 The lawsuit significantly depreciated his reputation as an employable architect.After his career was effectively ruined by this and further depressed by the Great Depression, Van Alen focused his attention on teaching sculpture.Van Alen lent his name to the Van Alen Institute, a New York City-based nonprofit organization that is dedicated to improving design in the public realm through a program of exhibitions, competitions, publications, workshops, and forums and is an advocate for active and accessible waterfronts.