News

Frank J. Sciame B Arch ‘74 is the new board chair of the Foundation for City College, Inc. at The City College of New York, as of July 1. He succeeds Martin Cohen ’70, D.Sc. (hon.) ’13, chairman and co-founder of investment firm Cohen & Steers, Inc.

Sciame founded F.J. Sciame Construction Co., Inc. in 1975. One of the Tri-State’s leading construction management firms, Sciame Construction’s current projects are valued at more than $1 billion. They include the Frick Collection, the Studio Museum in Harlem, the addition to the New Museum, the repositioning of 22 Vanderbilt, the Christian Dior flagship store, and the Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center.

In 1996, Sciame formed the real estate development firm Sciame Development. Among its many achievements, the firm acquired development rights and engaged Spanish starchitect Santiago Calatrava to design the 80 South Street Tower, which garnered worldwide praise for its remarkable design and iconic architecture. Sciame Development oversaw the landmarking process to preserve and protect the historic character of 70 Pine Street, a one-million-square-foot Art Deco tower in Lower Manhattan. The firm also completed the restoration and conversion of two commercial properties into condominiums in the South Street Seaport Historic District.

Sciame also led the effort to ensure a buildable World Trade Center Memorial. His design recommendations are included as part of National Geographic’s Official Book of the National September 11 Memorial.

Sciame has remained actively involved with CCNY in the five decades since his graduation. A member of the Foundation’s advisory board and its development committee, he received the John H. Finley Award from The Alumni Association of The City College of New York in 2011 for his exemplary service to the city. He is a generous supporter of the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture’s Sciame Lecture Series.

For all of his contributions to CCNY, Sciame was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts by the College in 2004.

“I want to thank Martin Cohen, our founding chair of the Foundation for City College, for his decade of outstanding service and leadership,” said Sciame. “I will continue to honor our City College motto as I follow in Martin’s footsteps: ‘Look behind, look here, look ahead.’ I look forward to working with President Vincent Boudreau, his terrific staff, and the Foundation’s board as we continue to use the Foundation’s incredible resources to make City College the best that it can be.”

Last November, Sciame was one of three individuals to win the 2023 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal from the Municipal Art Society for making a lasting contribution to New York City through vision, leadership, and philanthropy. He is an executive committee board member and past chairman of the New York Landmarks Conservancy and the New York Building Congress. He also serves on the board of the Association for Lower Manhattan and is a member of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Industry Advisory Group.

“Frank Sciame has served the college at every level–on both of our historic Foundation boards, and the Alumni Association Board, and as a Board member for the Spitzer School of Architecture,” said CCNY President Vince Boudreau. “His assumption of the chair for the Foundation for City College Board brings with it two essential features: vast personal experience in the world of philanthropy and public service and deeply committed loyalty to his alma mater and what it stands for. We’re thrilled at the opportunity to move forward under his leadership.”