THEN

Built by architect Adolph Mertin for the Singing Society of the Austrians in 1927-29 and often called Austrian Hall, it seems apt that for most of its history the New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute, the oldest psychoanalytic organization in the United States, has called it home. Founded in 1911 by Dr. Abraham A. Brill, an Austrian immigrant and early translator of the founder of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud, the Institute acquired this understated four-story structure in the mid-1940s to train psychologists and operate a treatment center for returning war veterans. At the time, the entrances were inscribed with each organization’s name and the center window was probably filled with glass block to respect the privacy of patients. Today, the Institute claims one of the largest psychoanalytical libraries in the world. Prior to World War II, the building contained a large meeting hall and Huber’s Wiener Restaurant, where guests could enjoy “good food” and Viennese music. The parapet, where a open-air roof terrace was originally located, has been altered.