Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-29
ROOF DWELLINGS TOLD OF
BY MR.. HASKIN
Daily Letter by Frederic j.. Haskin

roofs ne COulQ nave lHuuiteiY iiioIe
time u of doors and with infinitely
less trouble.
"All this life in the Cren air
makes for efficiency. I'm not the
kind of man to take long vacations,
and as for commuting--Well, 1
wouldn't do it. l believe Il more
New Workers would use thei roofs
for health resorts they d find they
would gain in health. add TO their
efficiency and continue to be ell
cient longer"
Another picturesque root dwelling
belongs to a well known New York
yachtman, who years ago decided
that he would like to hive on top
of the Berkeley Arcade building in
the midst of his clubs and the the
atre district. A satisfactory long
term laese of a certain portion OF
the roof was arranged. with ade-
quate provision for renewal and also
| for elevator service and heat. Then
an architect was called to the roof
and requested to design an appro-
pirate bungalow. This 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, VIM
dow sills and chimneys being OF a
dark, red brick. The roof i2 covered
with Spanish roofing tile, ard small
dominoes are built into the roof
with Ve~ntilating levers 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 a pergola and lattice
that e~ncloses and screen it from
that portion of the roof reserved for
the use of the building. This lattice
is broken by an archway ard gate
and is covered with vines-real ones
this time-planted in flower boxes
arranged along its base.
The living room is designed sonie-
what in the fashion OF a yachts
cabin, with a beamed and trussed
ceiling, high windows on the north
and east sides and on the south side
glass doors opening out on the roof.
There are built-in lockers and book
cases and generous window seats In
place of hunks. a fireplace between
the windows at n end gives touch
of comfort moi found on the ordi-
nary yacht.
Not all of the roof dwellings In
New York are as attractive az these
two. but because they are novelties
they are extremely expensive There
is one now vacant on the top of a
private house in Madison avenue
which is in a most dilapidated con-
dition. 1t consists Of five oddly
shaped little rooms that would wiring
tears of despair from an interior
decorator, with only n shallow
| closet, low ceilings and no space at
all outside on the roof ever. for a
couple of chairs. Yet. according to
the j~anitor, it rented for $4,000 last
ger. rS$s -
With the least attractive roof bun
| galows renting at such high prices,
1t seems strange that real estate
men do not display more interest in
providing new ones in good condi-
ton.
"Td like to contract for all the
roofs on a certain private block In
this city, declared n New York
business man not long ago, "bu'
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 tht
owners don't seem to realize Its
value, and they won't rent it to those
who do.
IF 1 could get the space, ia
build a row of fine California bun
galows for which there has never
been enough room in New York. II
would be easy to rent each OF then
for $4,000 a year. II I wanted thu
space for a roof garden or a SAM
torium or a chilldea1e$tsl1edelayd
tarium or a children's playground.
might get it-there are pienty O
them on the roofs OF New YORK
They build restaurants and stag
cabarets on roofs; they havt hospl
tails up there: I have ever seer
chicken Yards and greenhouses OF
roofs, but for some reason h PEG
pie have not yet decided that the.
want to live up in the sunshine an
fresh air. Some day however theyl
have to take to the roof. There won
be any other place left upon which
to build