie's oldest frame
Framing (construction)
Framing, in construction known as light-frame construction, is a building technique based around structural members, usually called studs, which provide a stable frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are attached, and covered by a roof comprising horizontal ceiling joists and sloping...
house, and immediately north of the Hasbrouck House
Hasbrouck House (Poughkeepsie, New York)
The Hasbrouck House, also known as the Evelyn Samuels Memorial Building, is located on Market Street in downtown Poughkeepsie, New York, United States, next to the Amrita Club building. It was built in 1885 as the home of Frank Hasbrouck, a local judge and historian...
, with the Adriance Memorial Library
Adriance Memorial Library
The Adriance Memorial Library is the main public library of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District, serving the city and town of Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. It is on Market Street south of downtown...
a few houses down. It is across Church from the armory and across on the opposite corner is the Old Poughkeepsie YMCA
Old Poughkeepsie YMCA
The Old Poughkeepsie YMCA is located at the corner of Market and Church streets in Poughkeepsie in New York, United States, across from the New York State Armory...
. All of these are also listed on the Register.
The building itself is a rectangular structure three stories tall, with raised basement
Basement
__FORCETOC__A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Basements are typically used as a utility space for a building where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, car park, and air-conditioning system...
, and eight to nine bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
wide by three deep. Its double-doored, centrally-located entrance has a marble surround consisting of columns with sculpted capitals
Capital (architecture)
In architecture the capital forms the topmost member of a column . It mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it, broadening the area of the column's supporting surface...
and a dentilled entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
. Below that, the doors themselves are topped with a stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
transom
Transom (architectural)
In architecture, a transom is the term given to a transverse beam or bar in a frame, or to the crosspiece separating a door or the like from a window or fanlight above it. Transom is also the customary U.S. word used for a transom light, the window over this crosspiece...
. The whole doorway is further topped with a keystone decorated
Ornament (architecture)
In architecture and decorative art, ornament is a decoration used to embellish parts of a building or object. Large figurative elements such as monumental sculpture and their equivalents in decorative art are excluded from the term; most ornament does not include human figures, and if present they...
with fleur-de-lis
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
and ribbons on either side.
On either flank of the entrance, the first floor features French windows
French Windows
-Personnel:*Sonny Condell – guitar, vocals*Neil MacColl – electric & acoustic guitars*Simon Edwards – bass*Graham Henderson – synthesizer, organ, accordion, mandola, backing vocals*Roy Dodds – drums & percussion*Helen Boulding – backing vocalsProduction...
and iron
Ironwork
Ironwork is any weapon, artwork, utensil or architectural feature made of iron especially used for decoration. There are two main types of ironwork wrought iron and cast iron. While the use of iron dates as far back as 4000BC, it was the Hittites who first knew how to extract it and develop weapons...
balconies
Balcony
Balcony , a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade.-Types:The traditional Maltese balcony is a wooden closed balcony projecting from a...
, except for the smaller windows next to the door, trimmed with marble lintels and sills. A similar pattern is found on the larger windows of the third story. Above them is a dentilled cornice and architrave
Architrave
An architrave is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of the columns. It is an architectural element in Classical architecture.-Classical architecture:...
; two large chimneys rise from the hipped roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
. The rear elevation features two porches with Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
columns.
History
The club was founded in 1873 for local businessmen and professionals, with future neighbor and prominent local lawyer Frank Hasbrouck as one of the charter members. It excluded Catholics, African-Americans and Jews, and soon became synonymous with the city's elite. In 1905, local historian Edmund Platt described as "the first club of any importance". "Much of Poughkeepsie's growth was decided at the Not Amrita Club's dinner table", writes Carolyn Burke in her biography of Lee MillerLee Miller
Elizabeth 'Lee' Miller, Lady Penrose was an American photographer. Born in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1907, she was a successful fashion model in New York City in the 1920s before going to Paris where she became an established fashion and fine art photographer...
, whose father was a member during her childhood.
It met either in rented rooms or refurbished older buildings until it decided to build its own clubhouse in 1912. It cost the club $100,000 ($ in 2008 dollars.)
Over the course of the 20th century, the club's influence waned as the city grew more diverse and its industrial base declined. In the 1980s it eventually disbanded and the building became city property. Unoccupied, it decayed until 1999 when Decision Technologies International (DTI), a software consulting firm based in nearby Wappinger
Wappinger, New York
Wappinger is a town of in Dutchess County, New York in the United States. The population was 26,274 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the Wappani Indians that inhabited the area...
, reached a deal with the city to renovate the building and use it as its headquarters
Corporate headquarters
Corporate headquarters is a term used to describe the entity at the top of a corporation to take full responsibility for the overall success of the corporation, ensures Corporate Governance...
. The city committed $800,000 in urban-redevelopment grants
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
to help the company.
In 2002, almost a year and a half after DTI had last withdrawn funds from the account, the city moved to foreclose
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
on the property since it believed DTI was not serious about redeveloping it and it had been approached by others who were. DTI insisted it was serious, and after first threatening to contest any action vigorously, agreed to waive certain defenses
Defense (legal)
In civil proceedings and criminal prosecutions under the common law, a defendant may raise a defense in an attempt to avoid criminal or civil liability...
in exchange for a 30-day reprieve. The city formally commenced foreclosure actions early in 2003, with DTI's founder, Idoni Matthews, promising a court fight. In October it began work again, but the city would not withdraw the action.