800





RECORD  AND  GUIDE





May 8, 1915





CURRENT    BUILDING    OPERATIONS





Several Costly Residences Being Erected or Projected
On and Near  Fifth  Avenue, in Lenox Hill Section





DKSI'ITh: the fact lliat thc recent
linancial depression has affected al¬
most everyone in some degree, and has
been felt particularly by many of our
wealthy families, the construction of
private residences continues on a large
scale. Many handsome and costly
dwellings are now being erected, and
others which are contemplated will be
started, no doubt, during this spring and
early summer. This
applies to the con¬
struction of both
city and country
houses, and it would
seem to indicate the
return of confidence
in the future on the
part of these own¬
ers, when they are
willing and able to
spend large sums of
money for purely
social   purposes.

Fifth avenue and
thc side streets west
of Park avenue from
60th to 70th street
is probably one of
the most active sec¬
tions of the city,
when the construc¬
tion of new build¬
ings and alterations
to old ones is con¬
sidered. This dis¬
trict is dotted with
many newly finished
houses and those
now in various stag¬
es oi completion.
Recent real estate
deals indicate that
other dwellings of
importance are con¬
templated and that
the present activity
will continue for
some time to come.

The northward
march of business
has been abruptly
stopned by the nat¬
ural barrier present¬
ed in Central Park.
The residences north
of 60th street are
a^-sured of privacy
for many years to
c o ni e. Apartment
houses have in a few
instances been erect¬
ed in this exclusive
section, but they are
so elegant in tone
and character and
have attracted ten¬
ants    of   such   high

reputation that their construction has
not jeopardized the ancient prestige of
the city's foremost residence street.

Considered as a group, the dwellings
in the Fifth avenue section would be a
credit to any city in the world. They
have been planned hy architects wdio are
masters of their profession, with wide
experience in this class of construction.
Into these houses they have put the best
of their talents and have created struc¬
tures which will for many years exert an
influence for good upon the aesthetic
sensibilities of the community at large.
Following is given a brief description
of some of thc more important projects
now adrt-A  in  this  territory.

At 9 Last 65th street a five-story
American basement residence is soon
to be erected for E. W. Humphreys.
from plans by C. P. H. Gilbert, archi¬
tect,   1123   Broadway.    This   house   will





be built on a lot 25 by 100 feet. The
facade is to be limestone and granite
and thc house will include every pos¬
sible modern convenience and comfort.
Hoppin & Koen, architects, 224 Fifth
avenue, have been retained by Harris
Fahnestock. banker, 2 Wall street, to
prepare plans and specifications for a
handsome residence which he is to build
at 13 and 15 East 56th street, on prop¬
erty   recently   purchased   by   liim.     This







Wm. Crawford, GTen
RESI





1 Contractor.                                     Trowbridge  &   Livingston.   Architects

DENCE  OF  DR.  W.   B.  JAMES,  IN  EAST   TOTH  STREET. ■





residence will be Wvq stories in height
and will probably cost more than
$100,000.

The general contract was recently
awarded to James McW^alters & Son,
Inc.. for the construction of a dwelling
for John T. Pratt, lawyer. 43 Exchange
Place, from plans which have been pre¬
pared by Charles E. Platt. architect. 11
East 24th street. This house is being
erected at 7 and 9 East 61st street. It
will be five stories in height, with base¬
ment and attic, built of brick and lime¬
stone, and will be on a plot -50 by 89.9
feet. E. E. Seelye. 101 Park avenue, is
consulting engineer for the structural
steel work.

At 9 East 70th street. WilHam Craw¬
ford, general contractor. 5 East 42d
street, is erecting one of the largest pri¬
vate houses in the city. This house is
seven  storjes in  height,  with basement





and attic, and in height is second only
to John D. Rockefeller's house in West
54th street. The owner of this new resi¬
dence is Dr. W. B. James, and the
architects who prepared the plans and
specifications are Trowbridge & Living¬
ston, 527 Fifth avenue. The building
itself occupies a plot 41 by 90 feet. Its
facade is of granite and limestone, elab¬
orately carved. Nygren, Tenny & Ohmes,
101 Park avenue, are the consulting en¬
gineers for heating
and ventilating. Fol¬
lowing are the names
of a number of sub¬
contractors who sup¬
plied labor and ma¬
terial for the con¬
struction of this
building: Water¬
proofing, Tuttle
Roofing Company;
structural steel, Post
& McCord; granite,
A. Le Poydevin &
Company; plumbing,
Francis McNamara;
heating, Barr &
Company; carpenter
work. Watt & Sin¬
clair; ornamental
iron. Wells Archi¬
tectural Iron Works;
roofing and sheet
metal, Nicholson &
Galloway; elevators
and lifts. Otis Ele¬
vator Company;
electric wiring, J.
Livingston Electric
Company; plastering
Klee - Thompson
Company; cabinet
work and trim. Pot¬
tier & Stymus;
painting. Charles A.
W.   Rinschede.

Another important
operation which is
now nearing com¬
pletion is the resi¬
dence at 882 Fifth
avenue, for Oliver
Gould Jennings, 70
East 72d street.
This structure is six
stories in height, on
plot 30 by 175 feet.
The building was
designed by W. B.
Chambers. 109 Broad
street, and Stephen¬
son & Wheeler, 2
West 45th street,
associated architects,
and has been erected
under separate con¬
tracts which were
awarded by the
architects. Opposite the recently com¬
pleted Frick residence, on the southeast
corner of Fifth avenue and 70th street, a
four-story marble structure is being
completed by Norcross" Brothers, build¬
ers. 103 Park avenue, which is to be the
residence of C. Ledyard Blair, the
banker. This house was planned by
Carrere & Hastings, architects, 225
Fifth avenue, and is 33 bv 158 feet, cost¬
ing between $150,000 and $200,000.

One of the largest alterations in this
district is that to the residence of E. W.
Ellsworth, at 12 East 69th street. W. W.
Bosworth. architect. 527 Fifth avenue,
prepared the plans for this work, and
Hugh Getty, builder, 359 West 26th
street, was the general contractor. The
project includes an addition and general
interior alterations, extensive in char¬
acter, totalling in cost, according to the
architect's estimate, ^bopt $75,000.