Plans in 1922 For Massive "Olgalorna" Apartment Complex Preceded Construction of Witherbee Court on the Same Site Overlooking Pelham Country Club
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A breathless Announcement that appeared in the September 29, 1922 issue of The Pelham Sun. It said, in part:
"A two million dollar apartment house, at the entrance to the Pelham Country Club, housing one hundred and thirty families, and claimed by its sponsors to surpass in appointment, accommodation, and size, anything of its kind in the world, will be constructed in Pelham Manor by the Olgalorna Realty Corporation, of 200 72d street, New York City, according to the statement of architect, George F. Pelham, made to the Pelham Manor Village Board, Monday night."
The massive complex was never built. Instead, the beautiful but somewhat smaller apartment building we know today as Witherbee Court was built by different developers on the site and opened in 1926. What happened to the original plans?
The developer that planned the complex was Olgalorna Realty Corporation. F. S. Francis, of New York City, was president. The building was to carry the corporation name of the firm, "The Olgalorna." The same report quoted above described the planned complex in glowing terms:
"The structure will be six stories high on the Boston road end, and eight on the Country Club end. The floors will be divided into apartments of from four to eight rooms and three baths. The basement floors, will house an immense oil-burning heating plant, steam-drying laundry facilities, servants quarters, an immense ballroom and fully equipped gymnasium. On the roof will be a children's play yard, fully enclosed, for safety, and a handball court. In the rear will be a tennis court that can be flooded in winter for a skating rink."
The proposal, however, languished for nearly six weeks without action by the Pelham Manor Board of Trustees. The developer began to agitate for a "tentative" decision from the Board, claiming that its "investors" were only willing to provide the necessary funding if a "tentative" decision could be released by the Trustees.
Not only did the trustees not budge, but also questions arose over whether the planned development complied with local laws and whether it would be appropriate to approve such a large project that the developer said would be "semi-fireproof" rather than fully fireproof. Finally, during a Pelham Manor Board of Trustees meeting held on December 18, 1922, the Board announced that "it would not favor any non-fireproof buildings of greater height than four stories."
Plans for the project failed to materialize and, soon, the property changed hands and a different developer named George G. Duffy began construction of the complex we know today as Witherbee Court.
Architectural Rendering by George F. Pelham Showing Planned
Olgalorna Tudor Revival Apartment Complex Once Planned for
the Site of Today's Witherbee Court. Original Newspaper Marked
in Crayon for Newspaper Purposes. Source: $2,000,000 Apartment House For Manor --
With Building Code, The Pelham Sun, Sep. 29, 1922, p. 3, cols. 2-7.
NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
"Witherbee Court Apartment Building, Pelham Manor. Financed by
S. W. Straus & Co. Charles G. Duffy Associates, Architects and Builders."
Architectural Rendering Showing Proposed Complex from Wynnewood
Road. Source: HIGH-CLASS APARTMENTS BEING ERECTED IN THE SUBURBS,
N.Y. Times, Jun. 28, 1925, Sec. 11 [Real Estate Section], p. 1, cols. 6-8.
NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Witherbee Court Apartment Building Seen From Wynnewood Road.
NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
* * * * *
"$2,000,000 Apartment House For Manor
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George H. Pelham, Architect For Immense Building To Be Erected on Boston Road at Pelham Country Club Entrance, Seeks Permit and Files Plans For Structure -- Will Be Last Word In Up-to-Date Accomodations [sic] and Will Rent at $[Illegible] a Room.
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Village Board of Trustees Holds Up Issuance of Permit Until Sure That Project Does Not Conflict With Building Code
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A two million dollar apartment house, at the entrance to the Pelham Country Club, housing one hundred and thirty families, and claimed by its sponsors to surpass in appointment, accommodation, and size, anything of its kind in the world, will be constructed in Pelham Manor by the Olgalorna Realty Corporation, of 200 72d street, New York City, according to the statement of architect, George F. Pelham, made to the Pelham Manor Village Board, Monday night.
The Olgalorna Realty Corporation is a new name to Pelham, and as far as could be learned has no local connections. F. S. Francis, of New York City, is president. The building will carry the corporation name of the firm, 'The Olgalorna.'
