The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1886-12-06
TWELVE STORY HOUSES,
THE IMMENSE FLATS THAT ARE
BUILT IN THE METROPOLIS
Luxurious Houses for Rich People
Only-rhe Navarro Flats-lnside
and Outside AppearanCe.

huAuFlOUS I1OuSCS 1oE AsiSAi
Only-The Navarro Flats-lnside
and Outside Appearance.
If one has an income of $40, 900 year
possibly he can afford to live in one OF
the ornate and colnmodious apartment
houses of this city. some twelve of which
have sprung up within the last five or
six years. \ Eat in one OF these houses
is essentially a luxury, and it is now
settled conviction with tenants as well as
with real estate agents that such home
is chiefly and only for the man OF wealth.
Yet, if one can afford it, the unanimous
conclusion of those experienced IN the
matter seems to be that such a place OF
abode is the ideal home, particularly
where the family is small. The reasons
for this belief are, that the fatigue OF
climbing stairs is done away with, all
the rooms of the family are or may be on
one floor, and, what is getting more and
more to be point desired, the migra-
tory disposition of the wealthy is espe-
cially provided for in that such home
may be shut up for six months on short
notice, the family may go to the country.
to Europe or to Florida, and no servant
can forge keys to the wine-cellar and
none run up the provision account to
abnormal proportions in the absence of
the employer; for the rooms are left
under lock and key i'll the sole charge OF
a watchman.
The Navarro Flats, at Seventh avenue
and the Park, have been the greatest
venture in this endeavor to form an ag-
gregate of homes for wealthy tenants,
where the rooms for each family should
be on one floor and where all the con-
venlences possible should be supplied
and all the discomforts done away with.
The scheme was conceived by Jose +.
Navarro. A splendid pile of buildings,
which every New Yorker and every WIS.,
itor here looking for sights find delight
for the eye. is the result. The buildings
are erected around large courtyard
which is wider than an ordinary street,
and tower $50 feet in the air. They are
twelve stories in height and the houses
are known as the Madrid, Cordova, Gren-
ada, Valencia, Lisbon, Barcelona, Sala-
manca and Tolosa. There are two flats
on each of eight floors, making total
of 1913 flats The external structure is
of brick and stone with elaborate and
beautiful ornamentation. The buildings
are really ireproof-having been exam
ined and so reported by Chief Bates
with lion beams, brick arches, partitions
of cement and brick roof, while the stairs
are of iron and stone. A perfect venti-
lation has been secured, one feature be-
ing that the rooms look out on the street
or the court yard. They are heated by
steam and boiling water is supplied to
the apartments. There are two passenger
elevators in each building; the large
court is lighted by electricity: there is o
watchman for each house, and special
policeman IL on duty constantly.
The rents of these flats run from S2,-
900 to $5, 900 q ycar. Many OF the apart
ments belong to members of the associa-
tion. a
of; the best flats may be found in the
Madrid, one of the corner HOUSES. At the
corner fronting the two streets is din
ing-room seventeen by thirty. four feet;
ad accent to this on the front is the IL
brary,. nineteen and half by twenty
two and half feet; next in succession
are three chambers, fourteen by twenty
two and half, fifteen by twenty-five
and q half and seventeen by nineteen
feet respectively. At the rear OF this set
of rooms are two reception halls, and just
back of those the public hall and the pub
lie and service elevators and staircase,
At one side # the staircase is chamber
nineteen by twenty feet, on the opposite
side being the billiard room, eighteen
aud half by twenty-feet. At the rear OF
the billiard room is another dining-room,
sixteen by thirty one feet; of of this IA
buffers pantry, and beyond that the
kitchen, seventeen and half by eight
cen feet; off this store-room, and
still beyond are servants and bath
rooms and two more chambers, twelve by
twelve and eleven by fifteen feet This
makes the area about one hundred by
cighty-five feet.
Although the Navarro fats are esti-
mated as worth Sc, 00J, 900, Mr.. Hubert,
builder, says that they were con-
structed with great deal of economy
and that it is only a question of time
when they will prove a profitable invest
ment; the rents, he thinks. are bound to
increase as that part of the city grows
more and more in demand as centre of
residence by people who have the means
to keep up such establishments. The ex-
pense of running fiat in these apart
ment-houses is about So, 500 even for
members of the association.-Neao York
Tribune.