New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-08-31
Real Estate Opportunities in City and Suburbs for Tr
New York's Old
Buildings Being
Put i'm Condition
Shortage of Modern Struct-
ures Encourages Revamp-
ing of Oldtimers; In
come Warrants Expense

Since the statement of Abram Elkus,
of the New York state committee on
reconstruction, that there were 10000
vacant tenement-apartment in the city.
it has been obvious that here was
possible source of relief from the press
ing demand for moderate priced apart
ments. 1t was stated in the commits
sion's report, however, that these tene
ments as they stood were practically
valueless as an answer to the housing
question, because they were of the
"old-law" type, lacking the sanitary
equipment and lighting required for
decent living.
On this account, considerable inter-
est attaches to the reports of the rem
ovating of old tenements as noted by
the New York Edison Company, which
has within the last few weeks received
an unprecedented number of contracts
for the electric lighting of old tene-
ments and residences being remodelled.
The use of electricity for the public
lighting of old tenement buildings is
by no means a novelty, but the intro
duction of electricity into apartments
of the most modest sort is an lndlca-
ton of the attempts of owners to bring
their "old-law" buildings up to date,
at attract tenants of the better sort.
One of these contracts relates to the
lighting of an old brownstone residence
erected on Columbia Street, one of a
row. Should this venture be success
full the row will be wired.
A tenement on Chrystie Street, near
Hester. containing thirty eight apart
ments, is to be supplied with electricity.
A little further uptown, on Second Ave-
nue., similar installations are being
made by the owners.
Another active section is the middle
of the town, in the immense stretches
of tenements and cheap apartments
east of Third Avenue and west of Sew
enth, both of which received special at
tention in the detailed reports of the
State Commission. Nine old tenement
buildings between Forty second and
Fifty-ninth Streets, on the East Side,
are undergoing improvements, includ
ing electric lighting, while five more
are arranging for electric lighting of
public halls On the West Side, in a
similar territory, twenty old structures
are being wired throughout for cleo
tricity.
Besides row of old-time tenements
belonging to the Goelet Estate and
located at 421 to All Park Avenue,
which are being transformed into
apartments more in keeping with the
present value of their site, the East
Eighty-slxth Street office of the New
York Edison Company reports twelve
old tenements capable of housing 200
families are undergoing renovation.
In the central part of town there is
much wiring of halls and stairs in old
tenement and apartment buildings, both
to the east and west Of the higher
priced sections.
Throughout The Bronx great activity
among the owners of the older tene-
ments is reported Near Wales Avenue
and East 135th Street eight houses
with accommo dations for twentyeght
families are being wired for electricity
throughout, and eight houses on Frank
lin Street, housing 1862 families, wilt
have 2,430 electric lights. Other streets
on which similar improvements are be-
ing carried out are Freeman Street,
Tiffany Street, Crotona Avenue. Park
Avenue, Clay Avenue, Washington Ave
nue., Teller Avenue, Findlay Avenue,
Shakespeare Avenue, East 131st Street,
East 151st Street, East 163d Street and
East Hist Street.