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REAL ESTATE
AND
(Copyright, 1017, br Tbe Record and Oulde Co.)
NEW YORK, DECEMBER 8, 1917
INCREASED COST OF CONSTRUCTION SHOWN
THROUGH COMPARATIVE FIGURES
August Heckscher's New Building at Madison
Avenue and 38th Street Used as an Example
I N the last week of September, 1915,
^ August Heckscher decided to de¬
molish the old Havemeyer residence,
and the writer was requested on Septem¬
ber 23 to obtain estimates from house-
wreckers. The demolition was started
formally on September 30, but in accord¬
ance with instruc¬
tions, was not vig¬
orously prosecuted,
and w^as completed
November 22. 1915.
During this period
the writer's or¬
ganization was defi¬
nitely retained as
consulting and su¬
pervising engineers
to direct and super¬
vise any construc¬
tion thai might pos¬
sibly be decided
upon, if any, on the
site, under the same
terms and condi¬
tions a s obtained
covering the same
duties for the erec¬
tion of the 25-story
office building at the
southeast corner of
Madison avenue and
42d street, then in
course of erection
for the 5>ame owner.
The arrangement
provided for a fee
ifi a manner similar
to the employment
of an attorney in an
important case. His
interests were solely
those of the owner
and the good of the
building, his fee not
being seriously af¬
fected by the in¬
crease or decrease
of the total cost of
the proposed matter
i n contemplation.
Upon the selection
by the owner of Jar¬
dine, Hill & Mur¬
dock, as architects,
the interests of own¬
er, architects and su¬
pervising engineers
were identical, pre¬
cluding any adverse
feeling or criticism
in the work of for¬
mulating and de¬
signing the plans,
writing of specifica¬
tions, checking of
details, selection of bidders, a\yard of
contracts and supervision and direction
of the work. That the plan was most
cooperative and harmonious and thor¬
ough is fully demonstrated by the re¬
sults. There were no suspicions or
contention in regard to the amourits to
be paid or retained for alterations in the
minor details of the construction.
The general policy of the major de¬
tails were brought by the architects to
the attention of the engineers and C. B.
Jaqua, the owner's secretary, and, in ac-
By RUSSELL B. SMITH, C. E.
cordance with preliminary instructions
from the owner, were decided by these
three representatives solely on their
merits as to their value to the completed
building as a high-class commercial loft
building. In preparation for these meet¬
ings the necessary plans and specifica¬
tions were furnished by the architects to
"N
Jl:
Jardine, HUl & Murdock,
OFFICE STRUCTURE IN MURRAY HILL ZONE.
the engineers, who obtained estimates
thereon from the contractors effected,
and the entire data thus made available
for discussion and disposition.
The engineers provided all electric
current used for light and power for
construction purposes, temporary offices
on the site, telephone, watchmen, drive¬
ways, labor and trucking of ruljbish, car¬
pentering, and all other miscellaneous
items difficult to designate as any par¬
ticular contractor's work.
All other work performed was awarded
by the engineers, as agents of the owner,
to contractors in their respective lines,
and during the first week of each month
an itemized statement of payments due
each contractor was rendered to the
owner, who placed with the engineers
sufficient funds to cover all obligations;
the engineers in turn making the in-
"* dividual payments to
contractors during
the second week.
All books of account
were kept by the
engineers, and
monthly statements
rendered to the
owner.
On October 26,
1915, Jardine, Hill &
Murdock, as archi¬
tects, presented a
typical floor plan,
which was accepted
as a basis for pro¬
ceeding with final
plans, which were
filed with the Bu¬
reau of Buildings
November 12, and
formally approved
on November 19,
without any struc¬
tural changes being
required by the De¬
partments.
On November 23,
1915, the excavation
of the site had been
started, so that,
when, on January
21. 1916, Mr, Heck¬
scher advised the
engineers that there
was no need of fur¬
ther delay, that all
legal technicalities
in connection with
the use of the site
for a loft building
had been overcome,
the excavation was
well under way, and
although very se¬
vere winter weather
w a s encountered,
the first foundations
were set on Febru¬
ary 5, and the first
structural steel set
on February 23.
The duration of
time from the start¬
ing of the excava¬
tion to the setting
of the first struc¬
tural steel was three
months, which
however, represented only 68 working
days, due to holidays and bad weather
days.
As soon as the data was available,
contracts to the total number of 31 werg
awarded, 14 of which weie completed
prior to December 1, 1916, 7 during De¬
cember, 12 during January, 1917, and 4
during February, 1917. On December 20,
1916, the building was ready for tenants,
and the first tenant began moving in
and was ready for business on January
9, 1917. On February 21 all contract
Architects.
RECORD ANP GUIDE IS IN ITS FIFTIETH YEAR OF CONTINUOUS PUBLICATION.