New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-01
UPPER NETWORKS ASPECTS
ARCHITECTURE AND MATERIAL OF FLAT
AND OTHER HOUSES.
THE NEW AGE OF AESTHETIC BRICK -TREETEss
DESERTS REVOLUTION IN PAvEMENTs-Tof
GARDENS AND ROOF GARDENS.


GARDENS AND ROOF GARDENS
There five miles OF fathouses. Iengthwise.
north OF Ff,y-third-st. the West Side, to say
nothing Of similar blocks the East and OF square
miles OF them In Harlem. And many thousands
OF people must look upon them daily from car-win-
dows and from streets the effect presented IL
OF interest with reference 20 the cultivation Of taste
and the future OF yet unbuilt expanses below or
above the Harlem River. The mere comfort OF the
eye too. is to be considered. Form and color give
a vast amount OF pleasure Or the contrary. though
for the mos; part unconscously 10 those who give
no special thought 10 the subject In the mass.
nothing Is more like the huge monsters OF the
prime than a series OF structures chiefly remarka-
bic for their bulkiness; and the fathouses are the
more monOtOnOus becair5e the bulky paralelpipeds
are almost invariably five stories high. and usually
with ungrouped windows. However. no small praise
Is due 20 owrers nd architects for the great variety
% brick and OF detail The amount OF ornamen
tation Is not small. and hardly any two OK the
later structures alike X built OF the old-fash-
Toned red brick unadorred and with or without
fiat pilasers the work mostly dates some years
before the just bossoming epoch OF aesthetic
brick.
THE NEW ERA OF ART BRICK.
This more recent material can be seen In all tho
charming varieties OF the notified called Pom
pelian. OF every tint from light yellow 10
deep chocolate and purplsh also Of the plain white.
bun or gray. sometimes white enamelled and the
Clipped known as rough-fsced besides the
mentally moulded for panels and belt-courses. In
Guiding less OF elaborate terra-cotta; and
there is a great variety OF cappings and courses,
and % stone where stone IL used. Some OF the
buildings have quarter-rOund brick. rounding all
angles with happy effect. Various dimensions OF
brick are used. from the old standard TO the new
long thin Roman" All together there has been
a very laudabe and successful effort TO relieve
Ma -iar in ftDff
as OF trees waves, clouds is a prime principle OF
beauty we have much OF II In these apartment
houses Ard it is pleasant 10 observe that archi-
tectural enrichment is often present where the
1eighborhood must have prophesed occupancy
by only the So to $50 classes OF tenants sometimes
70 the extent OF polished brass step-railings.
The Old red brick then. is fast passing away.
even az the old red sandstone had bu5 temporary
duration In geological history Il will still be used
FOR It's warm effect, and for red .oofs likewise In
cottages that are surrounded by the cool green %
tree and turf. the cool gray OF seaside rock ana
sard And in highly elaborate large buildings II
will comport We, with much ornate terra -cotta and
much use Of other material and surface relief.
BUT II is TOO much associated with factory and
warehouse OF bare. unmitgated brick TO be other
wise agreeable Besides. there Is probably a phys
illogical WEAKNESS In H. The red rays those OF
greatest amplitude and force OF vibration and may
soonest tire the visual A blazing red in
costume Is not desirable except II be In touches
or occasionally for tots" Nature is sparlng OF
H. and her rudSest sunsets are evanescent
THE PALACES OF THE PEOPLE.
In a tree-lined avenue. like the Seventh. in
Harlem the massive red flthouses not seen
I'm broad blanks OF surface: they are glmpsed
beneath or above the now three-story elms; and
they even make imposing picture. reaching
away In long perspective relieved by church
towers here and there. and all aglow with morning
or evening light One could imagine II grand
range OF university buildings. They might even
be termed palaces for the people: and II Ruskns
functional beauty" applies here. they are not to
be despsed. True. the fashion OF speaking slight
lngly % flats may prejudice the aesthetic effect;
but utility should help II by association The one
floor life is a blessing 10 many women, and the
vertical neigLborhood necesstates no undesirable
Intercourse But there should be much more
architectural variety. 1t would pay In dollars
Whatever ls repusive in the outward and demo-
cratic uniformity OF structural plan would be
lessened AMI positively attractive features take
their place A large. plain block OF private houses.
like the one at Seventh-ave. and One-hundred-and
thirteth-st. with gabled roofs. large dormers and
tall architectural chimneys, has an exterior that
might as we'll system Of flats just as
varied design dignhes the expensive apartment
houses and new hotels.
What architectural outline can DO for even an
Office building. though in this case with costly de-
tails is well illustrated in the new John Wolfe
Building at Maiden Lane and Wllllam-st. In
particular the heavy effect and sham structure OF
huge sheetron cornces, made to Initiate wood or
stone might we'll be avoided. as they already are
in some OF the new hathouses with a different
top finish. for example in the region OF Eighty
hfth-st and Nnth-ave
SIDE STREETS AND TREELEss STREETS.
In the newer portions OF the city, who does not
enjoy looking az the many picturesque private
houses with recessed balconies and other pretty
features? Good examples occur In the West Seven
ties and Eighties. And who that thinks OF 1t but
regrets to see in many new streets the long rows
OF o,d-style brownstone habitatons all OF the same
pattern? The color is charming. but has been
chea pened by these endless repettlons. and in tina
it cheapens itself by surfacescallng wherever the
face OF the stone Is parallel TO It's layers. The
millionaire paiaces and great hotels have discarded
IT, pity that the East is so far distant from
the absolutely durable Sioux quartzte. with its
tinge OF rose-purpe. and stll further from the
variously tinted trachytes found near and used
in Denver. And how IS It that the green serpentins
seen in some fine philadelphia buildings. has never
found It's way 10 New-York? The dark and com
near New-York. when spht ana sottr i WIN
marble trimmings has good effect smost SUI
cottages, especially when rregulary angular and
not laid in courses
THE QUESTION OF TREES.
In some OF the wider cross-stree,s in upper New
York plots Of turf and Of trees add greatly 10
the better architecture. but are unaccountably alb
sent in other wide streets II any ordinance pro-
hbits trees in such thoroughfares Il should be
reversed There is. for Instance, the wide One
hundred-and thirty hfth-st. one side vast con-
tinious wall OF iathouses and the street vast
floor OF pavement with nothing to relieve the hard,
arid effect And. what is remarkable. there Is
near by right across Eighth-ave., q nursery OF elm
trees now for many years growing large ana
standing there In silent rebuke TO the streets
barrenness " "
Speaking OF brick the use OF this material OF a
certain quality for paving streets now adopted In
many interior Northern cities. has not reached
New-York The kind used resists heavy traffc and
even the blows OF a heavy stone hammer better
than stone II is said. or course the brick are set
edge up. and probably cause much less slipping OF
horses than is caused by asphalt. When OF an
agreeable tint, often straw-coor. the other pre-
vailing coors (or lack OF any OF the street are
an rlched or relieved lust the red yellow roads
- " sat ~ Tho green meadows and leaf