The structure, which will be erected on the south side of the Boston road, at Wynnewood road, a fronting on the first tee of the Pelham Country Club, will be of brick, following the Tudor design, as is used in other buildings of Mr. Pelham's design, such as the Pelbrook and Peldean in North Pelham. The colossal apartment house will have every modern improvement in apartment house construction. It will be of semi-fireproof construction as is used in building of modern New York City apartment houses. The halls, stairways and elevator shafts will be of such fireproof construction that if the building were gutted by fire these portions would stand even if the rest of the building was burned.
The structure will be six stories high on the Boston road end, and eight on the Country Club end. The floors will be divided into apartments of from four to eight rooms and three baths. The basement floors, will house an immense oil-burning heating plant, steam-drying laundry facilities, servants quarters, an immense ballroom and fully equipped gymnasium. On the roof will be a children's play yard, fully enclosed, for safety, and a handball court. In the rear will be a tennis court that can be flooded in winter for a skating rink.
Every room will have windows opening on a wide court. Electric refrigerators will be installed in all kitchens. Garage accommodations will be constructed at a place over the New Rochelle line.
The property was purchased from the Witherbee estate and the Pelham Country Club through Fish & Marvin, who have been making negotiations for the Olgalorna Company for some time. It was only after several other portions of land had been rejected that the proposed site was decided upon. Fish & Marvin will act as the company's agents in the rents of the apartments after it is completed.
Mr. Pelham stated that the corporation was ready to start operations on the structure, within a month after the issuance of the permit, and that the building would be completed within seven months to a year after operations were started.
There was no permit issued by the Pelham Manor Village Board, Monday night, as it was thought better to thoroughly consult the building code and then report to Mr. Pelham. Village Attorney, Edgar C. Beecroft, stated, however, that in his opinion there would be little difficulty in the proposed building conforming with the building code and zoning ordinance."
Source: $2,000,000 Apartment House For Manor -- George H. Pelham, Architect For Immense Building To Be Erected on Boston Road at Pelham Country Club Entrance, Seeks Permit and Files Plans For Structure -- Will Be Last Word In Up-to-Date Accomodations [sic] and Will Rent at $ [Illegible] a Room.-- Village Board of Trustees Holds Up Issuance of Permit Until Sure That Project Does Not Conflict With Building Code, The Pelham Sun, Sep. 29, 1922, p. 3, cols. 2-7.
"THE DAILY NEWS OF The Pelhams
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Pelham Manor . . .
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OFFICIALS FAVOR ERECTION OF $2,000,000 APARTMENT?
Although there is said to be a prejudice against the erection of apartments in the village, the village board is inclined to favor the erection of the proposed new $2,000,000 Olgalorna apartments, the plans for which have been filed for their approval. . . ."
Source: THE DAILY NEWS OF The Pelhams -- Pelham Manor -- OFFICIALS FAVOR ERECTION OF $2,000,000 APARTMENT?, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Nov. 10, 1922, p. 18, col. 2.
"Wants Ogalorna Apartment House Plans Approved
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Fred H. [sic] Pelham, architect of the big Ogalorna apartment house on Boston Road near Pelham Country Club, made a request to the Pelham Manor trustees on Monday that the plans as presented be approved officially.
Knowing the high class residential character of Pelham Manor and its antipathy toward apartment houses, some investors are loath to enter into the new deal unless assured that the plans are approved by the local authority. The plans were taken under advisement to see if they are in entire harmony with building code."
Source: Wants Ogalorna Apartment House Plans Approved, The Pelham Sun, Nov. 3, 1922, p. 4, col. 3.
"More Than Four Stories Must Be Fireproof
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Pelham Architect So Advised When He Asks Approval of Plans For Big Apartment
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The sponsors of the Olgalorna, Pelham Manor's proposed $2,000,000 apartment house, are not going to see the smooth sailing they expected in gaining a permit from the Pelham Manor Village Board. The Board put on record, Monday night, that it would not favor any non-fireproof buildings of greater height than four stories. The Olgalorna plans and specifications call for a six-story building of semi-fireproof construction.
