The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-12
GLEANINCS FROM THE REAL ESTATE
PIONEER DESIGNER
OF BIG APARTMENTS
Philip G. Hubert Besides PlanningBuild-
ings Conceived Many Conveniences
Of High Glass Houses.

=, ,'e onward march OF building prog
60. Ia which new methods or innova-
,.ps Id construction rapidly appear, 1t is
,.rh,ps almos, inevitable that the names
and works Of certain pioneers In the field
.,ould fail to he duly recognized by the
,... az to-day themselves engrosscd I'm
,te stud, OF the building problems Of
OBJ. .u'u.r SAYS =. Matldck Price In the
l.etrrripol Record. writing ~ the work
- ,rIIp q Hubert To-day. when civic
CESSATION is concerned with the regula-
lion ~ building heights exceeding that Of
,re Woo'worth building. 1t is a little df-
rrul, 10 bark back 10 the days when the
,sn or twelve story flreproof apartment
was recNoned an achievement OF no small
note.
n is 10 he submitted that some inter-
.s,lpg forecasts of the future might be
made on the basis OF advance in build
ing methods In the last ATTY years. What
V.l the nest ffty bring? When Mr..
Itiber,s more noteworthy achievements
we're CONSPICUOUS among contemporary
buildings m New York it would have
been difficult for example. to foresee
he Woolworth building or, In sdmira-
lion OF the Innovations and facilities OF
me Hotel chelsea. 20 fUrcsee the posi-
hl'',v through evolution OF the new Hotel
Btmore
lie, us therefore pause moment in
IN our amazing development OF innova-
ton after innovation in building methods.
20 acouaint ourselves with the work OF
a building pioneer and to appreciate the
fact that while certain architects names
loom large In the public eye to-day no
achievements. either present or future.
can take away from the pioneers one
particle OF the credit or Importance which
are their due. To-day their works may
no al -
monuments OF later years-perhaps in
qualities OF superficial architecture. de-
tail and the like those early works were
far inferior Nothing, however, should
he Judged excepting In terms OF Contem-
porary eulightment. and n the average
draughtsmau OF to-day is better verscd in
architectural forms than the practising
architect Of nifty years ago we have only
10 thank the betterment of the schools
and the general advance and development
~ the profession which have made this
possible
Few architects OF two generations ago
'huildcd hotter than they kuew''--moSt
~ them would seem not TO have built
ss well as they knew. and Yet the doarth
Z ssthetics in architectural knowledge
then would ne almost inconCeivable to-
day To hose architects who bull as
vol as they knew. especially In structural
work, s due great recognition as pioneers
as the men VINO laid the foundations
and made possible the achievements OF
TO-DAY.
We are in possession OF certain inter-
estng ditt relative to the work OF Philip
e.. flubc-t II the firm or Hubert a Pirsson
An architect vino designed a number OF
nportan, city buildings IN New York
l!ldmgs oycrsha lowed indeed. by sub
s.qu'ut progress, Dut remarkable in their
IIv for their marked ad, ance in building
methods and practical CouyenienCes.
Mr. Hubert, VINO died IN November
''il. h.e c'gl,N-second year. Is reniem-
rod hy his profession as the pioneer
''7U''' ~ the ten and tWelN" storicd
a.Ir'w'ut house and the originator NJ
80 operative apartment house IN this
COUNTRY. as well 80 the inventor Of many
H'v!cs- and Innovations widely used In
slc' houses. being man Of action, as
~ o1 the ppssesspr of an original and
1ver''c mind. Ne carried his ideas into
practice. execution which many inventors
never attain.
Mr. Hubert was born in Paris IN 1890.
'He So of colomh GenSembre. coming 10
this country with his parents in 1S49
and settling IN Cincinnati There Mr..
Hubert took up the teaching OF French.
writing hi own text books. which were
published and widely used in the schools
OF that time. In 1888 he WAS called to
Glrard College. In Philadelphia. then re-
Gently opened rs its first professor ot
French and history. In 1883 he went
"a Boston where he became known as
me leading French teacher, being offs cred
pro'essorship by Harvard. which he
"a not accept. as his taste for invention
was Leading him gradually to give up
teaching and turn TO work more definitely
constructive
Continuing the resume OF this interest
Ing career 1866 found Mr.. Hubert settled
u New York and commencing the prac-
tee OF architecture, which he had studied
WIN his father. lie organized the firm
o' Hubert PRISON, which lasted until
ne death OF James A. PRISON In 1855.
men became Hubert, Prison ~ Haddick
VI, Hubert retiring in 1898 to make his
home IN California.
Daring his thirty years of activity as
New York architect one OF the most
important works Of Mr. Hubert was the
group of apartment houses on Seventh
avenue. AZ Fifty eighth aud Fifty-nnth
streets, known 40 the Central Park or
Navarro buildings.