In photos pinned up on the walls of his workshop and office, Richard Tenguerian stands like a giant among some of New York's most famous buildings. He leans into Yankee Stadium. He looks up at towers, which reflect his image. He bear hugs skyscrapers, lifting them off of their bases.
Modern private social clubs (which are usually seen as distinct from fraternal organizations such as the Masons or the Revolutionary War-era Society of Cincinnati) trace their origins back to the coffeehouses of 17th-century London.