Daily News from New York, New York • 373

CLUBS FROM PAGE ONE Club at 1. W. 54th St, but after much wrangling, the club caved in, and in June voted to allow women in. The Century Club at 7 W. 43d St, founded in 1847 by a group of intellectuals, was also a subject of a complaint until the fall of 1986 when it made a complex deal with the Human Rights Commission.

The commission has agreed not to enforce Public Law 63 upon the association until told to do by the highest court of the land, the U.S. Supreme Court The case is now before the court Protest reveberations also are sending tremors to other genteel clubs. For example, the Yale Club, housed in a 25-story building at 50 Vanderbilt Ave. off W. 44th five years ago voted to allow women members.

However, since the pool was located in the men's locker room and because the men liked to swim, in the buff, that area was off-limits to women. Want to use pool The women complained heartily and, though the club initially had plead poverty, plans are now on the drawing board for opening the pool to women as part of a 10-year, $1.25 million renovation of the entire club's facilities. Another example is the posh Metropolitan Club on the corner of Fifth Ave. at 60th St, which was founded by J.P. Morgan in 1891 when he became miffed over being unable to get a friend into another club.

This club's battle is not about women and non-whites, since according to club president William Miller, both have been allowed membership for the past 20 years or so. This fight is about the air rights over its five-story marble structure, which was designed in the Italian Renaissance style and finished in 1894 by McKim, Mead and White. The club wants to sell the air rights to real-estate developer George Klein for a cool $17 million. Klein would use the 400 feet air rights to construct a 37-story tower housing luxurious condos and commercial space. The club is a city landmark, and a corps of Manhattan's preservationists, as well as some club members, are against the move, saying that the skyscraper would "overwhelm" the palazzo-style club house and its wrought-iron fenced courtyard, and UNLIKE other clubs' membership battles, the Metropolitan Club is embroiled in a controversy over air rights.

Manhattan, and is owned by Fraydun (Fred) Mano-cherian, who is facing a lawsuit by four former employes. This club's fight began back in the spring of 1983 when two black porters, George Miles and Michael Mcintosh, allegedly were told by higher-ups at the W. 54th St branch where they worked that they could no longer use club facilities as a perk because of their race. They complained first, then quit Two salesmen at the club supported the porters in their allegations, and they were fired. All four filed a federal civil-rights suit, which is pending.

At another club. The Player's Club, founded by actor Edwin Booth almost 100 years ago and located in a townhouse on Gramercy Park South where architect Stanford White once lived women were recently voted in as members. also block out lights and sunlight from its neighbors, namely the elegant Pierre Hotel. Though the Metropolitan Club has been dubbed the "Millionaires' Club" over the years, club offi-. cials say bluntly that they need the money from the real-estate deal to maintain the elaborate structure.

The issue is now before the city Landmarks Preservation Commission, which is not expected to rule for several months. A fierce fight But perhaps the fiercest fights occurring at any club is at the Health and Racquet Club, which may not be able to count the lineage of its members back several generations, but require bucks for membership and therefore, is exclusionary, too. The Health and Racquet Club has six branches in tnJOu2S013 fels ff SUED By J. SAUWPERS aft iofflG By DJ. SAUNDERS In the long run, business was the bottom line; women in business began clamouring for a place to unwind after a long day at the office, in the same fashion as the "old boys" network.

This is not to say that discrimination on the basis of race, color, and creed was not prevalent; but, according to Adler, "It is more difficult to prove and is not written in club by-aws" like sex discrimination. Consequently, after holding extensive hearings in the mid-1970s, the Human Rights Commission issued a report that concluded, "It is an accepted cliche of executive life that more is accomplished in club bars and dining rooms than in the office." In other words, the working women, especially those in executive positions, were being excluded from one of the major scenes of the market place. Shortly after Public Law 63 went into effect the Rights Commission sent notices and questionnaires to many of the clubs. Some clubs immediately agreed to allow women in as members. Others said that, since they don't serve meals and since there are no business activities on the premises, they are exempt And others did not respond at all.

The New York State Club Association, which represents several hundred private clubs in the state, Daily News Staff Writer Much of the impetus for the conflict taking place at private clubs today in Manhattan results from Public Law 63, which the city enacted in October 1984 as an amendment to its human-rights legislation. The law went into effect in October 1985. According to Marcel Adler, a spokesman for the Human Rights Commission, Public Law 63-distin-quishes between what is a "distinctly private" club versus a "public accommodation." It is against the law for public accommodations to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, or sex. However, Public Law 63 allows for "distinctly private" clubs to exist as all-male or all-female or all-narcissus lovers or beaver-hat affi-cinados, or for any other reason of comaraderie as long as the club does not: Have more than 400 members; E3 Serve meals on a regular basis; HRent out space for non-members; Or allow members to deduct their membership on their income tax as a business expense or be reimbursed by 'their company for club expenses. Obviously, there were many "distinctly private" clubs not meeting this criteria, and this is why after 150 years the City of New York legislated that these clubs would have 1 for the slight but "rather sorry" for the club members she was scheduled to meet for being a part of such an anachronistic tradition.

In many clubs in days gone by, there were separate entrances and separate elevators for women allowed in only as guests, at specific times and in specific locations. Contrast Hester's experience at the University Club with the policies of the 116-year-old Metropolitan Club a few blocks up Fifth Ave. at 60th St "We've had a classification of "women members for more years than I can remember, 20, 25 said president William Miller, "with all the rights of male members, including the gymnasium." He said that formerly there was "a mere technicality" which did not give the women the right to vote at meetings. In return, their dues and memberships fees are less. Miller would not disclose what the annual costs are but agreed that for club memberships in general the figure of $2,000 a year is not far off the mark.

William said that after Public Law 63 went into effect "with all the flap" with the other clubs, the Metropolitan Club gave women the right to vote. The rules were also amended to make the women pay the same dues and fees as the men. Daily News Staff Writer Hester (who asked that her last name not be used) is a woman in her early 50s who has two doctorates, a law degree, and three honorary doctorates. She is on the board of directors of several philanthropic and environmental organizations as well as one corporation. She has served on two White House commissions.

She is not a member of a prestigious private club. Several years ago Hester was snubbed at the University Club at 1 W. 54th St, which until recently was an all-male "gentlemen's club." "I can't tell you how rudely I was treated when I went to the University Club for a meeting with several men who happened to be members," said Hester. "As I entered the main lounge, a steward who, it is a safe assumption, did not have a university degree, tapped me on the shoulder and told me that I must wait in a lounge reserved for the ladies. I turned around and left.

If anybody should be a member of a university club, I should be." The University Club was founded in 1865 by graduates of Harvard, bia and Yale for graduates of Ivy League colleges.t'c b.10 jj" Hester said she did not feel insulted filed suit against the city 4 aW to change the face of their icuipi iu uveriuru uie law, ana me fight has been on ever since..