New-York tribune., 1900-11-25
NEW HOUSES IN NEW-YORK
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ARCHITECT
URE UPTOWN.
THE DESIRE FOR MORE SPACE AND LIGHT
HOMELIKE MANSIONS-D -DOORWAYS AND
PORCHES-IDEAS FROM PARIS.

The face of New-York changes with extraor
binary rapidity 1t is a narrow city, and COM
pact. The gridiron arrangement of the streets
has made il impossible to modify the main lines
of urban topography to any serious extent but
in so far as the architects give a new and
variegated aspect to the city they are doing it,
and wealthy owners are giving them abundant
opportunity. In the southern part of Manhat-
tan Island office buildings novel in design are
constantly rearing their roofs to within jump
ing distance of the clouds. In the northern re-
gon numerous apartment houses and hotels are
also soaring heavenward; but the salient feat
ure in the architectural transformation we are
considering is to be found in the private dwell
ing. We have been told that society now cares
more for country life than it ever did before
and the mansions outside of the city but within
easy reach of it are occupied far into the
autumn ani even during some of the winter
weeks. This has not, however, diminished the
number of luxurious town houses. These al
ready form a large company, to which every
year important additions are made.
Most of these houses are necessarily restricted
as to their dimensions but as eligible sites of
more spacious character come into the market
they are promptly snapped up for purposes
other than those OF a hotel or apartment house
proprietor: homes are established upon them
and employment of them yields interesting
suits. We use. the word interesting advisedy.
It is practical matter. worthy of note. that in
he case of the house built for Mr. c. NJ. Hyde
at Madison-ave. and Forticth-st.. or in that Of
Mrs. Alfred Corning Clark's residence on River
sid" Drive. the amount of light admitted far cX-
cccd> that with which min" out of ten dwcllrIs
in the best quarters of the city obliged to
be content. But the suggestive thing for the
spectator. who only sigh with sympathetic
pleasure over the thought of :" many rooms
flooded with 50 much health giving sunshine, is
the immense artistic Improvement which Il house
with more than one facad" permits. II permits
and it seems to have compelled this improve
ment. Mrs. Clarks houst especially belongs {"
d new order of things; ii is one of number
of rec mt examples which To- show that
in the city we'll as in the country hnuS"
may have individuality Everything about this
is charminG-th Tho combination # brick and
stone; the artistically framed Windows with
their small pan"s of glass; the stout chimncys.
and the balustradcd roof which they really
adorn. If there Is a detail which hesitate. to
pras. it is tn" porch. which seems to" heavy
for the house and for tn" srac. in front uf t!..
latter. II makes mass by Itself instead If
figuring tn" suhordinat" member of unified
composition. which it ought to h" Iiut rh"r, is
50 much to be grateful for about this stately
and yet thoroughly houl.il. .tiiic" that w,
can f"rgiN" th" porch WrI as thu lofty iron
f. nee tha; has taken tn" rlc. "f tn modest
lrick wall with st"n" coping and gal.. posts
that would haV" made tn. ideal barrier between
lhc h"us" and the street
Arr"p"S uf the porch just ma! tun..l th..r,.
is a good dral t" h" said nevertheless for thu.
current disposition to give the entrance. a sI,r-
cialy decorative treatment. With space 50
precious ~ II is to-day. and With stringent
laws confronting tn" architect Wh" longs to en-
beauty Of his facad" without sacrificing an
men from the living rooms. II is not surprising
that the average doorway in fashionable New
York remains more or less of a simple hole, i'm
the wall Hut American taste and skill sur
mount the difficulty. The graceful elegant
"marqulS" of glass and iron projected over
the "ntrance gives it distinction sometimes and
riquancy always. Wher this is not desired the
doorway is framed in pilastcrs ana has a carved
pedmehi, or few Stone steps are placed before
1t, with iron railinSs that give a decorative
touch ON occasion, too, the entrance is reached
by a flight Of steps running parallel with the
1dcade, as in the case of Mr.. w B Ogden's
house at Madson-ave and Thirty-nfnth-st
"here the door frame is of the simplest design
put where the staircase, with its stone paranet
lehdS Importance to the opening Perhaps the
those from among which we NAV chooso ana
example, the porch of Mr.. Douglass house at
NO. East Fifty-fourth-st 1t will be observed