Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-23
THE BUILDING ROOM.
More Houses Going Vp.
THE FRENCH FLAT BUILDING.

THE FRENCH FLAT BUILDING.
The large and magnificent tenement house
| or what is known as the French fiat com.
| menced last season, on the square bounded by
| Vermont avenue and l4th street and and L
| streets northwest, for Mr.. Edward Weston. OF
| New York, Is now completed and WIN soon be
| occupied The size OF this building. It's novelty
OF purpose, great capacity, convenience, high
I ceilipgs, fine proportions and adaptaoillty OF
rooms, hne interior nnish and handsome exte.
object Ia the way OF dwelling house architec-
ture, and ADDS greatly 70 the attractions in that
section OF the city. It fronts Ill feet on YER
mont avenue and 10 feet on 14th street. Is six
stories high, besides basement, and is SIS feet
high from the ground to the roof. The building
covers an area OF $50 square feet and is built
absolutely f1re-preof walls outside and inside,
and fire proof partitions to the entire exclusion
OF wood work. It's floors are all nre
and one halt inches thickness ness laid in the the
intersticee OF the floor beams. flush with their
upper faces It has wide iron stair case OF
iron ratings. and by iron wlrework TO the height
sof man. These lights land On each story on
spacious vesti5ules. with marble floors laid on
brick arches, between rolled iron beams
Within the walls (or well hole OF these stairs
I there is hydraulic elevator OF most approved
/ construction, with huge wrought iron tank
water for running the elevator for the house
should the steam pumps, by any means,
be disabled. There are iron service stairs.
bck Wss and 70 5o9 r siH on son
Which 5000 tons OF water are stored in
iron tanks. supported by rolled iron beams.
THIS stairway Is also really an uaoroken fire
steam throughout, and water Is abuldautly
supplied to "a bath rooms in the different
stories The basement story contains store
rooms, kitchen, laundry, engine room, steam
pump. Jan1t0T'5 apartments &C.; the first story,
restaurant. gentlemen and ladies' dining rooms
and two flats; the second. third and fourth sto-
sdining. room. three chambers, bathroom,
kitchen. pantry and closets; nth ana
as ohaxng pan
are two entrance ways. one on 14th street and
one on Vermont avenue. The latter is
has been to sas S0nsy
way, and large ornamental gas lamps erected
on either side OF the entrance way. The cost
OF this ground and building was about 1875, 900,
sign, many pleasant surroundings, easy access
to the upper apartments where the air is purer
and free from the heat and dust Of lodgings
neaIer the ground, win always secure for it
tenants who can afford to pay a fair rent: and
there is no doubt but the Investment will pay
It is hardly probable that this system of
living will prevail to any considerable extent In
this city, where there Is an abundance OF room
for building purposes; but In certain local..
especially when built with the view to
convenience and safety, as has this fine struc-
lure Thlrteen years ago New York was
the class OF people In moderate circumstances
Now, there are many thousands OF them in that
City, and great numbe rs Of the Inhabitants OF
large or comfortable incomes are gathered into
SUCH houses. The first apartment house in that
city was built In 1869, but not until 1873 did
those kind of dwellings begin to be erected ia
large nun numbers In that year. It is stated l12
1884 such establishments in that city, and
during the present year. 1t Is said the number
VIII be largely Increased The prices charged
popular manner of living, but should they
continue to be put up the rents will doubtless
be adapted to the circumstances OF the occu-
pants. Their advantage seems to be that they
enable many families TO have homes of
their own management in the central parts
OF 5t cities, who would otherwise be compelled to
ye or e. to rm parts
Improvement OF the elevator has made the
erection Of these kind OF houses possible. The
use OF hydraulic pressure to work them, In
place OF steam, as In the case OF this building of
Mr.. Weston's, on plan designed by the archI.
tects, MessTs. Cluss and Schultz, Is novelty,
and decreases the expense.
Mr. John 7. Lehman has awarded the con.
tract and will soon commence the erection Of
two fine wellings on street northwest, be
tween 9th and 9TH streets. Each house will
have front OF 20 feet and depth of 40 feet, and
will be three stories high. with finished base
ment. Ample coal vaults are provided FOR
each house, and all modern conVeniences in
trOduced. The fronts Will be faced with
press brick. laid In dark mortar, and the
trimmings over doors and windows formed
made with moulded brick and guaranteed iron.
The parlors VIII be trimmed In cherry, with
handsome cherry mantels IN parlors and dining
poplar, and the third stories in pine, and
finished In hard OIL and wax varnish. John B.
Brady is the architect. Cost $4,000.
Mr.. Brady has prepared plans for first class
store, to be erected on the north side OF New
York avenue, between 14th and 18th, for Mr..
Jno. I. Lehman The building will be Is feet
front and 30 feet deep; four stories high. The
store front Will have large receding show win
doWs and sliding entrance door, and at rear end
OF store, on each side. wide easy staircaSes as
ceLd to stories above; and the space between
staircases utilized for private Office room en-
closed with poplar beaded PARTITION, broken
with neat pilasIers ana crowned with a hand
some cornlce. The I'd, Sd and atm stories each
have show room of the same dimensions as
store, with high ceilings and large windows
The front Of store will nave iron columns, pi-
lasters and iron cornices. and the superstructure
faced with press brick with brown stone trim
miDgs to windows and neat cornice formed
with brick, stone and galvanized iron. In the
CINE room will be constructed, and large
platform elevator VIII be put up in the store for
carrying goods to the upper stories, and
buildibg " viii be heated BY 1V steam and steam
heating will be introduced into the adjoining
buildings, belonging to Mr.. Lehman. The cost
OF this Improvement win be $50, 900.
On H street northwest, between 18th and
18th, the erection Of two houses aas been COM
melced for NJ. G.. c. Glover. Each of these
dwellings will be 20 feet front and 81 feet deep,
three stories high, with finished Easements;
Easements contain furnace room, servants
room. kitchen, laundry. store roons, &C.; the
principal stories, parlor, library. dining room
and buffers pantry. The second and third
stories contain conveniently arranged bed
rooms, with ample closets, bath rooms &c. The
parlor stories Will be trimmed with poplar, and
the upper stories With pine, and finished In
hard Oil and wax Vanished. The mantels for
all rooms will be OF wood of neat designs. The
fronts, broken with bay windows extending to
roof, will be faced with press brick, with mould
ed brtck arches over doors and windows, and
main cornices formed with brick and crowned
With galvanized iron. John b Brady Is the
architect and Charles Edmonston builder
Cost, SIS, 600.
Mr.. Brady Is about to erect three houses on
the corner OF Stoddard and Montgomery
streets, Georgetown, for DR.. Louis Mackall.
Each mouse Will be 20 feet front and 63 feet
deep, TWO stories high and finished Easements
The fronts are OF press brick, with bay win.
COWS extending 10 roof, and stone trimmings
10 doors and windows, and brick and galvAn.
ized iron c0rnlceS. The interior of these will
De trimmed with pine, finished In Oil and var
nished: cost $4,000.
Work is progressing rapidly on d. Clay Stew