New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-11
Framing Greater City
Building Code BY Sections
Many Reasons for Adoption of This Method, One
Being to Avoid Encountering Such Opposition
as Defeated Previous Attempts
Remove Obsolete Provisions

Of the materials Of construction. unless
, the rules of the superintendent pre-
scribe specifications, the standard
specifications of the American Society
for Testing Materials are designated 10
apply. Among the materials of con-
struction provided for IN this new code
and not heretofore recognized axe hol-
low building blocks, both of terra Gotta
and concrete.
Article 3 prescribes the working
stresses for the different materials of
construction and the minimum loads
that must be assumed FOR floors used
for different purposes. Generally
speaking, the working stresses here
tofOre prescribed are continued. In
the case If timber, however, the work
ing stresses on the timbers ordinarily
used are raised ABOVE those CT the
old code. The stresses prescribed by
the old code we're 50 low that in sew
eral of ,he boroughs Of the city they
were, as q matter Of practice, dlsre-
garded and the stresses used which
had been prescribed Oy the old law of
1899, but which were inorcinately
high. II il had not been for the fact
that floors in residence buildings are
not loaded to the extent assumed by
the old Building Code there might
have been serious results from this
practice. The increase in the working
stresses IS Offset in the matter of resi-
dence buildings BY a reduction in the
live loads assumed on the floors OF
dwellings. This load has been reduced
from sixty to forty pounds per square
foot. The result of this is tnst in
residence buildings the sizes Of wood
become used hereafter will remain
NM frs.sf E.nr -
The allowable loads on steel, cast iron
and wood columns have been changed
TO conform more nearly with lie pres
ent generally accepted practice
Article 4, on Classification Of Build
ings, is \ new article, dividing bui'd-
ings according TO occupancy INTO pub
lie buildings. residence buildings and
business buildings, and according 10
construction, into treproot, non-nre-
proof AMI frame. Il was found some
times difficult 70 draw me line between
buildings of dlffercn. classes &c far
as occupancy is concerned. In general
it may be said that residence build
ings are buildings in which people
sleep; public buildings are buildings
in which the public, Cher voluntarily
or invoiuutarily, co9grcgates for Glt-
ferent purposes, -n'luGing buildings
used for municipal purposes, such
as cOurthOlSes buildings used
tor assembly such as theatres,
churches and schools, and institutions
Tor the care treatuen' or legal de-
tentiou Of persons, bushes, build
ings include under the article, all
other buildings, among them Office
buildings, factories and stables Tho
provisions as 10 what constitute ire
proof n0n-freproof AID frame build
iugs are practically those applying 20
those types of construction heretofore.
Article {, entitled Restricted Areas,
covers the fire limits and also rev
restricted zone designated as :Ibur-
ban limits. The fire limits n Man
haitian, The Bronx and Brooklyn and
Queens have been cNtended ard The
new limits defined. The suburban
limits sec ion applies TO Manhattan,
where IL includes all hat part the
borough not within the fire limits;
The BroaX, in wh.cn Two large sec
tons are defined, and Brooklyn.
Queens has no suburban limits
because Of the large areas as
yet unimproyed. and for a similar
reason Richmond 0aS been omitted
from both restrictions. One amend
ment has been made s.nce th.s ordl-
nance was passed last year. remov-
ing the limitation of time within
which a frame bulldog may be moved
from one lot 70 another within the
fire limits.
Article II, partition fences and walls,
contains little that is new, but codihes
and clarifies the situation created by
the three sets Of ordinances heretofore
existing on the subject and applying 10
different parts Of the city. The Presi-
dent of the Borough, and not the alder
man Of the district is made the arbiter
in the event Of dispute as TO the ne
cessity for a retaining wall or the di-
vision Of the cost.
In Article -. on excavations and
foundations, the old code has been
closely followed The provisions, how
ever, for taking care Of neighboring
buildings when an excavation is made
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