Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: [v. 98, no. 2533: Articles]: September 30, 1916

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REAL ESTATE AND NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 30, 1916 INTERESTING DATA IN BUILDING REPORT Superinten(ient Ludwig Draws Attention to Observa¬ tions Made on Hoffman House and Albemarle Hotel I N the 1915 report of the Building De- ^ partment, prepared by Building Super¬ intendent Alfred Ludwig for the Bor¬ ough President, interesting mention is made of the condition of the Hoffman House and Albemarle Hotel, at the northwest corner of Broadway and 24th street, when demolished. The structure was a seven-story and cellar non-fireproof building, and ad¬ joining and surrounding it was a twelve- story fireproof building, used in connec¬ tion with the hotel. The latter structure occupied an "L"-shaped plot, with front¬ ages on botli Broadway and 24th street. In July, 1915, a permit was issued for tlie demolition of the building, making in all seven and a half years as the ex¬ treme age of the structure. The walls were of skeleton type, 12 inches thick for the uppermost 75 feet of height and thence increased 4 inches in thickness for each lower 60 feet or frac¬ tion thereof. For the floors 9-inch and lO-inch terra cotta flat arches sprung be¬ tween steel beams were used, with the usual 2-inch cinder fill between the sleep¬ ers and a double wood flooring. The ■partition walls throughout the building were of terra cotta blocks, plastered on both sides. All interior columns were incased in 2-inch terra cotta block, while the customary 4 and 8 inches of brick¬ work were used for the exterior and wall columns. Foundations to Rock. The foundation consisted of concrete piers in open caissons, carried down to rock, at a depth of about 37 feet below the curb. It appears that during the construction of the foundation consider¬ able ground water was encountered, ne¬ cessitating the use of steel sheet piling. A great deal of this sheeting has been uncovered, especially where the same interfered with the construction of the new building, which has been erected on the site. The sheeting for the most part was intact and showed very litlle corrosion. In fact, in many places the smooth, even surface of the black iron was plainly visible. Whether the- ab¬ sence of rust was due to the compara¬ tively short time that the sheeting was in place (a little over seven years), or whether it was due to the drawing away of the ground water by the new subway construction, is hard to say. Evidently both contri]3Uted toward the preservation of the metal. At the time of the erection of the twelve-story building it was found neces¬ sary to underpin the west wall of the old Hoffman House. This was done with steel cylinders driven in five-foot lengths to rock and filled with concrete. The piles, however, showed practically no rust. When the old building was de¬ molished, the absence of severe cases nf rusting in the steel work was ap¬ parent. Tlie steel appeared to have been given originally two coats of paint, and in most cases the coating was intact without the slightest sign of corrosion. Practically the only places where rusting did take place was at the outer face of the e.xte¬ rior columns in the easterly court wall. Tliis wall was exposed for almost its entire height to weathering conditions. In all probability, the 8 inches of brick encasing tlie outer face of the column would have been sufficient to protect the steel from moisture but for the fact that the outside 4 inches of the wall was face brick. The unfilled space between the face brick and the backing appears to have aided the collection of moisture, and also to have retained it. At and near connections the conditions were worst, but in no case sufficient to impair the strength of the metal. The outer faces of a wall column on the Broadway front, on the seventh floor, show rust formation on the outer channel and plate. These sides were pro¬ tected from the weather by brickwork and ashlar facing, but apparently water was able to percolate through the joints and attack the steel. The coating of paint had already peeled off in some places, but the corrosion had not pro¬ gressed to a point where the strength of the steel might be considered im¬ paired. Many architects and engineers now specify that columns in outer walls be covered with a coating of cement mor¬ tar, as an individual protection. The fact that these columns had already be¬ gun to show signs of rust at the age of only seven years would tend to prove that more protection is necessary for- wall columns than the customary coat¬ ing of paint. The inner facings of a number of wall columns were in very good condition and did not show any signs of corro¬ sion. Mr. Ludwig, in his report, points out that the exterior wall girders and the outside faces of the wall columns seem the vulnerable points for corrosion in the steel work of skeleton buildings, and