The World's loose leaf album of apartment houses: containing views and ground plans of the principal high class apartment houses in New York City, together with a map showing the situation of these houses, transportation facilities, etc.

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The World's loose leaf album of apartment houses: containing views and ground plans of the principal high class apartment houses in New York City, together with a map showing the situation of these houses, transportation facilities, etc.

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Description: Published in 1910, this is a reference guide for developers and the real estate industry to entice potential middle and upper class tenants to New York City’s "principle high class apartment houses." Each featured apartment building is briefly described, and illustrated with an exterior photograph and one or more floor plans. Includes index of renting agents.
Dates / Origin: Date Issued: 1910-03; Place: New York; Publisher: N.Y. World
Library locations: Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy; Shelf locator: (S) IRH+ 81-447
Topics: Apartment houses -- New York (State) -- New York; Dwellings -- New York (State) -- New York
Genres: Photographs; Floor plans
Notes: Biographical/historical: Until shortly after the Civil War the well to do in New York City lived in private houses, and only the working class and the poor lived in multiple dwellings. By 1870 “French flats” had been introduced as a new concept in middle class living. They were distinguished from the tenement houses of the poor and working class by amenities such as parlors, separate dining rooms, a small servant’s room, and indoor plumbing. The apartment concept proved to be attractive and by 1900 half of the middle class were living in multiple dwelling units. Several factors facilitated the move to apartment living. Changes in the law in 1901 allowed buildings to rise to heights twice the width of the street, resulting in buildings of ten to twelve stories (especially along broad avenues). Also pivotal was the development of mass transit up Manhattan’s west side when the IRT Broadway line subway opened in 1904. The Upper West Side experienced a boom in the erection of heavily ornamented grand apartment buildings in various architectural styles, but most notably Beaux-Arts. These new buildings offered apartments of nine to twelve rooms and many duplexes with large rooms with high ceilings, lavish interior details, as well as well-appointed bathrooms and kitchens, and large closets. Apartment buildings provided luxuries and conveniences not possible in most private dwellings. By 1929 almost all upper and middle class residents in Manhattan were living in apartments.
Physical Description: Extent: 1 v. (various pagings) illus. 29 x 34 cm.
Type of Resource: Still image; Text
Identifiers: RLIN/OCLC: NYPG81-B9029; NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b11389518; Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 8b22d010-c611-012f-8854-58d385a7bc34