Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club – Lucile Palmaro Clubhouse

February 08, 1915 - present

The Lucile Palmaro Clubhouse is the flagship site of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club and serves as its largest facility. Opened in 1969 when the organization relocated from Midtown Manhattan, the Clubhouse has since become a vital community anchor and hub for youth development. It currently enrolls more than half of all Kips Bay members across the organization’s ten direct service sites. Next-door is the Club’s Frederic R. Coudert Sports Complex, which features several one-of-a-kind amenities for Bronx youth, including an Olympic-sized swimming pool, the borough’s only ice skating rink, a performing arts hall, and an air-conditioned turf field. The Clubhouse and the Sports Complex are open to all Kips Bay members, regardless of their home clubhouse, with scheduled buses transporting youth from satellite sites. The Palmaro Clubhouse offers a wide range of programs and activities. Members participate in physical education classes and team-based athletics such as baseball, basketball, flag football, soccer, softball, street hockey, and ice skating. A fitness and weight room is also available for teens aged 15 to 18. Beyond recreation, the clubhouse fosters growth, creativity, and leadership through education, arts, and life skills programming in a supportive and inclusive environment. They also offer robust after-school programs for youth ages 6 to 18, including athletic programs, an emotional wellness program, educational programs, and a Teen Services Program. While this site remains the heart of Kips Bay’s work, the organization has grown significantly. It added “& Girls” to its name in 1988, expanded to NYCHA community centers in 2005, opened Camp Sebago in 2006, and has since launched new initiatives like the Culinary Learning Center and a Digital Arts Studio in partnership with Major League Baseball. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kips Bay pivoted to virtual programming and food distribution.