, 1885-01-16
A TENEMENT HOUSE
WHICH RISES TWO HUNDRED FEET
IN THE AIR.


New York Tdbunel
On the west side OF the city an enormous
apartment house has recently been com
pletsd- II occupies seven city lots, and rises
to the height Of nearly 200 feet above the
pavement. The cellars nre blasted thirty
feet deep In the solid rock on which the VII
lage goats Ramboled In the days of old Now
York Beneath the sidewalks there are spa
cious apartments. and an underground
passage stretches back nearly 800 feet TO the
street in the rear Of the structure. Tho
building is in the style Of the italian Renais-
sance. A brown stone church occupies the
lot on either side OF it Twenty-Five years
ago these places Of worship were marked
among the principal buildings of this part Of
New York Even now an atmosphere Of
quiet and substantial re~spectability seems to
emanate from them and envelop the neigh
Dor which overzhadows them The castle
like tower Of one Of these churches does not
reach half way up the side Of the apartment
house, and the 9th story Of the parsonage"
is on a level with the slower" parlors Of the
apartment house. Height is no objection In
in a modern apartment in the center OF New
York, provided there are 'rapldu elevators.
and no stairwnys to climb except as a matter
OF relaxation and exercise. Rents do not
lessen nppreciably with the altitude.
This house Is one OF tho cooperative apart
ment houses Of the city, built not with q
view 10 private speculation, but with the
purpose Of combining the comforts OF q home
and a private hotel Some fifty persons OF
means organized a stock company for the
purpose Of building the house. They have
expended on it 81, $50, 1000. There are ninety
seven suites Of apartments, ranging from
three 10 twelve room in each Tho greater
part Of these are leased by the stockholders
for a term of years, While those that are
rented with the stores in the street front
afford a yearly revenue Of over s100, 900, far
more than enough for taxes, repairs and cur
rent expenses. No expense has been spared
10 contribute to comfort and convenience
The structure is fireproof- Only the furni
ture and trimmings are combustible. The
woodwork of the apartments Is Of mahogany,
cherry or light wood, as the owners taste
prefers, and the frescoing Of the apartments
is also in designs of the owners choice.
Probably more thar a 1000 persons
viii find homes or occupation In this vast
building. A large force Of employees will be
required to conduct the daily routine. These
will have rooms in a building in the rear.
The kitchen, laundry, refrigerators, butcher
shop, coal rooms, engines Of 200 horss power,
gas and electric light apparatus, are in the
cellars and under the front sidewalk. Most
of the families have two or more servants of
their own. In the suites there arr kitchens
with ranges for cooking by gas or steam, II
the families do not wish to go to the restau-
rant Each family may give Its order for
its own rooms and have the meals sent to the
apartment. The meals are provided for the
stockholders on a basis nearly at cost. Each
set Of apartments has CRATES and open fire.
places In addition to steam heat, and the coal
is furnished at cost Tho tenth and
eleventh stories are finished with the
same perfect elegance as the rest of
the building, but especially for artists stu
dos. In the basement there is q barber shop.
On the twelfth story q suite of rooms has
been Isolated from all approach except by
the roof, and furnished with no less care than
other parts OF the houss. This is known as
the hospital. A person sick Of any conta-
gious disease could receive all care and at
tention in this room without the least dan
ger TO any other occupant of the house.
The roof OF the building commands one Of
the finest views In the city. The eye passes
unobstructed from the lower bay to the
sound, far up the Hudson and back Of Jer-
soy Heights. The roof has q floor OF brick
rs solid as q Broadway pavement, and Is sur
ounded with a high balustrade. This win
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 parterres, with awnings for pro-
lection from the sun. An elevator runs up
to the roof and meals may be taken there.