The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-24
The Kind of Houses POpu-
lar Elsewhere.
Inspector of Buildings Says
They Are Profitable.
Were Tried in This City But the En-
terpriSe Failed

WHY are not apartment houses, such
o. pertain to New York and Boston, not
popular in Providence? The reporter
rendered were far from satisfactory. One
real estate dealer, probably the most
prominent In the city, said he didn't
know just why there should not be fiat
houses here only they are not popular.
Providence is different, he said; it 10
spread oct more and-and--well, they are
not popular that is all. Other dealers
were of a similar opinion and cited oc-
casions when efforts to introduce apart
ments were made, and failed. They re-
called a large block on the west side and
two or three on the east side which
won't rent and viii hardly sell for a fair
sum.
Another case was cited where a gentle
man aud wife looked at an apartment
$500 or $1,000 would hire 1t for a year, asked
the rent. Twenty-Five hundred dollars?
whew!
The inspector Of buildings was asked
his opinion and he had n to give.
1Proftablef Yes sir! There is no risk
whatever, and IL / had money / should
not hesitate to build them. Build them
~ near the center of the city as you can
end build them Of brick. 1t is not neces-
vary to nave them immense affairs A
great many people, you know, are not
satisfied unless they can build big wooden
arxs. Then again people in Providence
IRE too conservative. Why. ] saw an apart
ment house in Brooklyn with 65 tene-
msnts in 1t, all the way from four to 10
rooms each. Of course 1t would pay"
1t was also stated that several plans had
found their way to the city hall, but
were given up.
After thinking 1t all over the reporter
decided that Providence had never had a
fair sample Of the apartment house, such
~ Boston boasts hundreds of and which
there il q movement OIL foct now to re-
strict In height to 80 feet for fear they
will soon reach is and 20 stories, as in
New York, In mans avaricious haste.
Rents need not be enormous and certainly
= very fair tenement can be put up for
from US to s30 Fer month here as well AZ
elsewhere. Take a building four stories
high with fou main entrances and an
apartment on each floor. There will be
16 tenements. Each tenant can be as
exclusive rs he pleases with his own in
side nall, cellar room, ETC., although
using the common halls and stairs.
Every modern convenience can be intro
puced, including steam heat, which can
" cared for by the %ianitor, or SUPER
~jntendent, who can live In one
Of the flats and look after the rents, gas.
repairs, ETC., which woul not interfere
with his having other duties during the
day. Everything could DO tip-top and
the rents as reasonable as suggested. Vari-
ations are possible making the expenses
greater or less and the buildings may be
larger or smaller. That these houses are
profitable Is evidenced by their popu-
lsrity elsewhere, the suburbs being built
mp with them for miles around other
large cities. Take the case of Albert
Ross, the novelist. He started In a small
way In Cam bridgeport, Mass, and put up
q wooden fiat house, with the aid of n
local bank, and today he has four or
more, brick and frame, with rents mod
crate, and all paying well.
1t would seem that the Inspector OF
buildings has the right idea OF apart
ment houses.