Membership Institutions

The Council on Foreign Relations is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank and publisher.  Founded in 1921, the institution is dedicated to increasing America’s understanding of the world and contributing ideas to U.S. foreign policy.

The Council on Foreign Relations embarked on a major renovation and expansion of its New York headquarters, located in the landmarked Harold Pratt House on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.  The program involved the reorganization of its interconnected campus of five historic buildings to improve the circulation and functional use of space.  The project also featured the creation of a state-of-the-art conferencing facility with video-conferencing capabilities that link the Council on Foreign Relation’s headquarters with collaborators across the globe. The facility hosts over 250 events annually, ranging from panel discussions and lectures to town hall meetings and film screenings.

The Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Manhattan—the largest JCC in the US—provides a deep and thoughtful mix of cultural, educational, and recreational programs and events for both children and adults. The demand for diverse program offerings and membership growth spurred the need for a major new multi-use facility. The new facility was designed to host a variety of spaces, including a multipurpose auditorium, nursery school with an innovative rooftop playground, 12 specialty classrooms, library, swimming pool, full-sized gym, health and wellness center and administrative offices.