New-York tribune., 1907-12-15
RIJTLD[NG CODEDELAYED
T4MMANY SEEKS GLORY
IRON and Concrete Interests Oppose
Reyision Commission Report.

The report of the Building Code Revision COM
mission involving salutary and radical reforms Ill
the construction Of all kinds Of buildings wiz coe
before the Board OF Aldermen on Tuesday IlInothy
p Sullivan Tarnraany leader of the board. salo
yesterday that report would not be aoopteo' pu'
would go over until after the first Of the year.
.rThe voters have given the DenocTNts control OF
the Board of Aldermen" said Mr.. Sullivan In al
important matter like revision OF the puiioiiis
code is only right and fair that the hnal ac'ioh
on the matter should deferred for a few weeks
until the board can handle it.
This is another way of saying that Tanmany
wants the credit OF revising the building code anu
Mr Sullivan and his friends expect to appropriate
the ideas worked by the Grifenhagen comrnis-
sion and adopt the greater part of them
=. IS MANNED to reduce the size OF the Builolns
Code Commission after January i, ana appoih'
William p Kenneally, the alderman from CharleS
F. Murphy's district at the head OF It, frooapA,
the new commission viii have fifteen instead OF
thirty members.
From, the laynan's point of view, the opposition
10 the report of commission in its present form
has come the iron people. who favor cast iron
IN the construction of certain kinds or bulioirss
from the reinforced concrete men, and from certain
interests favorng less rigid rules governing the
dreproofns of wooden building materials 1t is ad-
n;tted even by those who opposed to the report
of she commission whole that the reforms pro-
posed are greatly be desired. They contend,
however. that there should be notifications Gen
"a.
rnanded by interests who are swayed by pecuniary
considerations. These considerations are not nec-
essariiy yenal.
The proposed revision OF the code came up for
discussion on Friday night before the New York
Chapter OF the American Institute of Architects
Mr. Israels and Mir. Litchfeld. whe represent the
New York Chapter the Building Code Revision
Commission, explained the scope Of the revision
The matter had received detailed consideration by
the special committee of the chapter appointed for
-
the proposed revision, and a resolution indorsing
the revision and urging its adoption was unani-
nously passed by the chapter A leading architect
In commenting on the action OF the chapter, said
last night
.'The proposed new code is radically different from
the present code in many particulars. and while II
raises the standard of building construction in
spect matters which have heretofore been insult
fcently regulated it gives greater latitude in the
use of material and by giving greater elasticity TO
building methods will increase competition and un
doubtedly result in a higher quality Of building
without increasing the cost.
"A serious attempt is made to deal with the Diff
hcult problem OF high buildings in manner which.
while not limiting the height arbitrarily, makes
such requirements to size of courts, proportion
of lot which can be built upon and setting back
of upper stories. TO modify the unsanitary con-
eitions which result from the high buildings con-
structed the exceedingly loose regulations of
the present code The membership OF the comlnis-
sion was most fortunate for the purpose, including
Charles C. Smith. OF the Board of Fire insurance
Underwriters; Chief Croker of the Fire Depart
tnent who made earnest effort to restrict the
height of buildings and generally to facilitate the
work Of the Fire Department and Mr.. 1sraels and
Mr. Iitchfeld who gave great deal Of time and
intelligent attention TO the work. The mason build
ers and other building trades were represented by
able men, and it is improbable that a better con-
stituted commission could be brought together
under the conditions now prevailing
THE proposed code as now submitted represents
the earnest work Of these intelligent and trained
men, and il in its results far in advance or the
present code 1t is inconcevable that there can be
any considerable opposition 10 the adoption or TINS
code except by special interests seeking undue ad-
vantage" '.
The code as revised does not suit the people who
desire wider use of reinforced concrete John c
Walt, counsel for firms building reinforced con-
crete structures, said yesterday:
The reinforced concrete Interests of the city oe-
clare that If the code be adopted presented TO
the Board of Aldermen It viii greatly cripple that
industry, talk is INDUCED in that certain
provisions of the new code have been prepared
with express consideration for the continued use
of certain forms of fireproofing TO the exclusion
of others whose strength, durability and capacity
TO withstand fire longer be questioned or
disputed.
For example. the present code limits the height
Of reinforced buildings TO IS feet. Section
81 classifes the various buildings In the city
public theatres residence, mercantile and special
hazard buildings, and in the last class. z, in
cIuded all factories workshops lofts printing
houses, stores, warehouses. slaughterhouses.
dering plants light and power stations. smoke
houses and garages which are. in effect, all OF
the industrial buildings that permitted to be
erected within the city limits These classhca
tons. when read in connection with Section III,
are required TO be built Of freproof construction,
with floors and roof OF steel beams not more than
five feet on centres. This, 1t is contended by the
reinforced concrete interests of the city, forbids
the use OF reinforced in buildings of the
Industrial type, which ii is particularly adapt
ed. Il is true that il has been of late used In
some Office buildings and lofts. but that will be
prohibited hereafter by the maximum height of
reinforced concrete buildings being limited to s.
feet.
The misfortune of these restrictions is ap-
parent when IL is appreciated that the buildings
known as the Bush Terminal and the Gair build
;ngs, in Brooklyn, and the new McGraw publish
ing house each and all Of reinforced concrete
The reinforced concrete interests after ten
years successfully contestng for the field of fire.
procing and showing tke quality, If not superior
ity, Of their system all others, in the
present ordinance effort Of their old enemies
to restrict the of first class freproofing MA
terials. and TO retain and encourage the use OF
materials and systems other than those OF REIN
forced concrete