New-York tribune., 1912-01-08
PICKING FINEST HOUSE
Prizes To Be Given Owners OF
Apartment Buildings.
ARCHITECTS THE JUDGES
Under the Plan Critics Have to
Do Only with Exterior Lines
of Structure.

4 committee of the New York Chapter OF
Architects and several men prominent :"
other professional spheres are uSihh ~
determine what is the most beauutul apart
ment house of more than six stories anu
also of six stories or less, erected III haN
haitian or The Bronx last year. IT VIII an
pounce in the near future the results OF Hs
lebors. and also give TO the fortunate OWL
ers of the structures prizes in the form vi
medals and certificates of honorable men
tion.
Those who moved into new apartment
house recently may be surprised in week
or two TO learn that their new home Is
architecturally one of the best II not the
best, put up in the last twelve months ue-
spite the fact that the janitor or bellDoys
have about the ugliest temperamehts III
the greater city. Neither janitorial us-
position nor character of management ol
property is a factor in this building con-
test.
This is the second annual competition,
and. like the previous one, the prizes are
10 be given to owners Of houses which
measure up 10 the best architectural stand
ard The critics pass judgment only on the
exterior lines OF the structures The own
ers in this competition get the prizes, ana
not the architects, because the owners
footed the bills, and what they have done
as individuals in behalf OF American art
should, the experts think. be publicly rec
ognized. Public testimonials Of this form
help, Il Is said, to create an artistic sense
in many improvers of land in Manhattan
or The Bronx.
''Why spend money for decorative tinsel
effect" exclaimed many leading builders
in chorus not many years ago, when ten
ants don't want II and will kick II you
make them pay for II in higher rents "
Popular floor plans. light and air ar
rangements and modern apartment con-
veniences' were about the only subjects
which deeply interested them OF course,
they admired the few houses considered
really beautiful by experts. Somehow they
got the habit of trying to duplicate them,
and found that occupants were willing TO
pay for exterior as well as interior at
tractiveness Earning power advanced, so
more ornate structures were erected by
these builders, and with each succeeding
year more houses with artistic facades
were put up
The number of houses beautifully built
last year established a high record, and the
committee has been busy in passing on the
comparative merits of them all
The Verona apartment house, at the
southeast corner of 64th street and Madison
avenue in the class of houses Of more than
six stories, captured last year for Francis
L. Leland, president of the New York Coun-
" Bank, the first prize medal. The house
was built from plans by W. A. Mowbray.
In the class of apartment houses six
stories or less the medal in the competition
last year went 10 ]. f. A. Clark, as the
owner Of the house No. 144 East 4Oth
street. The designs for that structure were
drawn by Walker & Gillette.
The jury to award prizes this year COM
prises c. Grant La Fargo, president. and
Frank H. Holden. secretary, of the New
York Chapter Of Architects: John j.
Murphy Commissioner Of the Tenement
House Department; Henry w. de Forest,
president Of the Municipal Art Commission;
Oswald c. Herring, George B. Ford, Walter
Blair and D. Everett Ward.