Albert S. Bard
Encyclopedia
Albert S. Bard was a lawyer and civic activist in New York City. A graduate of Amherst College
and Harvard Law School
, he engaged in the practice of corporation and general law until a few years before his death.
Never married, Bard was an energetic participant in civic and urban affairs. Bard exercised his influence through his work on committees of the Bar Association of New York City, the Citizens Union
, and the City Club of New York. Other organizations of which he was a board member or officer included the Honest Ballot Association, Proportional Representation Committee, The National Roadside Council, Fine Arts Federation of New York, and the Municipal Art Society. Bard was known and dreaded for his progressive Republican and anti-Tammany stance.
As a preservationist, he opposed many of Robert Moses
' plans for the development of New York City
. He successfully organized opposition to the Brooklyn-Battery Bridge project and was instrumental in the preservation of Castle Clinton
.
In 1954, Bard drafted an act which was designed to enable cities in New York State to pass laws to protect their landmarks. The Bard Act was the piece of the legislation puzzle that was missing in order for New York City to pass landmark protection legislation. On April 2, 1956, the Bard Act was passed into a law.
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
and Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, he engaged in the practice of corporation and general law until a few years before his death.
Never married, Bard was an energetic participant in civic and urban affairs. Bard exercised his influence through his work on committees of the Bar Association of New York City, the Citizens Union
Citizens Union
Citizens Union is one of the United States' first good government groups. Founded in 1897 as a political party, the group was reconstituted in 1908 as a non-partisan member organization with the broad mission of serving "as a watchdog for the public interest and an advocate for the common...
, and the City Club of New York. Other organizations of which he was a board member or officer included the Honest Ballot Association, Proportional Representation Committee, The National Roadside Council, Fine Arts Federation of New York, and the Municipal Art Society. Bard was known and dreaded for his progressive Republican and anti-Tammany stance.
Preservationist
Bard had a particular interest in the protection of city streets and rural landscapes from the broadening of advertisements and billboards. From 1912-1914 Bard served as secretary and legal counsel to the Mayor's Billboard Advertising Commission and was the author of its final report. On a national scale, Bard took on corporations such as Standard Oil and lobbies including the Outdoor Advertising Association of America as legal counsel to the National Roadside Council from 1924- 1955. The Council which lobbied for the regulation of outdoor advertising, and, in the absence of legislation, putting consumer pressure on corporations to reduce offensive advertising.As a preservationist, he opposed many of Robert Moses
Robert Moses
Robert Moses was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City, Long Island, Rockland County, and Westchester County, New York. As the shaper of a modern city, he is sometimes compared to Baron Haussmann of Second Empire Paris, and is one of the most polarizing figures in the history of...
' plans for the development of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He successfully organized opposition to the Brooklyn-Battery Bridge project and was instrumental in the preservation of Castle Clinton
Castle Clinton
Castle Clinton or Fort Clinton, once known as Castle Garden, is a circular sandstone fort now located in Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan Island, New York City, in the United States. It is perhaps best remembered as America's first immigration station , where more than 8 million...
.
In 1954, Bard drafted an act which was designed to enable cities in New York State to pass laws to protect their landmarks. The Bard Act was the piece of the legislation puzzle that was missing in order for New York City to pass landmark protection legislation. On April 2, 1956, the Bard Act was passed into a law.