New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-11
FIREPROOF TENEHENTS.
INTERESTING FEATURES OF THE BUILD
INGS TO GO UP AT FORTY FIRST
ST. AND TENTH-AVE

The New-York Fireproof Tenement Company's
new buildings at Forty-hrst and Forty-second SITS.
and Tenth-ave. are 10 occupy twenty city lots The
buildings and land will represent expenditure
or about 10000. A feature OF these tenements Is
that they are to be freproof In plan they will
closely resemble the Alfred Corning Clark group
model tenement houses in Sixty-eighth and Sixty
ninth SITS. built for the City and Suburban Homes
Company by the same architect. Ernest Flagg. who
was also the architect Of the Mills Hotels.
The Sixty-eiEhth-st. buildings the FIRST prac-
teal demonstration OF Mr.. Flaggs plan outlined
in an article written by him several years ago or
The New-York Tenement House Evil and It's Cure
In that article Mr. Flagg contended that the evils
OF the tenement houses in this city lay in the
plan: that with rational plan the evils could
all be overcome, without additional cost TO the
landlord, and at considerable saving in expense.
This prediction is said TO be verified in the Alfred
Corning Clark buildings which have now been in
for upward OF two years
In the Forty-secord-st buildings many FAINT
lies will be housed would be II the lots
covered with the old fashioned tenement houses.
The new plan. however, provides that there shall
be dark halls. narrow entrances or steep stair
ways. The rooms viii light No water closets
are to be used by two families in common.
There viii be no narrow light shafts and practically
no danger from fire. Five-sevenths OF the apart
ments will have outlook on the street. Many
Will have private bathrooms
All will have access TO the common baths and
laundries with which each building is equipped.
The stairs will ascend easily and be abundantIy
lighted The starCases all to be surrounded by
brick walls, and fhe buildings will be as thoroughly
hreproof il is possible make them. All the
moor beams will be Of steel and the space between
them filled with concrete. The partitions are OF
solid plaster a wire mesh. No wooden studs or
laths used anywhere.
The New-York Fireproof Tenement Company is
Tot philanthrOpiC institution, but a purely bust
ness enterprise It expects rent its apartments
at prevailing rates and to make 4 handsome return
on its investments by doing. It promises well
planned, well lighted, conveniently arranged whole
some. well built, attractive quarters the same
price which is asked for quarters the reverse this
il has been the custom build here. It can do this
because OF the greater economy OF the plan adopted
Ever since the first tenement house built in
NewYOrk II has been the custom TO build houses
found that office buildings could be built
and operated economically small a unit bur
the talent which has been employed in planning Of
nee buildings ia not Of the class which has
been employed III tenement house work
In the old "duuhbell' plan tenement houses there
fire walls. and fire once started sweep
through block. The narrow light shafts between
the buildings act many fues 10 spread the
flames from floor TO floor and from building TO
building The stairCases not nclOsed in brick
IA running feet OF brick wall obtain 100
square feet of rentable space 10 the floor. while
Mr.. Flagg says that by his plan the
OF rentabe space Is obtained by the OF III
running feet OF wall Thus there is a big saving
IN brickwork.
The new plan leaves vacant 80 per cent of the
OF the lot for light and air. while the old
fashioned plan leaves only about 20 per cent. yet
he percentage Of rentable space each floor
the OF the lot is greater by the FlagZ plan.
rentable space obtained more valuable because bet
lighted.