, 1885-04-01
TWELVE STORIES
AN APARTMENT HOUSE FOR THE
LIMITED INCOME" cL&ss.
Cost and Running Expepses-visw from
the Topmost Story How visitors Are
Receivod Marketing Done 1r
Hight at Home.


Mea8rA Hubert a Prison, architects, OF
this city. have Invented a plan, which Is
gradually assuming a shape, to be OF benefit
to the unhappy limited income class to which
have alluded. These g~entiomsn are the
inventors OF the homo clubs, which arc
represented by some OF the handsomest
apartment house3 In the city. But thee
homo clubs, are only adapted to peo-
pie with comfortable fortune, at least most
OF them The plan Is TO form a stock com
pany Of tenants; each stakeholder sub
scribes from $4,000 TO $50,0O0, and when
sufficient money Is subscribed the house Is
built and the apartments are owned by the
stockholders for life, the same as thoy would
own an ordinary house. except that they
pay muci, less for the privilege. When
Messrs. Hubert 4 Prison conceived this
plan they were looking toward the accom-
mediation of the limited-income class, but
they found that that was impracticabls
at first, for people with small means were
more cautious about investing than people
with plenty OF money at their command.
In the latest built Of the home-club houses,
the Chelsea. on Twenty-third street, Messrs-
Hubert & Prison have como nearer their
original idea than with any OF their other
houses. The Chelsea is eleven stories high
in front, twelve stories in the rear, but
covers 70 much ground that 1t hardly looks
its height from the street. It costs 81, 900, :
90 to build, and the money was subscribed
by the stockholders, most of whom own and
live In their apartments In this house, Mr..
Hurbert being one OF them. He put in 5000,
l think it was, and consequently owns his
apartment, but his percentage of the run
ming Expenses OF the house comes to $3.50 a
year; that Is all his rent. In three or four
years he will have nothing 10 pay, as the
house win be self-supporting. Some apart
ments in the house are more expensive,
others less 70. Three thousand dollars, ]
believe. Is the lowest price for buying any
apartment, and Is for one Of three rooms
arranged with studio. There are two rooms,
both on the eleventh story, and a pretty
little staircase runs up from the vestibule
into an enormous room in the twelfth story,
which is the size Of the two rooms below
this is arranged with a skylight, and makes
a magnificent studio.
The view from the twelfth story, or even
from the eleventh, Is a grand one. You can
see from the south windows the bay nnd
Staten island in the distance. From the
west window you have a panorama of the
Hudson, and of Hoboken, with the dome Of
the Stevens institute glistening In the sun.
You are away above all the noise and din
of the city, and in summer you get as fine a
breezs as you could find at n watering place.
You need feel no timidity at being up 50
high, for the house is thoroughly fre-proof.
There Is not Il beam or a lath In it from gar
ret to cellar. Only the flooring is wood, and
that over iron girders The entrance to the
Chelsea Is the most attractive OF any apart
ment house that l know of in New York.
As a rule you go into a hall In these apart
ment houses, and find nothing in It but an
elevator, and possibly a chair.
You enter the main door OF the Chelsea,
and you are at once delighted by the hospit-
able air OF the place. The hall is very large,
and is decorated in the most artistic manner,
with a great deal Of ornamental woodwork
and a tiled floor, over which gorgeous rugs
are spread. At the side of the hall is an
enormous fire place, with iron andirons and
great logs blazing on the hearth. A prettily
carved settee is placed at one side Of the
fireplace, and a number of antique chairs,
or modern copies from antique models, stand
around In front OF the flre-piace and on the
rugs. At the back of the hall is the Office,
which Is opon all night. and just out of sight
Of the main entrance are two elevators,
which run all night long. At the right OF
the hall Is IA wniting-room, furnished in ex-
ceptional taste, and with FIVE water-coloi
drawings hanging on the walls.
An advantage the Chelsea has over mos
apartment houses Is that II is conducted IL
the spirit of cooperation and accommoda.
ton. You may ave an apartment without
a kitchen, and do eight housekeeping. You
may 60 out to your meals or you may take
your meals at the restaurant Of the house,
where they are furnished for IS a week a
head or you may take your meals in thu
restaurant at such times as you chose, pay
ing for what you eat. II you prefer house,
keeping, you can do all your marketing with
out going out of your room. You simply
write your order, send it flying down tc
the store-room on the dumb-waitor, and
whatever you want comes flying up to you
and Is charged on your account at wholesal,
rates and paid for at the end of the week
Your letters are brought upstairs every
time they are left by the postman; and PEG
pie are not trotted up to your apartment
door, but, instead, unless they are intimate
friends, are left 10 wait in the reception
room while their cards are sent up for YOU
consideration. You have in the Chelsea al
tho conveniences of a hotel and the seclusioI
OF a private house. Indeed, you have morl
seclusion than In many private houses, foi
no one can reach you that you do not wish
to see.