Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-31
ROOF DWELLINGS, Frederic j. Haskin

! wouldn't do it, l believe if more New
Workers would use their roofs for health re-
sorts they'd find they would gain in health,
add to their efficiency and continue to be eff
ficent longer
A Yacht-Like Dwelling
Another picturesque roof dwelling belongs
to well-known New York yachtSman who
years ago decided that he would like to live
on top of the Berkeley Arcade building in the
midst of his clubs and the theater district.
| satisfactory long-term lease for certain por-
ton of the roof was arranged, with adequate
provision for renewal and also for elevator
service and heat. Then an architect was called
to the roof and requested to design an ap-
propriate bungalow. The result is we'll worth
seeing
The exterior walls of the place are of brick
and hollow tile covered with a rough Stucco;
the base, window stills and chimneyS being
of a dark, red brick. The roof is covered
with Spanish roofing tile, and small dominoes
are built into the roof with ventilating lowers
opening into the air space over the ceilings in
order to make the rooms cooler in summer.
On the west side of the house are pergoa
and lattice that enclose and screen it from
that portion of the roof reserved for the use
of the building. This lattice is broken by an
archway and gate and is covered with vines
real ones this time-planted in flower boxes
arranged along its base.
The living room is designed somewhat in the
fashion of yachts cabin, with beamed and
I trusSed ceiling, high windows on the north
and east sides and the south side glass
doors opening out the roof. There are
built-in lockers and book cases and generous
window seats in place of hunks. A fireplace
between the windows at one end gives touch
of comfort not found on the ordinary yacht
Not all of the roof dwellings in New York
are as attractive as these two but because they
all VIZ al
Sive. There is one now vacant on the top of
private house Madison avenue which is
in a most dilapidated condition. 1t consists
of five oddly shaped little rooms that would
wiring tears of espair from an interior decora-
tor, with only one shallow closet low cell
ings and no space at all outside on the roof
even for couple of chairs. Yet, according
to the janitor, it rented for $4,000 last year
With the least attractive roof bungalows
renting at such high prices, it seems strange
that real estate men do not display more In
tereSt in providing new ones in good cond-
tion
T'd like to contract for all the roofs on
certain private block in his city," declared
one New York business man not long ago,
"but there's no chance of my getting them
There are upward of 10000 or 10000 square
feet of roofs there that represent waste space
But the owners don't seem to realize its
value. and they won't rent it to those who do.
"f | could get that space, I'd build row
of fine California bungalows for which there
has never been enough room in New York 1t
would be easy to rent each of them for
$4,000 year. If l wanted the space for
roof garden or a Sanitarium or children's
Playground l might get it-there are plenty
of them on the roofs of New York They
build restaurants and stage cabarets on roofs;
they have hospitals up there; l have even
seen chicken yards and greenhouses on roofs
hut H.
yet decided that they want to live up in the
sunshine and fresh air. Some day, however,
they'll have to take to the roof There won't
be any other place left upon which to build