The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-22
|. FREB LIBRARY.
Trustees Today Name the
Winner Of the Architects
Competition.
BRITE & BACON SUCCESSFUL
Their Plan Shows a Build
ing of a Dignifed and
Handsome Appear
ance.
STRUCTURE WILL COST $4,000
Description of the Interior of
the New Library and What
1t Will Contain.
STRUCTURE WILL COST $4,000

Inc tree Library trustees met at noon
today. and awarded the plan for the new
Library Building to Brite & Bacon, Archi-
tects, Constable Building, of No. Ill Fifth
avenue, New York City. Mayor Hoos was
present at the meeting, and when the vote
to adopt the plan out of many others was
made by Trustee S. L. Harvey, every
member voted AYE"
Since June 20 the Trustees have daily
been YEARLY poring over plans from
architects all over the country. The COM
petition was made as open as possible,
and the terms We're such that competitors
in certain classes received remuneration
for their service. That was in the pre-
liminary competition, and these prize win
ners were permitted to elaborate their
plans for the final contest.
The Trustees more than two weeks ago
selected the plan of Brite & Bacon. but
could not make 1t public until they had
received estimates from contractors for
the purpose of ascertaining whether the
plan could be followed with the money at
their disposal.
Messrs. Brite and Bacon. the successful
architects, are among the best OF the
younger firms in New York City Their
plans for the Art Museum of Philadelphia
and the American University at Washing
ton attracted much attention for the
beauty of their design. They are now en-
gagged in building houses in the upper
part Of New York City among the homes
of the millionaires. Mr.. James Brite and
Mr.. Henry Bacon, the members OF the
firm, are from the famous Office of Me
Kinley & White, of Boston, and both have
travelled and studied in the best schools
abroad
The successful design. the construction
of which will cost in the neighborhood OF
sl2O, 900. presents on the main front on Jer-
sey avenue from Montgomery street to
Mercer street, a simple yet very handsome
and dignifed structure, 200 feet long. of
stone and brick, in what Is known as the
Fin Renaissance style. There will be two
stories and basement or ground floor,
strictly speaking This ground ioor win
have a stone front with windows a little
smaller than those on the floor above.
The main doorway in the centre Of the
building will be supported by Caryatides
carved in stone presenting an exceedingly
artistic appearance. Broad steps Will
lead to the entrance hall The exterior
of the second floor will be of brick and
the windows will be very high, reaching
to the beginning of the third floor, Civ
ing by this arrangement plenty of light.
These windows will have stone trim
mings. adding much to the beauty OF
the building. Above the third or top floor
will be a handsome Roman Dorlc cor
nice, and above stone balustrade and
lastly tile roof.
There is nothing tawdry or ginger
bread about the front elevation; It IS not
severe, NOT over elaborate, but it pre-
sents a falcade which, when completed,
will be something for Jersey City people
to point out with pride.
The elevation on the Mercer street side
and that facing Van Worst Park will, of
course, be In keeping with the general
architecture of the front. and the en-
frances on each of these sides will be
worthy of the location.
Great care has been taken by the archi-
tects in estimating carefully the cost OF
building the structure after their plans
All points dictated by the trustees have
been adhered to faithfully, and they say
the building when finished will give to
Jersey City library building which for
room conveniences and so forth cannot
excelled in the country for the outlay
contemplated.
The plot on which the new building will
stand covers about IL 800 square feet, ex-
tending 200 feet along Jersey avenue. and
so feet east on Montgomery and Mercer
streets The new building will, there
fore, have light on three street fronts
and an area in the rear. The new build
ing will have three stories and a roof
story, and is planned to accommodate
100000 volumes, of which IO,0V0 may De
outside OF stacks. The first story to be
u to Is feet high, second 10 TO 223s feet
and the third II to Is feet high, If the
second Is Is feet or of less height than
Is feet If the second is 225A feet. floor to
floor. The height OF the roof story was
left to the architects discretion.
The building is to be fireproof through
out, or partly fireproof and partly of
slow burning construction. Stack rooms,
stairs, lifts and partitions are to be of
incombustible material.
The ground floor will have three en-
frances. one on Jersey avenue and one
The latter entrance admitting wagon
to the Station Delivery The ground
floor is to have the main stairs. service
stairway and lift On this floor will be the
stack room wing, with an area of 1,S00
square feet; the Station Delivery, 100 feet;
bindery. $50 feet; lunch cloak and toilet
rooms LOCO feet; newspaper room, 2,5e0
feet. newspaper files. 500 feet, and store
room, janitor and public toilet, in all 800
feet making total area of s,1o0 feet.
The stack room or wing VIII extend
through all the floors. and it may even
start in the basement and have up to
seven stack stories of IL feet each. and
provision must be made for 100000 volumes
In the stacks. These stacks are to be s. 3.
II or Is feet long. s or 16 inches deep and 32
to ss inches apart in the clear. Interior
aisles feet and wall aisles, 214 feet Wide.
There will be abundant light from win
dows, as nearly opposite each cross aisle