Pratt Institute's campus, located in the historic landmark district of Clinton Hill in northern Brooklyn has evolved during the past century from a five block area to twenty-five acres. The Institute is a fully-accredited private college granting both undergraduate and graduate degrees, founded in 1887 by industrialist Charles Pratt. His company, Astral Oil, began as a kerosene refinery and grew with the use of petroleum products in the nineteenth century. The company merged with Rockefeller's Standard Oil in 1874. Mr. Pratt had moved to Clinton Hill in 1870, building a home at 232 Clinton Avenue. He took an active interest in the neighborhood and supported local institutions, notably Adelphi Academy and Emmanuel Baptist Church. He had homes built for some of his sons on Clinton Avenue, and three of these remain. His major focus was on the founding of Pratt Institute. Although he died in 1891, only four years after the school began, his large family of six sons and two daughters were active in supporting and managing the school well into the twentieth century. His great-grandson, Richardson Pratt, Jr., was President of Pratt from 1972 to 1990. The current President is Dr. Thomas F. Schutte. The original building complex, clustered around the Main building is the oldest part of the Institute. During the 1950s an urban renewal project under Robert Moses transformed the area. Over the years many buildings have been acquired, built and renovated, creating an interesting mix„an oasis of greenery in Brooklyn. Library 1896. Renovated 1982 Architect: William B. Tubby, Interiors by Tiffany firm. Renovation by Cavaglieri and Gran. There was a small library in the Main building when the school began in 1887. The splendid Victorian Renaissance revival structure was built as a public as well as a college library. There was emphasis on service to local children. In 1912, a copy of a Romanesque porch was added to the children's entrance. This was relocated near the ARC building during the renovation of 1982. The north porch was added in 1936 by John Mead Howells, and is now an office. Pratt's library was the first free Library in New York City. However, as the Institute grew and the public library system expanded, it ceased being a public library in 1941. The elegant interiors, originally designed by the Louis Tiffany firm have a magnificent marble and brass central staircase. The mosaic and glass floors are also noteworthy. The renovation in 1982 enhanced the building and brought an elevator as well as a below-ground wing. The building was designated a New York City Landmark in 1986. Main Building 1887 Architects: Lamb and Rich (Hugo Lamb and Charles A. Rich) Lamb and Rich was a noted architectural firm in the late 19th century, and here it reflected the influence of H. H. Richardson. This is the original Pratt Institute building constructed of brick in the Romanesque revival style. The porch was added in 1895. It has always housed both offices and classrooms. Today it includes offices of the President as well as the Provost, Dean of Students and the Dean of the School of Art and Design. South Hall 1889-92 Architect: William B. Tubby Designed by the same architect as the Library, this was originally the Pratt High School, a three-year coed program. When that was discontinued, this became the Household Science and then the Costume Design Building. It now has offices for the Fine Arts Department and classrooms for art and design. East Building 1887 Architect: William Windrim Although this is part of the original building complex and is connected to the Main Building, it had a different architect. It is an "L" shaped structure and the fifth floor or the north/south section was a later addition. The building wraps around an attractive courtyard and the first floor houses Pratt's Power Generating Plant, a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. There is a viewing area for the power plant, and also on the first floor are the offices of Career Services, Student Activities, International Student Affairs and the Chapel. This was originally called the Mechanical Arts Building. Upper floors contain classrooms and some offices. Student Union 1887 Architect: William B. Tubby Built originally as the Trade School Building with a handsome wood truss roof, this was used for courses on brick laying, plumbing and sign painting before it became the old gymnasium. There is a small swimming pool (actually called a "swimming tank" and the first to admit women in Brooklyn) still located under the staging area on the east side of the building. In 1982, this building was remodeled for use as a student union. Memorial Hall 1926-7 Architect: John Mead Howells Sculptor: Rene Chambellan A large auditorium/theater built by the Pratt family in memory of Mary Richardson Pratt, the wife of the founder, Charles Pratt. Originally, it was a lecture hall with a cafeteria below. Currently in need of restoration, it is infrequently used. North Hall 1958 Architects: Firm of McKim, Mead and White Built a little later than DeKalb Hall and the ISC Building by the same architects. Although this firm retained the name of one of America's most important firms, it was long after the demise of the famous Charles Follen McKim (1847-1909) and Stanford White (1853-1906). This was originally called the College Union, and currently houses the cafeteria, Security headquarters, a bank and classrooms. Information Science Center (ISC Building) 1954-55. Renovated 1973 Architects: Firm of McKim, Mead and White Built as a dormitory for women at the same time DeKalb Hall was built for men. By the 1960s after the acquisition of Willoughby Hall, both buildings were being used for offices and classrooms. They had been built during the extensive Pratt Area Urban Renewal under the direction of Robert Moses. The renovation made extensive changes for the Graduate School of Information and Library Science as well as for a large computer laboratory. Esther Lloyd Jones Hall 1921 Architect: unknown A private apartment building which had the address of 243 Ryerson Street. It was purchased by Pratt Institute in 1964 and became a residence hall. Thrift Hall 1916-17 Architects: Shampan and Shampan This was a savings bank which had been founded on the campus by Charles Pratt in 1889, meant to teach students and others the value of thrift. Today it houses various offices, including that of the Registrar. DeKalb Hall 1954-55 Architects: Firm of McKim, Mead and White Originally a men's