The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-28
81 400 RENTAL ROOM PER YEAR is PRETTY STIFF PAY
BUT 1T BUYS THE NEAREST THING TO PERFECT HOME
Comparison With $500 Room Flats
of a Generation Ago Reveals Rea-
y sons Why People Are Willing to
- Spend $4,000 Year for
Bare Living Quarters

II costs from $500 to si,4oo year
per room to live in the best of New
Works. apartment houses. 1t is COM
riiimentary of the citys wealth and its
business progress that there are SO
many families who can afford to- pay
such high rentals. A half dozen years
ago $1,000 a room was the topmost
rental That price was paid for
suites in the apartment houses at the
north corner OF Fifth avenue and
Lighty-1rst street. 1t costs nearly.
$500 more a room to live in the apart
ment house at the north corner of Fifth
avenue anu Sixty-third street completed
last year, and generally considered the
most costly apartment dwelling in the
city.
Thirty-six years ago $500 room
would have secured the very fnest
apartment In the city and, for that
matter. in the world. because there
was none better in those days than the
group of buildings which Navarro built
nue. and now commonly known as the
Spanish Flats" They were the first
Of the higher class apartments in this
city. The contrast between the apart
ments in these pioneer structures and
those OF to-day, which are in plain
view Of the old massive structures dis
closes the great progress which has
reen made by apartment builders in the
intervening years, and also the great
upward slant of the rest of living in
New York's best suites.
Comparison in rents shows that the
hest living accommodations in New
York have increased more than 400 per
cent. in the last three decades.
London. the great dwelling city of
Europe, gasps at the thought of S3O,-
the British capital was congratulating
itself on having tied New York on the
score of high class apartment suites.
il had built group of apartments on
the, site Of the Gloucester House. the
London residence OF the Duke of Cam
bridge at the corner of Picadilly and
Park Lane. for which they asked 10000,
which is less than 100000 a year.
IT was wonderful building and
a tremendous rental for family to
pay, London thought. They felt Ger
tam they mad equalled II not out
stripped New York in the direction OF
expensive apartment suites and were
getting ready 10 boast of ii when TIE
construction OF the houses at Fifth ave-
nue. and Eighty-frst street was an
nounced. which surpassed the British
best by long way, since apartments in
the Fifth avenue house were to rent for
$4,000 year each.
Those who have seen London's best
claim that 1t is inferior in arrangement,
number OF Conveniences and service TO
apartments in this city which can be
had for the same rental and even at a
little less rental.
New Workers. are more or less ac-
quainted with the progress made by
builders in the perfection of the apart
ment type of home. No city of the
world has accomplished SO much toward
relieving the drudgery of housekeeping
and making life of the family and SER
wants pleasant and agreeable. Knowing
all this the questions still arise, Are
these apartments worth the money;
What does one get in the s1,4O0 a room
suite that is not to be had at $500 a