Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-18

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N thc wset AIDE 81 the city an enormous
nrcsoneut hou~e hss recepily been com.
o2r1rd. Il occupies seven city iots, and rises
~ ne height Of nearly two hundred feet
shcve The naycment. The cellars are blasted
,kjrty feet deep In The solid rock. on which
tHe village goats gamtolicd 10 the days
81 cid New York. BeneatG the sidewalks
sh<se are spasious apartments. and an nm.
aerRroupd passage stretches back nearly
Shres hundred feel to the street 10 rear Of
~ structure. The building II In the
eeyle si the Italian Renaissance. A brown
steue church occupies the lot on either side
~ H. Twenty-Five years ago these places Of
Wsrship were marked among the principal
beiIdipgs Of this part Of New York. Even
Rev an atmosphere OF quiet and sub
sonntial responsibility seems 10 emanate
hen them and envelope the neigbbor which
oveTsbadcws them. The castle-iike bower
u one % these churches does not reach
ball wsy up the side az the apartment
heuec, and the nth story Of the % parsoa-
age Is on a level with the Clover" par
leys Of the apartment. house. Height u no
objection In q modern apartment In the
esswc OF New York, provided there are
"rnpid" elevators and no stairways 70
climb except a. a matter Of relaxation and
exercise. Rents do not lessen apprcciabiy
with the altitude.
This house ~ ono ~ the cooperative
apartment houses Of the city, built not
with a view TO private speculation, but
with the purpose OF combining The
semforts OF q bone and a pri-
vate hotel. Some fifty persons OF means
srfsnized stock company for the pur-
pose Of building the house. They have
expended on Il a million and quarter.
There are ninefy.scven suits Of apartments
ranging from three TO twelve rooms In
each. The srea;er part OF these are
lsssed BY the stockholders fof term OF
YEAR, while those that are rented with the
stores in the street front afford q yearly
revenue OF over 100000. far more tban
snengh for taxes. repairs, and current ex-
pspsss. No expense has been spared 10
contribute 10 comfort and convenience.
The structure Is Gre-proof. Only The ilir-
iturs and trimmings are eomb,lstIbie. Inc
woodwork OF the apartments ~ OF mahos-
sny, cherry or lightwood, ne the owners
taste prefers. and The frescoipg OF the apart
nspts Is also In designs Of the owners
ehsice.
Probably more than n thousand persons
will find homes or occupation In this vast
building. A large force OF employees will
Be required 10 conduct the ds,ly routine.
These will have rooms in building In the
rear. The kitchen, laundry. refrigera.ors.
hu,cber. shop, coal rooms. engines OF 200
horse power, Gas and electric-light sppara-
aus are in the cellars and under the front
,idewalk. Most of the families have two
or more servants Of their own. In
the suits there pre- Kitchens. with ranges
for cooking by ges or steam. II the iaRllles
do not wish 10 go ~ the restaurant. Each
family may give Its order from it, own
rooms and have the meals sent to the apart
mspt The meals aIe provided Tor the stock
holders on q basis nearly nj cost. Each
set Of apartments has CRATES and open
freplaces IN addition 10 steam beat. and
the coal In furnished at cost. The
tenth and eleventh stories are finished
with the same elegance ~ the rest OF
the building. but especially for artists
studios. In the Basement there Il q barber
shop. On the twelfth story suit OF rooms
has been isolated from all approach except
hy The roof. and furnished with no less care
than other parts OF the house. This Is
known a. the hospital. A person sick OF
sry contagious disease could receive all at.
teDfion and care in this room without the
least danger To any other occupant OF the
house.
The roof Of the building commands one
Of the finest views In the city. The eye
passes unobsiructed from the Lower Bay
to the Sound. far up the Hudson and back
Of Jersey Heights. The roof has a floor OF
brick M solid as IA Broadway pavement. and
Is surrounded with ahigh balusirade. This
will be the playground OF the children with
their nurses In fine weather. During the
summer the roof viii be laid out in garden
plots and parttrres, with awnings Tor pro-
lection from the sun. An elevator runs up
10 the roof. and meals may be taken there.