Tenement is a word that invokes strong imagery and perceptions. However, in the Tenement House Law of 1867, the state of New York defined the word as "Any building housing more than three families, each living and cooking independently."* This meaning of tenement quickly morphed to be associated with the dirty, overcrowded housing for immigrants in the Lower East Side. Diseases and illness spread like wildfire in these unsanitary conditions so much so that during the 19th Century, the New York City Department of Health was desperately trying to contain the spread of the highly contagious diseases, specifically tuberculosis. Although tuberculosis, also known as consumption, had been around for thousands of years, it ravaged the world's population in the 1800s and early 1900s. Eighty percent of people infected with tuberculosis would die from it. Since there was no known cure during this era, eliminating the transmission of tuberculosis was a difficult task due to the overflowing tenements.
By 1900, more than 80,000 tenements had been built in New York City. They housed 2.3 million people out of the city's total population of 3.4 million.** The 1.1 million living in better housing did not concern themselves with the plight of the poor. It took a newspaper police reporter and photographer for The Evening Sun to change the way the public viewed tenements and the people who lived in them. Jacob Riis drew attention to the horrible conditions that existed for most New Yorkers in his book, How The Other Half Lives. Riis wrote about the dark windowless rooms with no running water or toilets and the pervasive crime and death. However, it was his pictures that shook the public, particularly one that showed 12 adults sleeping in a tiny room. These very pictures swayed New York City to take action.**
Photographs via The Museum of the City of New York Digital Collections
The Tenement House Act of 1901 was passed in part so that New York City could regulate better housing and also help contain the spread of diseases such as cholera and tuberculosis. The law mandated that all rooms must have windows, and better ventilation, and each apartment has its facilities with a toilet and running water. This law would inspire the designing of future apartments for decades. One prominent feature that is highly desirable for present-day New Yorkers is the courtyard in the buildings. The courtyard was essential to allow for light and fresh air for apartments.
With New York City struggling to eliminate poor living conditions, many individuals and organizations stepped up to help reduce tuberculosis. The poor were especially vulnerable due to the cramped tenements. But one forward-thinking doctor saw a solution to this problem. Dr. Henry Shively wanted to create housing for families afflicted by tuberculosis that would allow them to live in sanitary and clean conditions. However, Dr. Shively needed help with funding. Luckily, he found a patron willing to fund the project, Ann Vanderbilt, the wife of William K. Vanderbilt Sr. With funding secured, Henry Atterbury Smith was hired to design the four interconnected six-story buildings. These apartments were part of the City Beautiful Movement which claimed that design could not be separated from social issues and should encourage civic pride and engagement.***
Past and Present
Construction began in 1909 and was completed in 1912. The apartments were well thought out. According to Atlas Obscura, "Most of the windows are floor to ceiling and have three sashes, allowing for a lot of light and air to come in, both having been deemed crucial for TB sufferers. This also allows them to open wide out onto iron balconies, on which sleeping was encouraged. The pent-eave roof was designed to hang over the balconies, protecting patients from the elements. The rooftops and courtyards were designed to be pleasing, safe, and healthy places to aid in recovery. The stairwells were topped by story-high glazed skylights that allowed air to circulate up and down the stairs.****
Unknown The Cherokee Apartments today
Originally called the Shively Sanitary Tenements or The East River Homes, the Cherokee Apartments were not a success from Dr. Shively's point of view. Most of low-income families (which the building was specifically constructed for) were priced out of these rentals. A majority of the apartments were leased to wealthier families. Architect Henry A. Smith declared all such housing a failure. “The model tenements are too expensive. They are built for the very poor, but the very poor do not live in them. They can’t afford it,” declared Smith to The New York Times.*****
This stunning building is now a co-op. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission bestowed landmark status to the Cherokee Apartment in July 1985 due to its history and beautiful exteriors.
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What to know more? Here is a good place to start:
How the Other Half Live by Jacob A. Riis
Sources:
*Sarah Bean Apmann Tenement House Act of 1901 - Village Preservation
Photographs:
The Cherokee Apartments New York Public Library Digital Collections
The Cherokee Apartments Museum of the City of New York (mcny.org)