The sun., 1901-08-11
Growth Of Hotels and Apartment
Houses.

The docket Of the Building Depart
ment shows that from Jan. to Aug. l
Of this year, plans were filed for twenty
two buildings classed as hotels. OF this
number eighteen are regarded an first
class" costing from Ss2,O 900 up to 81 ,ooO,-
900. Awaiting only the purchase of sites,
perhaps as many more hotels have been
projected, the necessary capital having
been secured. Many more millions Of dol
lars are being invested in the building of
apartment houses.
In cost, size and completeness OF
equipment, the hotels constructed in
this city during the past decade are
unrivalled in the world, and as each
one was built, men who thought they
knew New Yorks needs said that there
was no demand for It. With less than
half - many hotels q dozen years ago,
all visitors to this city were housed COM
fortably. each according to what he was
willing to spend for such accommoda-
tions. IL was only on rare occasions
that the word was passed along that the
irst-class hotels were full. And yet
even with the enormous addition to our
hotel list during the past few years,
there are occasions each season now,
such a. Horse Show week. for instance,
when Q person can get first-class hotel
accommodation only by engaging rooms
several weeks in advance.
No other business has expanded more
vigorously than has the hotel business
in this city, and the men engaged in it
attribute its growth very largely to the
support given by NewYorkers themselves.
Even the increasing number Of visitors
who come here for pleasure or business
would not warrant the building Of 30
many hotels. The New Yorker, who.
q few years ago, looked upon the hotel
merely - . necessity for visitors, now
counts it as luxury in his own scheme
Of life. Its cuisine, supplied with the
best in the worlds markets, may tempt
him to Its restaurant, or he may seek
within its doors q few weeks respite
for his wife from the cares OF house,
keeping. Possibly he Is a N amber Of
one Of the rapidly growing country
colonies around New York and his
hotel now takes the place Of a city
house during the winter months. The
big hotels play an important part even
In the exclusive social life of the city.
There Ia also constantly increasing
number Of people who, either because
the mode Of life avoids the servant ques-
ton or because its freedom suits them,
have acquired the hotel habit Their
hotel Is their home and they know
no other. For people with moderate in
comes, the pleasure Of living in building
whore Q thousand servants minister to
their comfort, surrounded by all the
trappings Of wealth, gives an added in
terost TO Q trip to New York. The
hotels not only cater to this taste, but
they create 1t.
The apartment houses have kept pace
with the hotels. In many parts Of New
York now rsal estate b 20 valuable that
iD owners are forced 10 build apartment
houses on II u they expect 10 get an
adequsts return from their property.
Streets formerly lined With private houses
now divide rows Of towering buildings,
each OF which accommodates many
fsmilisa. Rssidenos distrios that q
few ysazn sgo Vsrs belisvsd 10 b un-
ohaneeahls have bssn invaded By apart
msnt houses. New York dtys svseass