New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-02
HOMES IN FAMILY HOTELS.
RAPID GROWTH AND POPULARITY OF
SUCH STRUCTURES.
THEIR ADVANTAGES FOR MANY PEOPLE IN
NETWORK OVER APARTMENTS OR
HOTELS FOR TRANSMITS

when New Ork was IN ltS infancy IL was dS
much city Of homes as any town where land
may be bought at q moderate price. The early
settler had his house and grounds on that part
of the island which is now covered with tall Of
dcc buildings and those residents who required
more room for their comfort than could be had
At reasonable rates bought small kitchen farms
away up" on the island, some Of them going
beyond the point where the Fifth Avenue Hotel
now stands. The city soon began to grow, and
as 1t expanded real estate appreciated and home
plots grew smaller, and gradually they became
contracted and out of the roads and highways
paths and streets formed and the building
lot became an established feature Of the growing
city These lots were monsters in size compared
with the average house lot of to-day, but they
were only large enough for one family in most
Instances and il was not until late in the forties
that houses were built in the residence part OF
New-Yor for the accommodation OF more than
ore family In the lower par! Of the city some
houses had at that time been built In which
several families could live and the successful
operation Of such structures, the growth Of the
laboring classes and the rapid advance In the
price of real estate soon caused landowners to
see that houses Of that kind were good invest
ment They began TO spring up in all parts OF
the city, and each succeeding structure was an
Improvement on the last. '-.
SACRED PRECINCTS INVADED
The sacred precincts of the Knickerbockers
were invaded and apartment houses were erected
IN streets where no person would have looked
for anything but strictly private houses. AS the
uptown buildings of this kind developed and
new comforts. new space saving and comfort
giving devices and fixtures were introduced the
houses Of a similar character in the lower parts
OF the city became similarly improved but in
cheaper way, and the building fitting and man
aging Of apartment houses became an art which
hundreds Of men Of wealth devoted much time
to master The result was the evolution Of the
present beautiful structures which occupy high
places among the wonders of the metropolis
Only those people who make personal investi-
cation in NewYork apartment land. with view
to renting n horre, can know the state of per-
lection which has been attained in that branch
Of metropolitan architecture. This is true not
only OF such buildings where the plot is large
but of apartments built on narrow lots and high
UP in the air The housewife Of nifty years ago
who required separate rooms for storing all sorts
of things would be surprised TO find much
closet room in an eight-room apartment house
as she had in the old homestead Gas. electric
ity, ice plants. elevators. telephone and many
fort of the occupants of the houses. every inch
OF space is utilized. and in addition to these the
houses models Of beauty.
With 50 much TO induce people 10 patronize
the apartment house the objections to living in
the same house with other people were easily
overcome, and the apartment houses became
popular with class OF people whose parents
would have been Mortified AT the idea of living in
any other way than under their own vine and
fig tree.
THE APARTMENT HOTEL.
The latest development in the way Of one
house for many families is the apartment hotel
which has passed through the experimental
period and is now as well esta bshed as the
apartment house. When the first large building
of that Kind was erected, about twelve years
ago, II was Looked upon as a hazardous venture.
The hotel was intended for people who wished
70 be spared the trouble. worry and inconvcn-
fences which parts Of Housekeeping. They
could have apartment with three rooms or
lhree times as many. They could surround
themselves with their own home ornaments. fur
f1iture and brio "a brac and still be spared the
Negative features which the penalty OF keep
ing house. The experiment was a success from
the start. although several houses failed 10 real
iZe on the investment. But the failures were due
either to poor management or disregard Of the
wants Of the patrons OF the houses. and far
seeing men went ahead and built improved fam
fly hotels. with the result that such establish
ments became firmly rooted.
AS 10 the present popularity Of the family
hotel said Richard V. Harnett, there can be
no douLt and all people who have watched its