New-York tribune., 1920-09-05
Only 48 New
Buildings i'm
Which to Live
That Is Manhattan's Record
for 1920, Although Build
ing Department Shows
Veritable Boom Underway

Interesting facts on how little is be-
ing done through building to relieve
the housing shortage are told by
Rudolph P. Miller, Superintendent of
Buildings, in a comm9nication T91 to
other things Mr.. Miller shows that
only forty-eight buildings in which
people can live will be erected on
Manhattan Island this year. This
number includes flats, apartments,
dwellings, hotels and lodging houses.
In :he fl IS and dwellings accommoda-
tions will be provided for approx
mately 1907 families.
Mr.. Miller shows that compared
with previous years building activities
Of Manhattan are normal, but as
contributing toward housing they
are much below normal. The num-
Der Of buildings contemplated for the
first six months Of 1920 it 434. AS
Stunning that the ratio of the total
number of proposed new buildings for
the enti year to those contemplated
in the first six months is the same
as the corresponding average ratio
shown by the records of the Bureau of
Bull 'ngs for the last ten years, the
total number of buildings contem-
plated for the year 1920 will be 76O. BY
comparison with the past ten years it
is found that the number contem-
plated this year will exceed the an
nual average by 49.1 per cent,
The term "dwelling' includes one
family and two-family houses. Assum-
ing that the ratio Of the total number
tor the first six months is the same as
for other buildings, the probable num-
Der OF dwellings for 1920 will be eigh-
teen. This is a decrease of 45.8 per
cent below the normal annual average
as shown by the years 1910 to 1916, in
elusive.
Upon the same basis as used above,
the probable number of tenement
houses contemplated in Manhattan in
1920 is twenty-six. This is decrease
OF 85.3 per cent below the normal an
nual average for the years 1910 to
1916, inclusive.
This shortage in housing revealed
by the number of proposed tenements
is confirmed when the number of apart
ments provided by these tenements is
considered. The exact number of apart
ments in the fifteen proposed build
ings' for the first six months of 1920
is not Immediately available, but it is
known that the average number of
apartments in tenement house in
Manhattan is 41.5. This would indi-
Cdte tual Cnc probable numDer or apart
ments for 1920 is 1,079. Comparing this
number with the number annually pro-
vided in what we have considered the
normal period G910 to 1916, inciusivc) J..
it appears that the number for 1920
will be 1873 per cent short of the nQr-
NAL annual average.
The figures above recorded show that
at this time only about one-sixth of
the usual amount OF housing is being
provided.
The heading "Other Residence Build
ings" embraces hotels, lodging houses
and all forms of residences not in
cludcd in the one and two family
houses or tenements. Figures with re-
gard to these other residence buildings
show a similar shortage. Comparisons
in this case are not so easy, as the to-
tai numbers are very small. 1t would
appear that only about four buildings
under this heading are to be proposed
in 1920. The annual average for the
seven-year period is only twelve.
1t is interesting to note that the
number Of tenements contemplated in
1917 1918 and 1919 was only seventy
six for the three years, this number be-
ing only 42.5 per cent of the normal
annual average. The average for these
three years was only twenty-five. The
probable number for 1920 is twenty
six, showing that progress this year in
the matter Of housing is no greater
than for the three previous years.