New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31
New High Record for Cost
Made Last Year by Build
ers in the State.
THIRD BEST YEAR
AS REGARDS NUMBERS
Over If Per Cent of Population
Now Living in New Law
Structures.

<evv Jersey builders spent N5,VlS,VoN last
lar in erecting new law tenement
so,,ses sum 100000 greater than the
,-ovious highest amount ever invested in
ono year. in putting up hathouses under
~. new Jaw The former high record
,.os that Of 1907. when Sl2,02S.ooo was en-
coded As regards the number Of
so,ses built 1913 occupies the third po-
80, on the list. with record of l,2o
hnn8,ngs: 1901 holds the high record for
houses. with $685. and 1872 is second.
with l.2'o.
From the enactment Of the law on
March q. 1905. to the date OF its last
ronort. the Tenement House Commits
sion Of New Jersey had supervised the
construction OF lo.103 fathouses, with an
estimated total cost of S9j.I3i,ool Those
roy, law eathouses furnish accommoda-
lions for 5000 families. or approximate
~ g5Co persons. Estimating the pres
l,t nopulaton OF the state 10 be 2,O5,coo,
about II per cent Of the residents Of the
e..,o arc living in these new law tene-
ment houses.
The character of the construction OF
this large number of tenement houses
while not by any means ideal. is mn
r3telv better than that Of the old tene-
want houses" SAYS the Tenement House
Commission Of New Jersey in its last
report. In the new law tenements con-
structed under the supervision OF the de-
nartment. every room has window open
inc directly to the outer air, either on
the street or yard, or upon an inner
court.
In the old tenement houses, erected
before the enactment of the law, by far
the larger number Of interior rooms were
without direct light OF any kind. The
only attempt in the old style tenement
houses to light the inner rooms was by
means of a " shape shaft, containing an
average of ten square feet. AS a rule
this small shaft was covered at the top,
sometimes with a skylight, but almost
without exception without any means OF
ventilation In the new law tenement
houses every inner court and every vent
shaft is connected at the bottom with
an air duct leading to the street or yard
and is open at the top. thus insuring
circulation of air through the shaft
Within the last year a number Of de-
rartires from the ordinary class OF tene-
ment house construction was noted, the
tendency being to larger buildings. Inc
department has now under supervision the
construction OF a number Of houses OF TINS
class one in particular being five story
brick structure, arranged for fifteen fami-
lies on a floor, or seventy-fve families in
all. the total cost being $250,0OO. This
building is equipped with all modern ap-
pliances, including elevator service and
il is expected the rentals will average $40
"a room a month. Another building under
construction at this date is also 1--WE stories
I'm height. arranged for twelve families on
q floor. or sixty families in all, to cost
about 5000 600 This building also is
equipped with modern appliances, includ-
ing elevator service. Several other build
ines Of this character are under construc-
ton i'm the different parts Of the state
The tendency toward this character oil
building is Of recent growth and is be-
coming popular with operators, as is evil
dcnced from the numerous tentative plans
and inquiries submitted AT the department
during the last few months.
"The three story frame tenement hous'
still retains its popularity with builders
and owners. The records show that 999
such buildings. or G3.96 per cent of all
he tenement houses erected in the year
ar i'm course Of construction AT the time
of the last report. were Of this class.
Thesc buildings are arranged for one or
two families on a floor not more Than six
families in any building. the law limiting
the occupancy of a frame tenement house
"a six families As rule. the apartments
in the three story frame buildings consist
Of FIVE rooms and bath, in many instances
equipped with heating plants. The build
lngs are usually constructed on lot %
by 100 feet. one side of the house being
on the lot line with street 10 yard
court or passage three feet wide at the
lther side. The side Of the house on the
N III line is brick flled-that is the space
between the studs is filled with brick laid
in cement mortar. The interior rooms on
that side Of the building, if any, are light
Cd from an inner court by 10 feet. while
the rooms on the other side of the build
ing obtain their light from the three-foot
street to courtyard. These buildings aver
age sixty feet in depth, leaving ample
ward space at the rear and by means OF
the inner court on the lot line and the
street-to-yard court on the opposite side
all rooms are provided with direct light
and air The apartments in this char
acter Of building usually rent from 80 TO
81 room a month.
Next in favor with the builders and
owners is the three story brick building
Of which 277 buildings. or 1913 per cent
Of the total. were erected in the year. the
layout Of these rooms is usually similar
10 that Of the three story frame building
cxcept that provision is made in the law
for housing more than six families II the
owner 80 desires.
The four story brick building, arranged
for one or two families or occasionally FOR
three families on a floor, is next In point
Of popularity. In the year 10 such build
inss were erected. representing loss per
cent Of the total
There were 80 two story frame tene-
ment houses. 81 two story brick tene-
ment houses and 2S five story brick tene'
ments erected last year
The department approved last year 2'6
plans for alterations affecting 322 build
ings. The cost Of the alterations were
$4,000 In every instance the alterations
represented a decided Improvement in the
building. such as the enlargement OF
rooms widening Of halls or similar
changes. with the purpose of making the
apartments more habitabe.