New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-08
THE NEW ASTOR HOTEL PLANS
UNUSUAL METHODS NECESSARY IN CON-
STRUGGLING THE BUILDING.
AN IMMENSE BALLROOM AND DINING-HALL on
THE SECOND FTooR-THE sUPERsTRUcTUIlE.
WEIGHING ABOUT $4,000 POUNDS. TO
BE SUPPORTED BY GREAT COL,
UMN-THE HOUSE TO COST

UMN-THE HOUSE TO COST
ABOUT 100000.
Extraordinary methods have been employed In
the building of the new Astor hotel at Fifth-ave.
and Thirty fourth-st. They were made necessary
by the requirements Of John Jacob Astor' the
owner of the building that large ballroom ana
a large dining hall be placed the second moor OF
the fifteen-story building. and that they be unoD-
structed by columns. Engineering as well as archi-
tectural skill had be called into play in solving
the problem presented by such requirements, ana
Purdy & Henderson. the engineers, were associated
with H. j. Hardenbergh in working out the plans
for the building.
The public, observing unusual forms OF steer
columns Orders and trusses taking their places In
the skeleton of the building as the erection of the
framework went on. knew that something I'M
usual was being attempted, and many persons
wondered why the use of such massive forms was
necessary. The ballroom. in the western end OF
the building will have floor area of S5xs6 feet
and the unrestricted space will rise through three
stories to the height of forty feet Along the en-
tire length of the ballroom on the west side VIII
be conservatory. and the east side of the
room will be two tiers Of galleries divided INTO
boxes The dining room will be called the Astor
gallery and its floor will be nearly 4oX'o 1eet
1t will extend through two stories along the Thir-
ty-fourth-st front of the hotel building over the
main entrance. The long portico over the entrance
will form a covered balcony, which can be used as
a promenade.
To support the superstructure above the oaii-
room are two enormous trusses or Steel resuhg On
a massive steel girder. and the girder Is supported
by a column which weighs $3.50 pounds. although
it is only about thirty feet long. The column VIII
carry a load of $4,000 pounds. The trusses are
concealed in the partitions Of the building so that
they will not be noticed. From the third 10 me
fifteenth story the floors VIII De osde With class
and iron. will be summer din1g-room WIN VIZ ,ba
PALISADES on the other There will he kitchen
and several pantres on the same iioor III,
conform to that of the Waldorf. adjoining it; The
hotel will have frontage OF lU ieet IN III %
portico in Thirty fourth-st. will be supported by
Twelve polished granite columns nGa th
portico SO That carriages can be driven in and out
fountain will be in ne space SS the n
ground floor will be of glass and iron. ana me
View WIN be Of 5F9 @an fH moor VI will be
garden court like that of the waldorf 10 me ives!
crillroom while TO the east of the Office will be the
Darroom West of the driveway Is speclal en-,
trance. with a vestbule leading TO an elevator and
sons going the ballroom on the seconu noor'
there Will be two large stairways and seven pas
senger elevators from the ground floor to the top
The kitchen Of the hotel will be in the basement II;
and will extend With Sn sEer e and
ing departments. In the basement also Will be
be one of the finest electric light plants In the
world the Ice machines and the LAUNDRY all Ior'y
feet below the level Of the sidewalk
West Of the hotel extending from Ihirtyothir third
ct 10 Forty-fourth-st., is private street opened
by John Jacob Aston and his cousin: who 30, owns
the Waldorf, and under the private street Will lie
the electric light plant the Laundry the Kitchen ea
with the private street viii be private driveway
within the walls Of the hotel for the delivery ser
viii he erected a store and office building about
eight stories high. The opening OF the private
street gives mere light and air to the west side
of the hotel and permits window openings on that
side - ,,., ,u l.. ro,x,v
s. 10000 Nearly 10000 tons of steel VIII be used i1
its construction. Its walls Will be OF baltimore req
dressed brick trimmed with red sandstone