New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-30
LIMIT TO HIGH BUILDINGS
HOW NEAR TO THE CLOUDS MAY LOFTY
STRUCTURES CLIMB?
ARCHITECTS DISCUSS THE ouEsTIoN-rMPoRrANT

| is the question naturally asked by one who sees
| how each succeeding building which Is erected In
the office district Of New-York Is a little higher
than the last. Great steel cages up into the air
as II by magic. and while the framework for the
upper stories is being hoisted into place and made
fast with rvet and bolt, the brick and stone work
begins below, and has scarcely recovered from
the shock caused by the blasting on the foundation
work when the shell Of another great skyscraper
Is complete and from ts lofty perch it Invites Its
lowly neghbor up into the clouds and be
socable II tells its little friend OF plump rent rolls
| and pretty profits; then the architect comes along
| and makes figures and drawings; then the owners
make a contract-and possibly mortgage-and
the outcome is another skyscraper. a little taller
and a little finer and gaudy than the tempter;
and seeing FL this. the thinking man asks: rs
there p limit" The architects think there should
be a limit and that finally the matter will regulate
itself.
MR. POST ON CHANGED CONDITIONS.
George b. Post, who was recently introduced to
| the members OF the Architectural League by Presi-
dent Burnham. OF Chicago. as 1.-THE father OF the
| tall building in New York. seen at his office.
| No % East Seventcenth-st. and when asked his
opinion az to ,he future OF the tall building said
the subject so large and admitted of considera-
tlon in so many lights and forms that he hardly
knew where to begin.
/ About five or six years ago. said Mr.. Post. Il
OF the opinion that the height OF buildings
would limit Itself. 7 believed that with the addi-
! lion of great height the size Of the piers In the
| lower stories would become great and that there
would be 80 many Of them as to make these parts
| Of the buildings undesirable. These the parts
OF great structure from which the largest rentals
are expected and believed that when
that the frs. floors Of high buildings remained
vacant that they brought only small rental
and that hs I'm turn had "A depressing effect on the
prices realized for upper floors they would cease
to bud up into the air | had a that time built
tba hi .ffic huSfl In fbo n
the cltv and was well enabled Judge OF the situa-
ton by the experiences OF my clients.
Since then. however" Mr.. Post continued. "a new
has begun in the architecture OF this kind. The
steel cage building has changed the problem. While
the limit 20 the height OF a building depended
on the size OF the piers in the lower stories the
height is now regulated by the space necessarily
occupied by the elevator system The elevator plays
most important part in modern buildings. and it
really limits their height. because know that
elevator will serve only about fifty offices.
THE ELEVATOR QUESTION
1T IS obvious that FOR this reason extremely tall
buildings cannot be successfully operated on small
lots Where the building area Is large and space
be spared FOR large elevator plant It may be
profitable at this time to put up tall buildings. and
the lots which they stand becC me more valuable
But the smaller lots adjoining such structures de-
prcclate in value be '1use equally high buildings
cannot be- put up on them. and uness the tall neigh
Dor Dee forced buy the lot for purposes
It's value remains permanently impaired.
with regard to the strength OF the steel-cage
s,rIctions.' Mr. Post said. both as TO wind strain
AMI other disturbing strains. there Is question.
We have overcome all the objections arising from
these points. but unless exceptional Is taken
In the construction TO protect the steel cage. par
tcuary at It's Joints rom corrosion. believe that
this class of buildings viii not be permanently safe.
believe II t. be perfectly feasible with great care.
70 proicc; the steel frame from corrosion. but
ptO1I ,Iivoq hapa hoo
pa, up IN this country where the proper care IN
this respect has not been taken nor the necessary
prcycniiycs against corroslon applied"
Speaking ~ the eject the streets OF grea. rows
OF tail bindings. Mr. Post snid.
"Our fircefs la the lower part OF the city are
abou, thirty five feet wide. and II they lined
entirely with the extremely tall structures It IS
hardly necessary 10 say that the lower stories
would become almost valuelcss FOR renting purposes.
as they would be- dark damp and unhealthy, and
the streets themselves under these conditions would
become undesirable thoroughfares. devoid Of ngh,
and good air.
CONGESTING STREET TRAFFIC.
The high Office bull lngs are equal to many old
fashioned houses erected on the same lot. or Ike
number q ordinary houses placed one on top Of the
other. AMI they cause an Increase In the street
trafc prop,ronate 10 the augmented house popula-
ton and IL is questionable whether the street ca
pncty would be sufficient to dtcommoIaic this vast
Office population. This has already become serious
question Chicago where the congested condition
OF the streets at certain hours OF the day makes
them almost impossible. To some extent the con- |
ditlon already exists Ia this city. as any one may
gee who VIII 70 through the narrow downtown |
streets at noon on any day when the Offices are
open.
From artistic point Of view It ia perfectly
practicable 10 make handsome building twenty or
thirty stories high on fairs.zed lot but II would
not add to the beauty OF our city TO line our
streets with such buildings. nor would Il add
To the general health. for we know that scientists
who have given the matter attention have sue |
ccssfuy demonstrated the fact that disease germs
which succumb TO and exterminated by the ac-
ton OF light and air In one day live and multi
ply where these conditions do not exist. The |
streets running between long lines of high build |
ngs into which neither good air nor light could |
penetrate would become breeding spots for disease
germs.
But I think these things Will finally regulate
themselves. Propcrty-owners who build tall |
houses and who represent the greatest wealth In |
this city when they find that the rentals OF their |
lower stories becoming gradually lower. be- |
cause OF construction OF tall buildings In their
neighborhood. Will be forced to unite and procure
the passage OF act limiting the height OF build
ings Until such action is taken. however. shall
advise my clients to build as tall buildings as they
can supply elevators for. without too much loss
OF space"
THE EXCUSE FOR "sKYsCEAPERs"
There Is no excuse for the erection OF sky
scrapers" said Thomas Hastings, Of carrere &
Hastings. except the possible increased revenue
obtained from the additional floor space This Is |
due partly to the greed OF the investor. but also
greatly to the abnormal value set upon real estate
In certain parts OF the city.
"Fron the artistic point. 1t IL admitted by al
most every one who has tried to solve the problem
TINT the limitations almost insurmountable.
The extreme height. tending to the treatment OF
every building tower, on the one hand: the
exaggerated demand for light. which destroys all
possibility of wall surfaces. which are requisite to
The design Of "A beautiful tower. and the impossl-