From New York Construction News, April 14, 1958

"Egghead Critics Assailed in Office Building Talk"   [no byline]

"I often wish that some of the 'egghead' critics of commercial construction
.... would try to be a little more intelligent and understanding of our
problems and realize that we are working under great economic limitations we
[sic] are also attempting to create the finest working and living conditions
within those limitations."

"New York's, in fact the country's most prolific office building architect,
Richard Roth, thus turned on critics of the speculative office building with
which the architect has been identified over the past decade.

"Roth, along with architects Daniel Schwartzman and Herman York, spoke at a
meeting of the New York Metropolitan District Chapter of the American
Institute of Real Estate Appraisers last Monday (April 7)...

"The Colgate Palmolive building on Park Avenue is, in my [Roth] opinion, a
very fine structure.  Esthetically it is disappointing to me in that the
color we selected for the spandrel glass was not too happy [sic]; when
installed it did not match the sample selected.  The color of the adjacent
buildings altered the color of the glass...."

"So, even though this building may be criticized in one respect it is one of
which I am proud.  We saved our client over a million dollars enabling him to
rent within the competitive going price....

"Since it is for the exterior of a building that we are mainly judged, the
part of the building the lay public appreciates, I want at this time to
mention the costs of various types of treatments....

"To construct a brick facade costs approximately $3.00 psf.  An aluminum and
glass facade can run from $4.00 to $4.50 psf.  Aluminum and porcelain enamel,
$5.00 psf.  Aluminum and aluminum spandrels, $6.25 psf.  Stainless steel and
glass, similar to Lever House, $7.00 psf....it is always within a budget that
we create our facades...."

Submitted by,

Christopher Gray
"Streetscapes" Columnist, Sunday Real Estate Section
The New York Times
office:  246 West 80th Street
New York City   10024
voice:  212-799-0520
fax:     212-799-0542
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