New-York tribune., 1919-04-13
Greatest Building Boom
In History Oh the Way
Leonard Schultze Says 1t Cannot Be Avoided Be-
cause of Shortage of Premises; Says Now Is
Good Time to Build

America IS in for great building
boom, the greatest in its history. Leon
ard Schultze, Of the architectural firm
of Warren & Wetmore, designers and
supervisors Of the great Grand Central
Improvement, is Of this opinion, which
is the result not only of local obser-
vation but of what he has seen in
many large cities of the country Wis
tied recently. Mr.. Schultze visited
eight cities, dominating sectional CEN
tres one of which was Houston. Tex,
and he told the New York building
managers that the space situation was
just as serious in these places as in
New York City.
In far-away Texas, which many
Northcrners picture mentally as still
a prairie land overrun with sagebrush,
business and residential space is at a
premium. Hotel accommodations, in
all cities visited, are far below the
needs of the communities and the
same could be said for office and resi-
Dental premises.
Under such conditions there can be
no other result but a great building
boom, Mr.. Schultz said, provided money
interests will lend. He told the Build
ing Managers that he did not see just
now where the money was to come
from, but he felt sure that money would
be furnished to build up the country.
Good Time to Build
This is good time to build, in Mr..
Schultze's opinion. He said there is
little hope that prices will be lower
for some time because of the unnat-
ural debts which the country must pay
off. This means taxes, and taxes, he
intimated, are reflected in high price
levels. Labor costs never will come
down. The wage level day will re-
main, and, in fact, it may go higher
Wages have not kept pace with the
upward move of living. Labor is not
getting very much higher wages than
before the war"
The general opinion that construc-
ton costs had gone up considerably
was contradictcd by Mr.. Schultze who
said: "Within the last ten days that
have asked for bids on several pro
jccts, some of which will cost $3,OOO,-
900 and more, and the prices were not
more than 20 to 80 per cent higher than
ious to get started When building
is fully resumed construction prices
will go up.
"The apartments of the future will
have hotel facilities for the demands
of the day will force builders to build
such houses Small suites of large
rooms will be the demand Six rooms
will be as large as builders will ven
turc to build. Two and three and
four-room suites will predominate.
Hotel service will be demanded Of the
house owner and restaurant will
have to be attached.
"Rentals for apartments in Park
Avenue, Fifth Avenue and side streets
will mount as high as $4,000 room
Small apartments will be in big de-
mand by folks who spend most of the
year in the country. The fifteen-room
and larger sized apartments,' Mr..
Schultzc thought, "are too expensive
because Of the heavy levies made on
incomes to meet the unnatural debts of
the country. To pay rental demanded
for large apartment an income of
100000 is necessary"
Mr.. Schultze explained that when
man had paid his income tax to the
Government a big cut was made in the
100000. This was one of the reasons
given by him for the belief that small