he suggests that architects and owners give greater attention to the protection of these steel members from the danger of corrosion. The organization of the Inspection Di¬ vision of the Bureau of Buildings last year vyas similar to that of 1914. The following is the personnel of the divi¬ sion under the superintendence of Mr. Ludwig: Chief inspector, three inspectors, for special assignments, secretary, assistant chief inspector of the construction de¬ partment, one stenographer and type¬ writer, twenty-eight construction inspec¬ tors, twenty-six district inspectors, five iron and steel inspectors, three night in¬ spectors, three plastering inspectors, twenty-si.x elevator inspectors, two clerks, one clerk and photographer. In the plumbing and drainage department, one assistant engineer, two special in¬ spectors, twenty inspectors, one clerk in charge, one assistant clerk, one stenog¬ rapher; in the public safety departnient, one inspector, one assistant engineer., three engineer inspectors. on'C inspector and one clerk. The following table shows the number of examinations made by the inspectors in the various groups of this division: January. February. March. Construction___11,355 0,776 12.0!)S District ......... 10,200 7,037 10,01 S Special .......... 34S 284 303, Night........... 11 9 12 April. May. June. Construction ___ 10..556 0,773 10.470 District......... 10,535 8,805 10,1.37 Special.......... 634 437 241 Night........... 15 14 16 July. August, Sept. ronstructlon ___ 9,603 9,256 10.4:12 District ........ 9,174 g.ORO 9,.390 Special ......... 421 .306 446 Night........... 13 0 14 Oct. Nov. Deo. Construction ___ 0.7.W 0.6S3 9.0.83 District......... 10,200 9,477 9,051 Special.........: 480 416 427 Night........... 18 13 17 The total number of construction in¬ spections made during 1915 was 122,834 or an_ average of 4,509 inspections 'for each inspector, or approximately 17 in¬ spections a day. This compares with 140,046 inspections, 4,115 and 16 for the 3-ear preceding. The inspections made by the district inspectors who were assigned to patrol duty, supervision of minor alterations, and fire repair work amounted to 115,084, or an average of 4,426 for each man, or an average of approximately 16 inspec¬ tions a day, taking 286 working days to Ihe year. This is in comparison with 109,334, 4.205, and IS for the year 1914. The tlirce district inspectors assigned to answer emergency calls at night, and on Sundays and holidays, made 158 in¬ spections during the year. Seven in¬ spectors detailed to the examination of iron and steel construction made 16,922 inspections during 1915, averaging 2,417 inspections a man, or appro.ximately 9 in¬ spections a day. January 1, 1915, the force of plastering inspectors was reduced from five to three and they have made 11,701 inspections, or an average of 3,900 per man, or 14 in¬ spections per diem. The work of this branch is that of in¬ specting all theatres, motion picture shows, dance halls, etc., prior to the is¬ suance of licenses by the Department of Licences, and also with the duty of in¬ specting fire escapes, etc., at the request of the Department of Labor. Inspection of Theatres. During the year 1915 there were in this borough 133 theatres, 221 motion picture theatres, 339 dance halls and 102 lodging- houses. All these come under this divi¬ sion, and the number of inspections was as follows: Places of amusement.................... 1,045 Lodging-Houses .......................... 117 Inspections made at request of Depart¬ ment ot Labor......................... 1,200 Inspections made at request of Fire De¬ partment .............................. 125 Miscellaneous inspections ............... 885 Buildins -notices......................... 2,233 Total .................................5,605 Special inspectors assigned to the ex¬ amination of sheathpiling, sidewalk sheds and conditions along the new subway routes and on the extension of Seventh avenue, made 18,957 inspections during the past year. During the year 1915, installation of plumbing, drainage and gas piping was made as shown in the following table, comparison being made with the last two years: 1915. 1914. 1913. Plumbing permits issued.. 2,230 2,360 2.:153 Notices of repair......... 9,770 .'i.e.Sl 11.783 Number ot water tests___ 2,107 3,140 2,208 Number of final tests___ 3,906 4,173 4,517 Nuraber ot gas tests and . certificates issued .....11.408 7,200 11,783 No. of special inspections. 2,.3.83 3,477 .... No. ot district inspections 63,215 60,499 61,738 The average number of inspections made by the district inspectors was 3,160, or approximately 11 per diem. During the last year there was 1,736 licensed plumbers registered witli the Bureau of Buildings, and of this number 8 had their licenses canceled for protect¬ ing unlicensed plumbers or other viola¬ tions of the plumbing and drainage regu¬ lations. The Examining Board of Plumbers also tevoked 8 certificates of competency. (Continued on page 461.)