dormitory designed by the same firm which built the Information Science Building and North Hall during the urban renewal project which radically reshaped the campus. This is now a building which has classrooms and several offices, including Financial Aid and the Bursar. Leo J. Pantas Hall 1986-87 Architects: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill A contemporary residence for students, situated on DeKalb Avenue between Thrift Hall and the Studio Building. The attractive brick structure fits well into the campus, and the clocktower echoes the clock on the Main Building. Pratt Studio Building Date: unknown Architect: unknown Former industrial building acquired by Pratt in 1962, and converted for use as art and design studios. Steuben Hall Date: unknown Architect: unknown Previously, this was the United Metals factory, which manufactured small metal items. Acquired by Pratt in the early 1970s, the first floor has offices for Campus Management and mail services. PICCED occupies attractively renovated space on the second floor. Most of the rest of the building is used for storage and awaits remodeling. Activities Resource Center (ARC Building) 1974-75 Architects: Ezra Ehrenkranz (lower level), Daniel Tully (upper level) This large building was built to serve many functions. The upper level is a huge gymnasium, while the lower level has classrooms and laboratories. There are facilities for film, photography and computers. The concrete exterior has no windows and displays a fanciful tent-like roofing system. Cannoneer Court 1986-87 Architects: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill A rather stark-looking residence hall on the most eastern part of the campus on an area which had been an athletic field. It is connected to the ARC building and was built from pre-fabricated units. Faculty Housing 220-234 Willoughby Avenue, 171-185 Steuben Street, 172-186 Emerson Place Probably built 1901-1910 Architect: Hobart C. Walker, from the firm: Walker and Hazzard Built just before World War I to serve as private homes for low-income workers. There were 38 of these three-story town houses built and 27 remain. They are connected to the central heating plant on the campus. During the 1920s, at least one was used as a "Homemaking House" to teach household science at Pratt. After World War II, these became rental housing for Pratt faculty and staff. The New York City Landmark's Commission calls these rowhouses "colonial revival" and landmarked them in 1986. Chemistry Building 1904-05 Architects: Howells and Stokes John Mead Howells (1868-1959) and I.N. Phelps Stokes (1867-1944) were each noted architects earlier in the twentieth century. Working together, they built this as the first of the three buildings which have been known as the Engineering complex. Despite its name, this building is no longer used for the study of chemistry. The first floor houses the Rubelle and Norman Schaffler Gallery, a major exhibition space. The lower level is occupied by the Printmaking area and there are art and design studios on the upper floors. The building was extensively remodeled in 1985-86. Machinery Building 1914 Architects: Howells and Stokes The architects who had, a decade before, designed the Chemistry Building built this as the Manual Training Building. Connected to the Chemistry and Engineering buildings, for many years it was filled with heavy industrial machinery for student use. Today the building is used by the School of Art and Design and there are sculpture and ceramic studios in it. Engineering Building 1928-29. Extended in 1935. Architect: John Mead Howells The most recent of the three buildings in this group. It connects to the Machinery and Chemistry buildings and houses classrooms for various programs. Willoughby Residence Hall 215 Willoughby Avenue 1957 Architect: S. J. Kessler Built as a private apartment building during the urban renewal project under Robert Moses. The building was acquired as the main residence hall for Pratt Institute in the early 1960s. There are apartments on the top (17th) floor for faculty and staff. Higgins Hall St. James Place and Lafayette Avenue 1868-1890 Architects: Mundell and Teckritz, Ebenezer L. Roberts, Charles C. Haight and William B. Tubby. This was Adelphi Academy, a private school which has evolved into Adelphi University in Garden City, and Adelphi Academy in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The original academic building was by Mundell and Teckritz, built in 1868. Pratt acquired the building in the l960s and it houses much of the School of Architecture. Also of Interest Cannon 1720 Bronze, cast in Seville, Spain. Bears the insignia of Philip V. of Spain in bas-relief. Brought to Pratt from the walls of Morro Castle; Havana, Cuba in 1899. Its location on campus has changed over the years. For decades it faced the Main building near the location of the flagpole. It has become a Pratt symbol: the athletic teams are called "Cannoneers" and a residence hall is "Cannoneer Court." Flagpole 1926 Designed by John Mead Howells, sculpture by Willard Paddock, a Pratt graduate. This is a World War I memorial. Fountain c. 1600? Italian marble well-head, converted to a fountain. Purchased by the Pratt family from Duveen in 1900, and said to be from a villa near Milan. Located in the courtyard of the main complex. Porch 1912 A picturesque sculptural ruin, located near the ARC building and next to faculty housing. This was a porch built as the children's entrance to the Library. It was a copy of a Norman-Romanesque style porch on Canterbury Cathedral, England. Removed from the Library during renovation in 1982. Caroline Ladd Pratt House 229 Clinton Avenue 1898 Architects: Babb, Cook and Willard Now the home of the President of Pratt, this house was built by Charles Pratt for his son Frederic and Frederic's wife, Caroline Ladd Pratt. This is the only house on Clinton Avenue belonging to Pratt Institute. Charles Pratt House 232 Clinton Avenue c. 1870 Architect: Ebenezer L. Roberts This was the home of Charles Pratt, the founder of Pratt Institute. It now is part of St. Joseph's College. 241 Clinton Avenue 1893 Architect: William B. Tubby Was the home of Charles M. Pratt, eldest son of the founder of Pratt, this is now the home of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Brooklyn. 245 Clinton Avenue 1901 Architects: Babb, Cook and Willard This was the home of George Dupont Pratt, a son of Charles Pratt. It is now part of St. Joseph's College.