George F. Pelham, the architect of the Olgalorna Realty Company, addressed a communication to the Board and stated that the financing of the proposition has reached a point where the Board's tentative approval of the plans is necessary before anything more is done.
Village Clerk Leeds was authorized to communicate with the architect and inform him of the Board's decision."
Source: More Than Four Stories Must Be Fireproof -- Pelham Architect So Advised When He Asks Approval of Plans For Big Apartment, The Pelham Sun, Dec. 22, 1922, p. 12, col. 2.
"HIGH-CLASS APARTMENTS BEING ERECTED IN THE SUBURBS
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THE demand for suburban property is one of the strongest features of the present realty market.
This is not only true of the territory adjacent to Manhattan, but of the entire country.
American cities are expanding rapidly in their residential areas.
A survey by the National Association of Real Estate Boards finds the market for subdivisions showing even greater activity than the lively market of last year.
Demand for single-family dwellings is the strongest impulse of the real estate market in 157 of the 225 cities reporting.
In eighty-nine of the cities the demand four city lots for residence sites is leading the market.
Demand for suburban lots leads in sixty-four of the cities: this demand is greatest, of course, in the larger cities.
Demand for business property is at the head of the market in fifty of the cities reporting.
The reports also show a greater stabilization of rents than has been indicated in any previous survey conducted by the association, and a steady progress of American cities in overcoming the building shortage left by the war.
Sixty-seven of the 225 cities reported overbuilding in some form. A remaining shortage of dwellings was reported by 32 per cent, of the cities, a shortage of apartments by 29 per cent. and a shortage of business structures by 25 per cent.
High-class suburban apartments within easy commuting distance of Manhattan are in great demand.
This is shown by the fact that hundreds of them have been built in the metropolitan area during the past twelve or fifteen months.
The majority of them have been completely leased before completion.
$500,000 Apartment House for Pelham Manor.
If Thomas Pell, the Lord of Pelham Manor, in the Bronx [sic], who in 1654 paid the Indians a few hundred dollars for 10,000 [sic] acres of land on Pelham Bay, could come back today and see his old property selling for $50,000 an acre, to men who are building apartment houses worth $500,000 and more, he would indeed realize that the Indians were not very good judges of the value of land near New York City.
The increase in land values in Pelham is equally surprising, when it is realized that the value of the 1 3/4-acre site for the Witherbee Court Apartment building has increased in the 280 years from 3 cents to $50,000 per acre.
George G. Duffy, engineer and builder, who is erecting the Witherbee Court Apartment Building, adjoining and overlooking the Pelham Country Club and golf course, expects to derive a rental of more than $53,000 per year from the suites in this building, probably more money than Lord Pell ever had, despite his vast landed possessions in America.
The new development was financed by S. W. Straus & Co., who have underwritten an issue of $425,000 first mortgage 6 per cent. sinking fund coupon gold bonds, secured by the land and building. The structure was designed by Charles G. Duffy Associates.
The garage, with space for one car for each tenant, will form a decorative terrace in the front of the building. There will be a large garden and fountain in front of the garage and the cars will enter and leave from the sides via a wide semicircular drive.
At both ends of the building there will be suites on the ground level, looking on gardens, and the suites on the fifth floor will have story and a half living rooms overlooking Pelham Bay. . . ."
Source: HIGH-CLASS APARTMENTS BEING ERECTED IN THE SUBURBS, N.Y. Times, Jun. 28, 1925, Sec. 11 [Real Estate Section], p. 1, cols. 1-8.
"In Retrospect
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Ten Years Ago
Announce plans for $2,000,000 apartment house on Wynnewood road overlooking Pelham Country Club in Pelham Manor. New building will be known as the 'Olgalorna.' (ed. note - This plan failed to materialize until a few years later when Witherbee Court was built on the site). . . ."
Source: In Retrospect -- Ten Years Ago, The Pelham Sun, Sep. 30, 1932, p. 2, col. 7.
Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
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Labels: 1922, 1925, 1926, Apartment Building, Boston Post Road, George G. Duffy, Olgalorna, Olgalorna Realty Corporation, Pelham Country Club, Real Estate, Witherbee Court, Wynnewood Road
posted by Blake A. Bell @ 5:07 AM
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