Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-07-07

UPPER FLOOR GROUND FLOOR.
them, it is profitable to be able to arrange
such quarters so that they will be regular
ly occupied as dwellings, if not as offices.
In all large cities there are many quarters
where the rooms above the stores cannot
be rented profitably for offices, particular
ly in buildings on side streets or slightly
removed from the business centers.
The French flats or those Of Italy offer a
solution to this problem. However, iti to
be borne in mind that the arrangement of
an apartment building cannot be trans
ferred from one of these countries to an
other, principally on account of the differ
ence in the arrangement of the store build
ings, which renders court on the ground
floor impossible. An American store is
always large affair; that is, it covers a
great deal of floor space In the foreign
countries the stores are mostly small-fro~l
Is to so feet deep-and the space back of
them is used as a court and for the living
quarters of the concierge or caretaker In
the French apartment houses the first or
ground floor is never used for high grade
of living apartments.
In the plan which herewith submit we
have Is feet of ground with light from
the front only. For the purpose of adding
to the difficulty of the problem / have
inclosed the rear end as well as the side,
though in practice the rear would general
ly be open and not unusually part of one
side. 1t will be seen that the entrance to the
apartment is at one side of the store build
ing. The passage is lighted by window
in front and at the side near the show
dow 1f H., ,t-s.
the landing is amply lighted from the
court above and the skylight which covers
a part of the rear of the store.
A part of the store stairway so lighted
projects into the store room. However, In
considering the effect of this projection
| and any deleterious effect which it may
have with respect to the store, we must
bear in mind that it adds to the revenue Of
the floors above, certainly to a greater ex
tent than it depreciates that of the room
itself. Another thing to bear in mind is
that the arrangement of the apartments is
| of such character as to provide court
| which lets more light into the rear and
| middle OF the store than is common with
| the ordinary plan of store building. This
| in itself would more than compensate foI
the disadvantage of the projecting stair
| way.
Each apartment has four rooms, kitchen
and water closet, besides seven closets and
liberal fittings in the way of cupboards
sink, fly safes, etc., in the kitchen. After
passing from the stair hall through the
door one is in his own quarters, quite as
independent and isolated as if he were
alone on large lot. The writer lived In A
sevetnh story fiat of this character for sew,
eral months and did not know one of the
other occupants. The kitchen range in
such an apartment is built under hood
SO that all heat and odors are directly re
moved from the kitchen. The upper stories
in a building of this kind should not bt
more than ten feet high This makes less
stair climbing. 1t is the last two or three
steps in a fight of stairs that are the
hardest.
1t is to be noticed that the rear rooms
in this apartment are lighted from the
court LOUIS II. GIBSON.