New Law Tenement facts for kids
New Law Tenements were special apartment buildings constructed in New York City. They were built after a new rule, the New York State Tenement House Act of 1901, was passed. This rule was called the "New Law" to tell it apart from older rules from 1867 and 1879. New Law tenements look different from older buildings, called "Old Law" and "pre-law" tenements. They have different designs and decorations on the outside.
What Made Them Special?
The 1901 "New Law" made some important changes for these buildings. It said that every new tenement had to have a large courtyard. This courtyard took up more space than the smaller air shafts used in older buildings.
Because of this, New Law tenements were often built on bigger pieces of land. Sometimes they were built across several land lots. Other times, they were built on corner lots. This helped save space for the apartments inside. Owners wanted to fit as many apartments as possible to make money.
How They Looked
New Law tenements often look much bigger than older ones. They are usually at least six stories tall. If you walk through areas like the Lower East Side or East Village today, you can still see them. You might see five-story, plain-looking pre-law buildings. Then there are six-story, sometimes strangely decorated Old Law buildings. The much larger, grander New Law tenements are often found on the corners.
The style of these buildings changed with the times. The New Law period matched a popular style called Beaux-Arts architecture. Older tenements had fancy sandstone faces, gargoyles, and detailed terracotta decorations. New Law tenements moved to a more classical look. This style was very detailed and grand, inspired by Parisian buildings.
Fancy Designs, Simple Lives
Unlike older tenements, New Law buildings often had interesting shapes on their street-facing walls. They might have curved or straight parts that were set back. This made them look stylish. It showed that appearance was important to the designers and owners.
These buildings also featured oval and arched windows. These were more expensive to build and replace. They had heavy terracotta decorations around the windows. The bricks used were often thinner, which also cost more.
These fancy details gave the buildings a rich look. However, this look often didn't match the people living inside. Many New Law tenements were built in areas where many poor immigrants lived. Several families would often share small apartments.
You can see New Law tenements all over Manhattan. They are especially common in the Lower East Side and Washington Heights neighborhoods.
