What Would You Do?

artistic rendering of the new library in Billings (maybe)

I’m not in short supply of things to worry about, in fact my list grows and replenishes itself regularly, but I’m pretty certain that I’ll never have to stress over the choice of whether or not to make my million dollar donation to the library anonymous. 

But Steven Schwarzman got me thinking.  When Schwarzman gave $100 million to The New York Public Library in 2008, they not only renamed the main library for him, but they also carved his name in the century old marble facade and sprinkled gold plaques at the entrance for all to see.  No doubt about it, $100 million is a huge gift, an enormous gift, an unbelievable gift, no matter what your net worth, but does it feel better to give if you’re thanked in such a dramatic, public way?  I suppose it comes down to motivation.  Why did Schwarzman give and what was he hoping for in return?  After reading Daniel Pink’s book, Drive, I wonder if he was intrinsically motivated to do good in the world or was he looking for an extrinsic reward.  Since he’s not answering my calls we won’t ever know...

I ended up back in Billings, Montana for a counterpoint (more about Billings in my post ‘No Respect’).  Last October, Bill Cochran, the director of the Parmly Billings Library announced that an anonymous donor had come forward and offered $2 million toward the creation of a new city library.  The only catch was that the donor wanted to be involved in the library design.  According to Matt Hagengruber’s article in a Billing Gazette article, the donor wanted to ensure that the building was “architecturally appealing” (which could mean anything).  The donor is not concerned with the building’s location, interior or name but does want the facility to have “architectural significance”.  The $2 million gift cropped up at the beginning of the library foundations fundraising campaign to raise $5 million in private support for a new library.  

I don’t really want a library named after me, but how much fun would it be to play library architect - and actually have some clout!  That’s a bargaining chip I would enjoy.
The library foundation recently revealed the prospective model of the library designed by Will Brueder, of the firm will brueder + PARTNERS, who is well known for the design of two Phoenix libraries and the Nevada Museum of Art, looks like the donor approves of modern design..
Check out Brueder in action, explaining the features of his design, his enthusiasm is contagious- I have my fingers crossed that Billings will step up to the challenge of raising the remaining money and that the city will approve the bond.  While $2 million isn’t $100 million, it still is an awful lot of money.  Why didn’t this donor need the public thanks and recognition that was certainly their due?
Well, as the great philosopher Dr. Seuss wondered, “What would you do, if your mother asked you?

A New Benefactor

Photo by Christina Hribar, New York Magazine

The recipe for the New York Public Library includes a long ingredient list of smart and/or wealthy men:  Astor, Lenox, Tilden, Bigelow, Billings,  Carrere, Hastings....but what about Schwarzman, the name now etched in the marble and plated in gold at the library’s entrances?  Where did he come from and why is the Central Reference Building of the New York Public Library named after him?  

Schwarzman came from Philadelphia and after gathering an education at Yale and Harvard moved onto NYC where he co-founded the Blackstone Group, a rather successful private equity group.  The 64 year old billionaire epitomizes the not too pretty image of the aggressive Wall Street investment banker (a 2008 profile in The New Yorker by James Stewart, offers a revealing peek into his personality and motivations).  While he doesn’t exactly fit the Carnegie/Buffet/Gates mold and, as of 2010 had not yet committed to the “Giving Pledge”, he did initiate ‘The Blackstone Foundation’ in 2007, “a $50 million five-year commitment to support innovative programs that foster entrepreneurship and, in turn, the high-growth businesses and industries that are most known to spark economic growth and produce enduring results in geographies hardest hit by the global economic crisis.”  He also serves on the board of trustees of numerous non-profit organizations, including the New York Public Library.  

On March 11, 2008, Schwarzman made the announcement that he would give $100 million to the NYPL as part of their billion dollar expansion plan.  The gift was the largest single gift in the library’s history and, according to an article in Library Journal, the largest "outright, unrestricted gift by an individual to any cultural organization in New York City,"  Schwarzman reported that the library approached him with an offer,  ‘We’d like you to be the lead gift and give us $100 million and we’d like to rename the main branch after you.” He replied, “That sounds pretty good. ”

New York Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously agreed to add Schwarzman’s name to the library’s facade in 5 places; at the base of the two columns at the main entrance, on the floor outside the front door and in the marble below the lamps at the 42nd street entrance - it was the first major change to the exterior of the building in a century.  They was great discussion over the locations of Schwarzman’s name and the height of the lettering.  According to Marc Santora’s article in the NYT, “the letters will range from 1 to 2 ½ inches in height.  The name will not be as big as some others high atop the facade on Fifth Avenue — like Astor and Tilden — but it will be visible to all who pass by or ascend the steps.”

The change stirred up some concern about the precedent set by such “excessive” thanks but the library’s director, Paul LeClerc, promised that they would never again ask to carve a name into the library’s facade and argued that just as Astor, Lenox and Tilden’s fortunes had created the library, Schwarzman’s gift will allow the library to continue to thrive into the 21st century.
My guess is that Tilden, Lenox, and certainly Astor, would welcome the newest member of the “Library Club” with open arms, as long as they don’t have to sacrifice any of their space at the marble entrance.