International studio (40.1910)

The Passing of the Brownstone Front

plans shown herewith, from recent work by Messrs.
Albro & Lindeberg, who have given considerable
attention with interesting results to such reconstruc-
tion. One method of giving the servants direct ac-
cess from the kitchen to the street by independent
passage is to cut off part of the space from the en-
trance hall and provide a narrow corridor on the
same level, as has been done in the case of the house
for Mr. Erving. The other method must be re-
sorted to if the full space is required for the entrance
hall; and in this case steps are built in the front area
from the sidewalk to the old cellar level, as was done
in the house for Mr. Cockcroft. In this case the
servants' corridor is ampler and communicates, in
the rear of the entrance hall, with the kitchen level,
the result being that the servants are admitted from
the street to their quarters on the entrance floor by a
passage under the level of the front entrance hall.

While the essence of the problem lies in the plan,
one of the essentials of the reconstructed house is
the opening up of large areas of window space in the
front and rear walls to obtain the light and sunshine
indispensable in a narrow dwelling.

The main or first floor should be simply planned
to produce the best results, with the drawing room
in the front and dining room in the rear. It is here
that the great window area of the facade proves it-
self most effective.

LNTRANCF FLOOR. PLAN FIB.ST FLOOR. PLAN 3LCONO FLOOR-P LAN

FLOOR PLANS OF THE HOUSE REMODELED
FOR MR. ERVING

REMODELED HOUSE FOR J. LANGDON ERVING, ESQ.
62 EAST 80TH STREET, NEW YORK CITY
ALBRO & LINDEBERG, ARCHITECTS

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