Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-12
APARTMENT HOUSES.
THE CHANGE WROUGHT IN NEW
YORK BY THEIR INTRODUCTION.
The Absurd Name, French Flsts-supe-
riority of New York Apartments to
Those of Paris-The Different Grades.
Their Popularity.

Especial Correspondence.l
NEW YORK, Dec. "a marked change In
the manner OF living has come to this city
from the introduction OF apartment houses,
inaptly called flats, or French flats Flat Is
Scotch, meaning a floor, loft or story in
building and has no corresponding word in
French as applied to architecture. Apart
ment, although used by Shakespeare % sig
nifty a suite of rooms, was considered obsolete
in that sense, until We revived the term here
by making the thing. We employ the word
as the French and Italians do, with slightly
different spelling, to mean a set Of rooms,
connected together on one floor, for the pur
pose of housekeeping
Apartment il the exact term; but French
fat, relating TO the New York mode OF liv-
ing, Is not at all pertinent, since our apart
ments are, except in the general plan, quite
unlike those of France Our apartments are
often pronounced inferior to the French ones
especially by New Workers who have spent
little time in Paris; but they are, for the most
part, decidedly superior. Many Americans
are prejudiced in favor Of the city on the
Seine. They 60 there, and, after occupying an
ordinary apartment for few months, call it
delightful, and express, on their return home,
great dissatisfaction with New York apart
ments. This is either unconscious ideahza-
ton or sheer affectation. The v.fy persons
who laud the apartments OF Paris most loudly
would not be willing TO inhabit the same
kind Of apartments on this side Of the sea
Those, over there, are often Lighter, being
built around courts, than many OF those here;
but, In other respects, they suffer by COM
Il l.. . q
the modern Improvements or conyeniences-
the French resemble the Chinese somewhat
In their ultra conservatism Of opinion and
conduct-and are i'll adapted to housekeeping
Is housekeeping is understood in Manhattan.
Apartments in Paris are substantially the
same that they were generations ago; but
they have been continually undergoing
changes for the better In this city
One Of the first apartment houses here was
made some twelve years ago out of the
former New York club house, at Fifth ave-
nus and Fifteenth street, and was called the
Haight. The rooms of each suite were small
and the kitchens connected with them seemed
like closets But the house had a restaurant
for the accommodation Of the tenants, who
might, il they chose take meals thers at q
fixed price per week, and who were thus in
dependent OF their private kitchen.
About the time Of the opening OF the
Haight two other apartment houses belong
ing 10 the StuyVesant estate were completed
one in East Thirteenth and the other v
East Eighteenth street They were fully ~
comfortable; but, as they had no elevator and
being in less fashionable neighborhood, they
were not 30 dear. They had no restaurant,
either, and each family was compelled, there
fore, TO prepare its own meals.
Rapidly built in various parts Of the town
from this time on they were occupied as fast
As built Indeed, the demand 30 far e1ceeisi
the supply that tenants were secured as soon
as the architects pans had been finished
Most Of the houses erected the first few years
following their introduction were more or
less pretentious and costly, in order to over
come the wholesome prejudice Of Anglo
Americans against several families dwelling
under the same roof. Those who did not liks
apartments were inclined 10 depreciate them
speaking Of them as genteel tenements. which,
In a sense, they may be, although those Of the
better kind are as secluded, as vigorously prI-
vate in respect 10 one another, as are resi-
dences on opposite side OF the street
II tbs early apartments had been cheap and
in unfa Sorabls localities, well-to-do persons
OF culture and taste would have avoided
them, and thus have brought them into dis
repute. Real estate owners, understanding
this went TO the other extreme and found their
proftin it, They learped by experience that
apartments would then pay from to per
cent more per annum than single family
houses, and the demand for the new sort OF
structure increasing rather than diminishing,
they were active IN putting it up. They found,
too, that apartments, II showily built, and
high in price, could he made To return a hand
some income in quarters by no means eligible,
where nobody would have thou, ht Of putting
up regular dwellings. Apartments built il
upper Broadway, in Sixth and Seventh ayen-
ues and far 10 the eas; and west side, were
readily taken.
Within two or three years there has been q
man q for building apartment houses, par
TALLY owing TO the erroneous belief that they
return a large interest. The business has
been enormously oyerdone; the supply Of
such houses is today far in excess of the de-
mand, and yet they are still going up Many
Of them do no not now pay 3, even :, per
cent, and some Of the largest and finest
merely meet their regular expenses At
present any number Of them are seeking
tenants at unprecedently low rates.
This excess Of supply will rectify itss II in
due time. 50 rapidly does the city grow aud
50 constant is the influx Of prosperous persons
from other towns, determined 10 tI their
abode here. Hardly anybody knows how
fast New York, with its vicinity, il increas-
ing in population. 1t is now more than 9,
0OO 900, and a capital Of 80 enormous bulk
cannot be arrested in its swift development.
The sudden and extraordinary advances in
the stock market evinces an altered financial
feeling and a revival Of confidence in the Sc
curities dealt in on the exchange. Capital
will be likely henceforth TO 60 more freely
into Wall street, and be rorresponiingly
withdrawn from real estate. In the next few
years there will, in all probability, be little
building, comparatively, of apartment
houses. which may ere long be in brisk do
mand again at remunerative rates.
We frequently hear that people are getting
tired Of apartments, but it is not true An
insular city of such configurstion as this must
depend for an indefinite period on apart
ments as places OF residence. Small, singls
family houses commanding moderate rents
are not erected, except so far up town as to
Be undesirable TO persons wishing to have
some social life, some relation TO their
friends. Eightieth street is not distant-it
cannot be 50 considered when there Is a Two
Hundred and Twenty fifth street-but they
who make their homes there are virtually
isolated, unless they have abundant means to
provide frequent and elegant entertainments.
From Fifty ninth to Twenty third street, and
from Lexington 30 Seventh avenue, land Is
too dear for the occupation Of persons OF
modest income, who are not content with
apartments Many Of these rent from s., 500
TO 5000, 50 that they cannot be had by
everybody. An apartment with an elevator,
steam heat and the modern conveniences viii