Background
Lay, Charles Downing was born on September 3, 1877 in Newburgh, New York, United States. Son of Oliver Ingraham and Hester Marian (Wait) Lay.
Lay, Charles Downing was born on September 3, 1877 in Newburgh, New York, United States. Son of Oliver Ingraham and Hester Marian (Wait) Lay.
Student School of Architecture, Columbia, 1896-1900. Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture, Harvard, 1902. Studied art with Mahonri Young, Allen Tucker, Gifford Beal.
Member Lay & Wheelwright, 1911-1914. Associated, 1910, with Professor H. V. Hubbard and R. Wheelwright, as Lay, Hubbard & Wheelwright, and founded Landscape Architecture (quarterly magazine), editor and manager same until 1921. Landscape architect Department of Parks, City of New York, 1913-1914.
Made plans for improvement, of Albany, New York. Planner for United States Housing Corporation. Designer of Marine Park, Brooklyn.
Landscape architect for many parks, subdivisions, private estates, gardens, etc. Consultant on landscape architecture New York World’s Fair, 1939. Received Oberlaender Trust grant for study of public recreation in Germanic countries, 1934, silver medal for plans Marine Park (Brooklyn), XI Olympiad (Berlin), 1936.
Member Lay & Wheelwright, 1911-1914. Member National Academy Design, president Association of the Arts Comn. Fellow american Society Landscape Architects.
Member American Institute of Planners, American International Assurance, Art Students League of New York, Delta Upsilon. Clubs: Century Association, National Arts.
Married Laura B. Gill, October 1, 1904. Children: Oliver Ingraham, Alice Julia, David, George Cowles, Laurence (deceased).