In April 1921, 25 architects, engineers, contractors, and “labor men” met in the office of world-renowned architect Robert D. Kohn. These men were concerned that the building and construction industry was disorganized. They left that meeting with the goal of creating an organization of owners, bankers, architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, manufacturers, suppliers, and labor representatives.

In the words of Mr. Kohn: “We started out with the idea that the only hope for effective improvement in the industry was to render through cooperation of all of its elements some measure of service which the public had the right to demand of us.”

Out of this meeting was born the New York Building Congress.

100 years later, ten of the original members still remain an active part of the organization.