New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-31
APARTMENT HOUSES.
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FRENCH
FLATS.

EXPLANATION or TIE TENDENCY OF PROPERTY
OWNERS TO BUILD LARGE APARTMENT HOUSES
VIEWS OF PROMINENT ARCHITECT-DEschIP-
TON OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS or BUILDINGS
ALREADY ERHCTED-THE ALBANY, THE SARA
ToaA, THE srUYvEsANT, THE HEIDELBERG, AND
OTHER BUIIDINGs-PRoBABIIITY THAT The SUI
PLY WILL BE RAPIDLY INCREASED.
The tendency toward the building OF apart
meut houses French flats, has never been 20 sone
In this city as It is this summer. tour throush
the upper section OF New-i0rk shows tGat Tue
greater part Of building operations now In prog
ress in various avenues and streets is devoted
to the erection Of apartment houses OF 10
the alteration OF private residences and old tenemens
into what are generally known as French hats Along
Broadway, above Fortysecondst In Fourtlavc', III
s.xhave and in many OF the side streets, these apart
houses erecting this year with rapid growth Inc
Albany the Saratoga the KeDsington and the heepere
will be known before the end OF this building season as
the names of the pretentious edccs for private
residences to be found within the Metropolis, where
eight years ago the Stuyvesant tho only apartment
house designated 10y proper name. Those above mei
toned are, however, not the only ones now hhisheu
or nearly completed. There are a large number, OF
smaller dimensions now In process OF erection ana
Others lust finished while several architects are prepar
ing plans for still more in other parts OF the CITY, Upon
nguirng the OF this sudden desire on the part
of property-owners supply Ncw-York with 80 many
Of particular class Of buildings the reporter OF THE
TRIBUNE directed to the Messs JardiDe architects
In Broadway who, for the past few years, have made
special business Of building apartment houses. MI
Jardine said
"There arc really only about $50 good apartment
houses IN this city and there is for great many
more Propery-owncrs have found out, at last, that
good fats moderate rents pay better than any ohrr
property. In fact 1t is the only props ry just now That
Is paying handsome return. Some of the best
may be too expensive, az yet, Tor some
classes of the population, but, nevertheless
suites in buildings like the Albany were let
even before they finished and everywhere there Is
demand for more large number OF propertyowners
have become aversc to building common tenements,
the past Winter has taught them severe lesson so
many wOrkingmen being out of employ and unable 10
nay their rent In their houses they have to
deal with different class OF people, willing and able
to pay their rents at all times. There are
any number of old foges who say that this year people
are going to the fiat business in the ground but We
cannot agree with them. When New-Y0rk has finished
with supplying apartment residences at moderate rents
for frugal lawyers judges, stock brokers, etc. We VIII
have build still different hats at lower rents for clerks
salcsmen skilled artisans, and others, who only have
moderate incomes, and who now compelled 20 i've
either in boarding houses or move to Brooklyn
and New,Jersey. These apartment buildings Will
always pay. Whole houses too expensive luNlIle-
the greater part OF Our population AMI large num-
Der Of those who afford TO live in house entirely by
themselves prefer these suites especially rs IN summer
time they need retain their servants when they move
to the country They stay IA long as they please
aud no burglar them If their household goods ~
the antor after everything and has charge of the
premises the famiIys absence This year there Is
activity in building these apartment houses, on
account OF the great which has attended
the opening of the Albany IN May last, but also
on account OF the decline in the price of labor and build
Iy,,N hama I'D Ia
ast few years, and they all pay handsome incomes to
the owners. Take, for instance, the Be;z block. In
Ninthayc, between Fort y-fourth and Forty-hfthsts,
built in 1872 There suites there for p families, and
they have always been rented"
ACCOMMODATIONS FURNISHED IN FRENCH FLATS.
Mr. Jarline then showed The ground plan OF apart
ment house in Fifty-sixthst., between Broadway and
scyent!.-aye. This building, which was finished two
years ago. 10 suites Of rooms occupied by law
yers clerrymen stock brokers and by banker The
poet C. steman occupies Of the suites The oeeu-
pants pay AN average OF 300 per month, which In
cludes Steamboat and janitor's services. There
are no dark whatever in this build
ing, and the plan here shown IL nearly
similar in all apartment buildings OF the same style tn
following will give correct idea of what each suite in
the Fifty-sixth-st. building contains Parlor, sleove
dressing closet, three bedrooms. dinng-room, store
closet bathroom kitchen, pantry, refgeraors clothes
dryer. was-;ubs, servants room. elevator dresser
closets, private hall, main hall, private stars
These same accommodations can be had very soon m
other a. S%sr n only Wes Sas sre
St apartment building, 25XJs, with ten suites oI
rooms j. nearly nn'hed where the suites N T5 Sa'
near Fttysevenh-st. a building 3?.5x75, IL now
Each dat contains eight rooms. fair STYLE and viii rent
for about $50 per month. An apartment house ia
Tnrtcenth-st near Eghthave finished ak months ago.
in the same style the one in Ninth-ave., above
described,is already paying a good income.
The old Somerve Gallery at Fourteenth-st. and Firth
ave. opposite DemonicOs, will soon he handed over to
the builder transformed into apartment house
The plans already prepared the architect provide for
ten suites in avc-story building The owner Is
Henry Van Schaick lawyer Of WgIl-st. The house OF
william H. Webb, at No. ~ Sc. Marks-plaee, IL being al
tered into flats, and the work IL about half done
apartment houses are being finished now on Tenth
ave and sixtieth-st. They the property OF John
Paine Each house win hold four families. These Hats
are ntonded for mechanics OF the better class Build
ings of style erecting also at NO 249 East
Fifty-secondst 2Jx70 where the hats will be provided
in story brown-sOne house, the properly Oh MIS-
Della OBren; also at the south corner Of Forty
eighth-st. ana rhrdave, where hyestory building Tor
that purpose under On tile nortn SIDE OF
Fourteenthst, between Fifth aud sixtiayes, Mr. Van
E Sr - asa soas while 50
a fourstory brick building Is erecting for the same
purposes.
The great Impetus however, to the building Of first
class apartment houses, especially along the line OF
upper Broadway, has been given by the Albany,
which occupies the entire block Broadway between
Fffyrst and FiftysecOndsts There are 81 suites OF
rooms all occupied Among the occupants IL Judge Barrett
The rents average about 800 per month"; but they
are also cheaper according to size and location This
building il more In accordance with the European model
than any other apartment house yet finished 1t has
court with fountain in the center, and there are Two
prlnclpa entrances the building one on Fty-hrstst
and one on Fysecondst The vestiule leads to the man
entrance hall and grand staircase hail. The staircase Is
handsmueIy wainseOted and well lighted and leads "a
t% coroys ON the various floors which conduct % the
a,rt,nents The halls laid with marble tiles. The