Arch 101: Apartments at Hicks, Baltic & Warren
You gotta love this building (and its interior courtyard). Built in 1878, the Tower Building, as it is known, is considered an example of Romanesque Revival architecture. To our unstudied eye, however, it feels a good deal more ornate than what we traditionally associate with the Romanesque tradition. Sure there are the rounded arches, but…
You gotta love this building (and its interior courtyard). Built in 1878, the Tower Building, as it is known, is considered an example of Romanesque Revival architecture. To our unstudied eye, however, it feels a good deal more ornate than what we traditionally associate with the Romanesque tradition. Sure there are the rounded arches, but the design feels too light and the details (particularly the ornate ironwork) too fanciful to fit neatly in that box. Plus wasn’t the Victorian style still popular at this date? What do people who actually know something about architecture think? GMAP
I betcha “Brownstoner 2100” will be admiring Fedders houses the way we’re admiring this.
Are these rentals? co-ops? Do they ever go on the market or are they held for generations. Yes, beautiful bldgs.
BTW any interesting note (especially to those who like to post here about how much better housing was 100 years ago for the average person)
From the NY Times article here is a description of these “model” apartments
“The rooms are small — 10 feet by 18 feet is the largest. Three of the rooms in a four-room apartment were bedrooms and the living room served as a kitchen and dining room as well. Each unit had a toilet, and there were bathing facilities in the basement.”
I think Stern’NY is giving White 2% more than he wanted….. White only wanted 5%:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE6D71038F930A1575BC0A964958260
Built by Alfred Tredwell White – whose philosophy was “Philanthropy plus 5%”; Jacob Riis called them the ‘model tenament’ in “How the Other Half Lives”.
There was a good NYT article about this building several years ago… will see if I can find…
oh thanks! I knew it looked familiar/similar. you’re quite resourceful Brownstoner.
actually these were considered the first “projects” of their time…basically lower income housing. too bad they didn’t build all projects to look like this.
I love this building. Admire it everyday when I drive by on the bqe. “Progressive workers housing” might be a euphemism for tenement. I read somewhere that they were once tenements. Beautiful nonetheless.