Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 106, no. 8: [Articles]: August 21, 1920

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August 21, 1920 RECORD AND GU'IDE 259 BUILDING SECTION Theodore Roosevelt's Birthplace To Be Reproduced Contracts Awarded to Remodel Structures of Amer THE designing and planning of Roosevelt House in¬ volved the solution of unusual architectural problems. In the first place, the living room floor and first bed¬ room floor of No. 28, which was Colonel Roosevelt's birth¬ place, were to be reproduced. The adjoining property at No. 26 was to be used as an extension to the birthplace and was designed to house certain educational activities. The property, which has a frontage of 50 feet and a depth of 92 feet, was thus divided into two sections, each 25 feet wide and running the full depth of the lot. The problem was further complicated by the need of an auditorium which, in order to provide adequate seating capac¬ ity, must cover the entire width of the property. In order Theodate Pope, Architect. ROOSEVELT HOUSE. to make the restoration as accurate as possible, it was also necessary for Theodate Pope, the architect selected by the Women's Roosevelt Memorial Association, to use the former hall closet at the end of the living room floor hall and a tathroom on the floor above as an elevator shaft. This brought the elevator practically in the center of the building. at 26 to 28 East 20th Street Into a Slnnne icanism making it necessary to stop the elevator under the auditorium fioor. The proper entrance and e-xit from the auditorium to the street was thus greatly complicated. The need for motor-driven dumbwaiters and complete me¬ chanical installation, including the units for plumbing, heat¬ ing, ventilation, vacuum cleaning system and fire protection system, all of which had to be included in the restored por¬ tion of the building without altering it to any extent what¬ ever from the original structure, further complicated the problem. It was also necessary to provide for a roof garden, and, inasmuch as the fourth floor of the old building was in an old mansard roof, it was necessary to work out a scheme for raising this ceiling height to the height needed for the auditorium without altering the main facade of the building. Most important of all, it was the task and duty of the archi¬ tect to so design the structure that the birthplace of Theo¬ dore Roosevelt would stand as originally designed, and any additions would simply be a foil to the birthplace. In order to make the facade of the building an accurate reproduction of the original, the architect's plans located the lestored birthplace in exactly the same position as that in which the original was built. The setback from the building street line to the face of the structure had been marked by brownstone wing walls which serve to form and protect the REVENUE FROM EVERY FOOT A damp cellar or basement is so much waste space and returns no revenue to the owner. We can convert it into dry, clean and rentable area for less than the first year's rental will return. Let us show you what we have done for others and how we can solve your problem. BUILDINGS WATERPROOFED FROM CELLAR TO PENT HOUSE Structural Waterproofing Co. Grand Central Palace 480 Lexington Avenue Vanderbilt 7300