, 1874-06-07
the house, and An elevator relieves the tenants
Of tho upper floors from the fatigues Of stair

| the house, and An elevator relieves the tenants
Of tho upper floors from the fatigues Of atair-
| climbing.
| The internal history OF this house neatly Illus
| tzates what promises to be characteristic feA-
ture OF New York life under the coming regime: -
that is, the clustering Of particular social nets
about particular centres. From the hrst, the
Knight House has been the
CHOSEN REFUGE OF ARTISTIC
| and literary people, who are able to find home,
| society, recreation, everything almost which
goes to distinguish civilized Ife,-without pass
| ing from under their Own roof.
| An establishment OF similar character, though
| immensely more ambitious and expensive, il the
| Stevens House, on TwentS-seEenth street, be-
| tween Broadway and Fifth avenue. It was
| opened in 1872, and has since been partially re-
modelled. As an Investment, it has not been
fortunate, Its great height ornate front, and e1-
| trayagant internal decoration making it far
more impressive to the beholder than profitable
to the owner. While it splendldly illustrates ono
phase of the uew order Of domestic architecture,
| its influence On the reform has been hardly
| favorable
The G1osveuor, corner Tenth street and Fifth
avenue, is type unique: Starting With eln-
! ular class of New York families,-a class pos
eessing wealth, crltuzo, refinement, and lore OF
ease, and desiring the security and comfort OF
home life, with none OF its cares,-the designer
Of the Grosvenor brought to tbs task OF supply
ing the demand 8 raro experience 60 success
fu1. hotel-manager, genius for orgh1-
ization, ample means, and nntlrlng Vigil
ancs in the carrying out OF lis plans. Ihe
result is m establishment which may well be
considered q model, since it secures tho economy
OF multiple tenancy and cooperative living, with
the atmosphere OF home. and combines all tho
advantagea of English e1clusiveness and solid
elegance with the utmost independence in al
TINT pertains to individual life. It is, in fact.
Yo4fE
each distinct aud thoroughly secluded, yet all
provided for with the elaborate machinery and
systematic seryica OF tlEst-1ate hotel. r,
The Grosvenor was success from the hTst.
It opened with all its rooms leased Tor terms OF
Tears while scores Of desirable tenenta eagerly
enrolled themselves as candidates for the hrst
vacancies that might occur.
While these frat-rate adventures werc DEM
onstrating the iced OF hpartment-houses for tho
YetY rich and the willingness OF good families to
adopt the style of life which they call fo1, not .
little progress WAS made toward supplying with
similar homes the classes less bountifuly favored
by fortune-not progress enoughto to make houso-
keeping and home-life available to the multitude,
hut quite enough to give clear indication OF
what the future New York dwelling ~ likely TO
oe In the newer districts around the lower end
of Central Park, and along the avenues mp town,
great number Of new houses have nee1 lala al
ont in independent floors, each designed ior
individual housekeeping. Lover down, j. il
nerhborboods lately abandoned by the tide
Of fashion, it has come to be quite =
common practice to convert into hats stylo OF
deep and double houses, no Longer acceptao1 70
to throw together for like purpose groups OF
old style, narrow houses, immensely increhsln3
their capacity and deFirabilit5, besides
DouaLHG THEIR RENTAL.
1ndeed. this method Of adapting old houses to
new uses by changing their plan has become become .
marked feature in tho architectural develop
ment Of the city. ,,, =; rov
The Superintendent OF Buildings in Nav
yorl- estimates that about fifteen permits
month we're issued last season for tho recon-
struction Of old buildings and the erection OF
new ones for apartment use.
Owners Of unoccupied buildings, houses. OF
stores in Chicago should note how money is to
be 1nade out Of them Mr. Richardson eifee
this illustration Of tho profit Of
RECoysTRUCrISG OLD HOUSES
for apartments. Under the direction Of = compe-
tent architect, = group OF five old-style honses
house, with apartments ranging from ewsatys ys
two rooms to three rooms. Inc cnAneo NAG
made at an expense OF $751; 600. The lmmeoate
increase Of rental was $40, ,000a year- Previously
kind could be retained; after the alteration hrst
rate tenants vere plentiful and eager; ana
where originally FIVE families we're lnconVenlen1lJ
housed on the five lots, the same area no" gives
superior hccomnodatlon to twent[ h 1amlnest 4,.rt
4 serious mistake madein most OF the apartment
honses erected in New York has been their e1-
trsynpant cost and their consequent high rents.
Su1tes Of rooms in fashionable localities rent fo1
from 81, 500 to Ct, GOO OK more year. II the e.
ner;ment we're made on the Same FOOLISH scale
in Chicago. it would be foredoomed to failure:
15odarate homes for moderate means ts the great
-,aad ~ Chicaco Theeo must be obtained by
1,T.r.;ca} means. Before the fire, great many
eonIe lived in the business centre in Apartments
nver atores. 4 great deal more room thah tne1o
s.as +han now invites the Same tenancy, nnt tue
ronu1ation that WAS displaced by tho h1o nae no1
been attracted to return. ..ha- bra;naaa
Hnndreds OF the clerks and other ouslness
wan as wolI Is professional men, Wno Hase,
+,;1as averv day to reach their fanlles, eoulo
And Recommendations in these LOFTS, II eney "eao
,,ronarlT prepared, that would NOT only oo
cheaper than -thei1. present homes, oos 'no''
elegant and retired. -.''' ,.,1.r ~
Far nats Of this kind, Of which the elpal!et t "
the n1ona presented on this page may % tsAS4
as IN illustration,
ONE THING II 1NDEsP1SsAslE. .~-
tiTeIy secluded. The practice OF renting the
nnnet flpors of store buildings for tenants is ,
verv common one, but there are very 1e" caseo :a7
n Which tho arrangement Of the rooms enta1es t7a
fbem to the notice OF people Of refinement, 10
say nothing of tho interior, very many OF toein
hnre tho doors Of their rooms opening OIL .
conamon hall. People passing up tho ata1s. o1
throneh this hall command 4 We" OF esely
aoor Tho dlspriyacy OF living IN such way Il
;ato1erable. and no ono should allow Landlord
~ nain or such accommodations upon h1rn. -,
The front door " Of eveEy apartment sno1lu
he At the stair-landing. and no other anou4q p1
Tsble, and this should open into E pr1sate na4t