Well, we've moved on, ever so slowly, from the three flat up to the six flat. These can take many forms, layout wise. But today's feature is an early (1906) form, on the higher end of the spectrum. From what I can deduce and determine, the six-flat began to take form around the end of the 19th century. Probably about 1890, and many were built on the south side in conjunction with the Columbian Exposition, some even in neo-colonial styles - Hyde Park and Kenwood are rife with them. That is where today's example comes from.
I think that in plan, they would be called "long hall" apartments in New York, and that the plan, in Chicago, is often called a railroad, though this isn't strictly accurate as that term implies having to travel through one room to get to the next, from one room to another with no hallways or corridors between them, this example certainly doesn't do this, except into the servants or ancillary spaces, which are off the dining room, and certainly the public (and family private) spaces do not.
The building is entered through a center foyer with marble paneling and then one proceeds up marble stairs into the stair well, which is top lit by a skylight, from where one accesses the individual apartments. The units are entered into a spacious foyer or reception hall with a generous opening into the living room, which takes up the entire front of the apartment. The door from the foyer spans the entire foyer wall. The large, light, bright and spacious living rooms feature French doors out to a small balcony and a large three-windowed round day, as well as craftsman-prairie school inspired woodwork and a large built in bookshelf which encases a tiled and metal (the interior is metal with fleur-di-lis decorations) decorative (formerly gas fired) fireplace. Behind the living room, off the entrance hall, is a spacious front or master bedroom with ample space for furniture and two windows. Interestingly, this building is not quite symmetrical, and one half has a niche for built-ins in the bedroom, and connecting doors into the second bedroom.
From the front hall, a glass paneled door leads into the rear hall, which leads to the dining room. Off this hallway is the bathroom, which faces a central light-well or (very) small court and the second bedroom. The hallway also features obscured casement windows onto the light well and a fairly large hall closet. The second bedroom is also generous, with two windows spaced for furniture between.
The large dining room is at the end of the corridor and has a low slung triple or Chicago (style) window. Most of these have been remodeled in various periods. Many of them were done in a twenties "panel" style, while others still had the Edwardian paneling in a somewhat craftsman inspired style.
Through another door is a small butlers pantry, with cabinets which appear to have been added after the fact. Then on into a bright kitchen off of which are the third, or maids, bedroom which sports it's own bathroom and a pantry. The back of the building is taken up with a very large back porch, which were originally screened porches. Behind this is a large yard, as there is no alley for automobile access for garages or parking (many streets in Hyde Park do not have alleys, as most of the rest of the city has). The basement is taken up with the usual features, large laundry room, boiler room and water heating apparatus, bicycle room (former coal storage), a small janitors or basement apartment, and a very generous store room for tenants, with spacious storage lockers.
This posting is about the Farwell Corridor, as I term it (which also includes Morse, but that's neither here nor there), in West Rogers Park (or West Ridge, if you really, really prefer). This short stretch features a treasure trove of high class apartments (as well as some newer, somewhat interesting higher density housing) from Tudor to Art Deco and between.
It features everything from two and three flats to...
Courtyard buildings.
With Tudor-Gothick facades.
It features from truly grand de Luxe three-flats with impressive facades.
Which feature elegant facades with generous sizes, which must have large sized rooms.
As well as some truly massive six-flats.
With incredibly rich and varied facades.
From Neo-Classical to Tudor/Gothick to nearly Art Deco.
To imposingly massive...
I suspect that some of this development was due to proximity to good transport, both streetcar (along Western Avenue) and heavy rail (currently, today's Metra), as well as a combination of zoning and speculation. These really are good examples of some of the best of Chicago's residential architecture of the era, and even of American residential design of the era. There was also the convenience of proximity to a large park nearby.
Here we have an early example from the south side's grand boulevard, Hyde Park Boulevard, where many high class buildings were built as "exposition" buildings for the 1893 Columbian Exposition. This building appears to have one of the finest features of the de luxe building, which is side by side living and dining rooms, rather than having the dining room at the rear, either in front of the kitchen or facing the rear at the end of a long corridor.
Here we have another six-flat, but this time with a conventional layout, with the dining room at the end of a long, winding and twsiting hall in front of the kitchen, maids room and butlers pantry. This ordinary exterior belies it's interior, which hides two light wells, linen room and cedar room (NOT closets, but rooms), multiple bathrooms and luxury features.
Here we have a red brick entry with elegant features and sparse details.
And another similar example. Some buildings have another version of the front dining room plan, which places the dining room behind the living room besides the front hall, with the foyer or entry hall next behind the living room and the kitchen next to the front stairs which open front-wards onto the entrance hall and posess three staircases, two service and one main, as opposed to the standard rear kitchen layout, which has two sets of stairs.
Here with have another example of a side-by-side living room and dining room building, which has, if you look carefully to the right, where you can see, side porches and service stairs.
Our last building also features in the 20's variants, which four examples fall into, however with a more conventional plan, dressed up in a tudor or gothick facade. I hope you've enjoyed out little tour of six-flats de Luxe, of which I shall be getting some plans up and posted soon as well, to better explain the three basic layouts.
I think that in plan, they would be called "long hall" apartments in New York, and that the plan, in Chicago, is often called a railroad, though this isn't strictly accurate as that term implies having to travel through one room to get to the next, from one room to another with no hallways or corridors between them, this example certainly doesn't do this, except into the servants or ancillary spaces, which are off the dining room, and certainly the public (and family private) spaces do not.