New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-17

PLOT COST S2,4O0.OOO
Art Gallery Will House Valua
able Collection of Paintings
-Sunken Pool a Feat.
ure of Structure.

Rapid progress is being made in put
ting up a home for Henry Clay Frick ON
the Fifth avenue block front between
10Th and list streets. where, for many
wears, the old Lehox Library stood The
contract provides that the house shall be
ready for occupancy within eighteen
months after the breaking of ground. The
foundation work was completed in the
spring of this year, and the entire pre- n
Uses will be turned over 10 Mr.. Prick earlyx
next year.
As he bought the greater part Of the
site in 1905. when the Lenox Library was
merged with the Aston Library and lie
Tilden Foundation, II has taken about
seven years to get the site cleared for
the builder and to have the building al
most ready for the interior decorations.
Mr.. Frick is the lessee and occupant
Of the southerly one Of the Vanderbilt
houses on Fifth avenue, extending from
blst TO SD streets. His lease there does
not expire until 1915, SO his new home
will be ready for him long before that
lease expires. lie pays $4,000 year rent
for his present home.
Mr. Frick's new mansion is considered
by many real estate experts TO be prin-
cipally notable for the following features:
Its cost. area, design and gallery. II viii
be the second most valuable private
| dwelling In this city. There are oniy
two other residences with block front
age. namely. the Carnegie house. IN upper
Fifth avenue. and the Schwab house. in
, Riverside Drive. The design of the Frck
house Is plain vet homelike. Another dis
tjnctive feature besides the art gallery
will be a sunken pool. 90 feet long by -
feet wide, which. at the square foot rate
paid for the property by Mr.. Frick. VIII
cost for the ground alone $4,000.
There are many men in the real estate
field who prophesy that this is likely To
be the last private dwelling that will ever
be erected on an entire block front in
Manhattan Island. The reason given is
that the apartment house invasion IN
the choice residential sections of New
York has reduced the available number
OF block fronts almost to the vanishing
point In other words, 1t is no longer
possible for individuals or companies TO
get block front sites in the heart of the
best home sections OF New York for pri-
yato dwelling purposes.
Senator Clark's home. at 72d street ana
Fifth avenue. which is the most eXpen-
slve mansion in the city, cost between
ssSoo.eOO and $4,000. The new home 81
Mr.. Frick will cost about 100000. HIS
house was designed by Carrere d. Hast
ings, architects.
The house is on a plot with frontage
OF roO.lo feet and depth of 10 feet. Mr.
rr,ck paid 81, 10000 for the property.
The general style Of the house is IN the
italian Renaissance, with here and there
q hint Of French and Colonial architect
ure. nodded together to give an erect
az once simple, dignifed and homelike.
The house sets 70 feet from the avenue
with the exception of that part covered o9
the art gallery. at the northerly end. Ihe
art gallery is 100 by IS feet, and is one
and one-half stories high. Is west
erlv wall will be almost flush with the
high wall that is TO extend around the
entire premises. The building proper IS
three stories high, with an attic
The main entrance. TO the house ana
gallery is from Fifth avenue. Opening on
N the main entrance is an immense hah'
20 nv a feet, with a large library ana
drawing room on either side. The library
is g by &c feet. and the drawing room
% By % feet
A living hall in the centre extends dear
through the house, and in the back OF IT,
within easy access, will be built an IN
terror garden.
The sunken pool. which will be close
to Fifth avenue. will be cut off from TIE
view OF the curious by stone wall or'a-
mented with a carved balustrade.
The art gallery will house the large COZ
lection Of paintings Of Mr.. Flick lie Is
said TO have paid $4,000 for portrait
Of King Philip " of Spain. by Nelasque%'
and $4,000 for a Rembrandt, The Mer-
chant" He also purchased the Rodney
rortrsit of Lady Mines, which was held
al $4,000.