New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-14
A FINE NEW CLUBHOUSE.
PLANS FOR THE METROPOLITAN'S HOME.
THE STRUCTURE TO BE AN ORNAMENT TO THE
CITY-To DE FINISHED NEXT YEAR.

The plan for the home of the new Metro
politan Club have been finally adopted by the
Board Of Governors, and the structure Will no
doubt be an architectural ornament to the city.
The building will be erected on the northeast
corner of Fifth-ave and SiNteth-st., on pot
/ 90 by 200 feet. The ground was bought from
the Hamerslcy estate for S4sO,OC0, The rest OF
the block fronting in the avenue having been sold
TO Elbrdge r. Gerry. The excavations were begun
last summer and the foundations have all been
laid Work on the superstructure will therefore
be begun as soor the weather permits.
Stanford White, Of McKim, Mead a Whit,
architect of the Madison Square Garden and the
Washington Marble Arch, was chosen TO design
the clubhouse He has been occupied with the
plans for many months, as his task presented some
unusual difficulties. For one thing the house is
to have an annex, to which the members may bring
their wives, relatives or female friends to dinner
This part of the building had to be kept entirely
separate from the rest, without effectng the
symmetry and harmony Of the structure. BE-
sides the Metropolitan Club aspires to supplant the
Union in social supremacy, and its members realized
that magnificent clubhouse was an important
factor in tie contest. So much wealth is included
in the organization That 1t is often spoken OF as
the Millionaires' Club" such men naturally want
clubhouse that will he oil that is admirable III
external beauty aud in internal convenience and
magni6cencc. The Union Club is to build new
home shortly, and comparisons between that and
the one of its rival will he inevitable. The Met
ropolitan's members wished to set a standard that
could not be equaled without much difficulty.
ADOPTING THE PLANS.
The architect submitted number Of suggestions
for the front elevation and the interior arrange
mcnts to the Building Committee of the club some
time ago. These were examined in detail and dis
cussed at great length. Changes decided
on until finally the plans satisfied the committee.
The Governors then voted their appreciation, and
the architect was instructed to build after the
design.
To begin with, the plot of ground is admirably
situated II is opposite Central Park, near the
entrance and the Fifty-ninth-st. plaza. This as
sures a fine view of the clubhouse when IL is fin
ishcd The members who delight to sit i'll the
windows will see an cver-shiftng procession of
carriage driving into and from the Park. In the
immediate neighborhood have been built in the
last few years a number of fine large buildings,
including three hotels
The house will be the largest Of any social
club in the cty--l5O by 90 feet, with an annex
of - by 80 feet The building will he in the
sevcrpst and simplest character of the Italian
Renaissance style and the feeling of severity and
scale of the building, its material and the classic
beauty Of its exterior and interior will make IL
a most notable one.
AIR AND LIGHT.
Comfort and convenience will not he neglected
for mere appearance. Abundant air and light
will lie secured on all four sides The house will
face Fifth-ave' the west SiXteth-st. on the
south, n court fifty.ve feet wide on the east and
an alcyway ten feet wide the north. The
main building is to he four stories tall. The
material used will lie white marble and white
brick The entire frst-story window, quoins and
the cornice will be Of marble. The corTlce will
be magnificent one, running around the entire
building. 1t will he ten feet high and will
project six feet the street
In the southeast corner Of the plot will be a
great court hfty-fyc by sixty feet, through which
the club is entered both by foot and carriage A
handsome marble screen Of columns with wrought
iron gates Of the finest workmanship will face
the court. Through this will be the three en-
frances, the centre one Icing for carriages. The
two side entrances will he eight feet wide by
twenty high The carragc-wa is 10 be sixteen
feet wide and twenty-five high. The main en-
trance TO the club will be through an outside YES.
thule eleven feet by fifteen and an inside one
twenty-five feet square. This inner vestbue will
lead 10 the great main hall, ffty-two by ifty-fye
feet and forty-fvc feet high
on THE GROUND FLOOR
To the right of the inner vestibule is 20 he
the Office, eighteen by thirty feet, and the wait
ingroom, twenty-five by thirty feet A staircase
from the wating-ro0m leads 70 the strangers re-
ccptiOn and dining rooms, forty by thirty feet.
To the right Of the main vestbule are the elc-
yatOrs. hatrooms, winerooms service-rooms and
pantres. West of the great hall is the main loung
ins.room, a magnificent apartment forty by
eightyivc feet and 20 the south n smaller loung-
ing or reading or writing rom, thirty by |
fifty feet Elevators will run to all floors The
grand staircase 10 the second floor will be Of |
marble and fifteen feet wide
on the second story hall is 10 he the reading |
room, thirty by thrty.siX feet two car!roOns !
thirty by sixty and thirty by twcnty feet: a bill /
lard room, thirty by sixty feet, with a small |
billiard-room, twenty by thirty, for exhibition |
games; the library, forty by sixty feet. service |
roouis etc On the third floor will he the great !
dning-hall, forty by eighty feet, a breakfast |
room, twenty by thirty feet; large service rooms;
II smokng-room twenty by thirty feet. and threc
large private dinng-rOoms with ante and service /
rooms Above the private dining-rooms is 10 be !
Il small mezzaninc story for servants bedrooms
The sleeping apartments for members, twenty /
two suites in all, will take up the fourth floor.
The rooms will vary III size from twenty by thirty
feet TO twelve by sixteen. In the basement will !
he n bowling-alley, committee and Board Of Di- !
rectOrs rooms, stewards rooms. storcrooms, wine
rooms and engine and boiler rooms. The kitchen, /
servants dining room, pantry laundry, etc. are !
upon the roof
THE ANNEX FOR WOMEN.
The Metropolitan Club will make note !
worthy innovation in club ideas by having an
annex in which members can bring ladies 10 din /
or supper. OF course no women will he I
admitted to the main building, unless some kind /
of ladies' day exhibition should be given. !
The rooms TO which ladies may I've brought are
in q wing. forty by ffty-fve feet, on the north /