The New York herald., 1868-02-23
NEW BUILDINGS.
Progress Within the Past Year-The PaIafinl
Houses Of Our Mercbants-Their Cost aud
Style Of Building-The Future Of New York.
The Fashi0nnbie Avenues.

Styie oi Bufdfng-The Future oil New YORK
The Fashionable Avenues.
At the present moment there Is no subject
which interests the inhabitants of Manhattan
Island more than the question of rents, the in
crease in the value of property and the immense
Improvements that are being made daily in the
architecture Of our city, The number of
splendid buildings being erected testiies forcibly
TO the advance of commerce in New York and the
success which marks the enterprise of her mer-
chants. New ork, as the metropolis of a republic,
must depend on her business men for her aggran-
dizement and her ornamentation and 1t is, there
fore, that wherever ono sees either palatal
residences or gigantic commercial houses starting
up that such i e be put down as the result of
her enterprise aud the triumph OF her trade.
Many of the old monarchisl countries Of Europe
pride themselves on the splcndor of their build
ings. Rome has her Vatican: Paris, the Tuilrries,
and London, st. James but who built them?
They arc not the result Of enterprise and perse-
verance and legitimate industry. They are the
property of idlers aud the work Of slaves They
arc old, undoubtedly, and monuments 10 remind
one of the tyranny and despotism of the past.
Here we have democratic country, and our most
fashionable avenues are occupied by men who
and who pride themselves on their energy, their
labor and their enterprise, and who DO not sit
down in idle, slothful Incidence, while all around
the hum Of labor is incessant and busy hands are
developing the resources of . great country.
Riches bring riches in almost all lands, but they
generally remain with the same individuals and are
of no benefit whatever to the general public. In
this country especially in this city, it is different
Here the merchant is successful in trade and his
outlay is accordingly liberal. He builds ware
house at almost extravagant cost, or he erects for
his family mansion splendid in design and pa.
latial in appearance and dimension; and his work
benefits not him alone. it Ia Of service to the COM
munity at large and adds materially 10 the beauty
of the city. The new buildings Of New York have
been frequently referred to in the columns Of the
HERALD. and it is but two weeks ago since
article was published descriptive of commercial
houses erected within the past year. To-day the
palatal residences butt finished within the same
period are the subject Of another. Go where one
may in the city, in the avenues where houses
have stood that could rival many OF the
aristocratic tsocalled) mansions Of Europe and
yet one sees improvement on all sides, and more
beautiful new structures take the place of the old,
and 80 great has this progress been and SO rapidly
has it manifested itself that it is considered by
many that in a very short period hotel at Cen
trail Park or even nearer High Bridge will be
looked on rs far more convenient and more easily
approached than was the present Fifth Avenue
Hotel at the time OF its opening. AS proof Of
the onward march up town il may be well to
remark that firm of the wei known hotel pro-
prietors aud the most experienced in the trade
-
towards the opening Of hotel in the vicinity Of
Forty fourth street and Fifth avenue. 1t is also
said that a certain company is being formed
which has for its object the purchase Of several
lots for the same purpose, IN the vicinity OF
st. Luke's Infrmary, W ch tends TO show that
New York advances towards its northern bound
airy for q residence, while the lower portion OF
the city is to be devoted xclusively TO commerce
il may be said the Wholesale trade, for the retail
business is now forcing itself into the most fashion,
able quarters; and the time is not far distant when
the avenues which are now the residing place of
the wealth and fashion of New York win be trans
formed into regular business streets for trade
follows on the heels OF the wealthy, and it is not
too daring to assert that business tends to turn at
Union square, down Fourteenth street to Fifth
avenue and thence to the Park. This win take
time, and the more trade makes her inroads the
more valuable becomes the property; and the
prOprietors of real estate around the avenues are
erecting. at most liberal outlay. mansions excel
ling in architectural beauty and finish anytsisg of
the kind before projected.
FIFTH AVENUE
bears testimony to what IL alleged, for there some
of the most costly residences have been erected
within the past year, and where twelve months
ago, especially in the upper portion, vacant lots
were visible unsightly wooden sbaDties stood,
to-day the ground is covered by the finest build
ngs that could be possibly desired. At tho corner
OF the avenue and Thirty.fourth street Mr.. A. 4.
Stewsrt's building presents itself. 1t is not yet
finished and has ALREADY been described in the
HERALD. Its frontage on the avenue and on
Thirty.fourth street measures respectively one
hundred and ten feet and fifty six feet. The mate
rial used in the structure is the very finest kind of
white marble, which, for n residence especially,
presents pleasing and splendid appearance. The
house, although capacious in design, contains but
three stories, which is and must be desideratum
to the occupants. who will not have such a diff.
Guilty in getting up stairs" TIE rooms, how
ever are consequently higher aud lightsome
and cheerful those on the lower floor are lofty
and roomy and finished in very fine style. The
building alone is estimated TO cost about $700 900,
and the furniture, statuary and other artices Of
ornament and use WILL IL is supposed bring up the
total outlay TO about 81 250. 900. The proprietor,
in his anxiety TO make it beautiful structure, has
paid every attention to safety and soidity and the
foundation and other walls are as deep and thick
az any others IN the city.
Mr. John III. Sherwood has built large num-
her Of residences, which cover the block from
Fortythrd to Forty Fourth street, and were COM
pleted towards the close Of the past year. There
are seven OF them in all. occupying about eleven
more than a million Of dollars. The design Of
each house is distinct, so tat no two the
same aud the number OF rooms vary from sixteen
TO twenty-five; the lots are all l25 feet deep, and
large stables attached. An idea Of the value
of the property may be conceived from the fact
that within the past week or two the proprietor
has refused $40 900 for some Of the houses There
il one thing peculiar about these residences, and
that is the use OF natural wood in the interior fin.
ishng work 1t had been the custom heretofore
in Fifth avenue we'll as in other fashion.
able localities, to use black walnut or
sewood but many good judges imagined
that a more cheerful color would be less gloomy;
then the natural woods were resorted to, aud ia
Mr. Sherwood's buildings, as in others, they have
taken precedence, though at n very heavy aidi-
tional expense. In the wanscotDg cedar, oak
root. satin wood and Others TO the number Of Six.
teen. are used in the finishing; all the finest and
the rarest u timber. Varnish is unknown and
nature takes the place with better effect. Mr..
William II. Vanderbilt iHs very nearly completed
. massive and highly finished brown stone mansion