▁Early ▁life ▁Born ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁True ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁an ▁Epis cop al ▁cl erg yman ▁from ▁College ▁Point , ▁Queens . ▁The ▁family ▁moved ▁to ▁Manh attan , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁True ▁was ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁office ▁building ▁as ▁developer ▁Charles ▁G . ▁Jud son . ▁ ▁Career ▁True ▁" work ed ▁in ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁the ▁Goth ic ist ▁Richard ▁M . ▁Up j ohn ▁until ▁he ▁went ▁out ▁on ▁his ▁own ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁with ▁a ▁few ▁minor ▁comm issions , ▁like ▁two ▁in ▁Queens : ▁a ▁Queen ▁Anne ▁c ott age ▁in ▁Fl ushing ▁and ▁a ▁Goth ic - style ▁club house ▁for ▁the ▁Aer ial ▁Athlet ic ▁Association ▁in ▁Wood side ." ▁About ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁Jud son ▁h ired ▁True , ▁at ▁that ▁point ▁a ▁newly ▁established ▁architect . ▁The ▁same ▁year , ▁True ▁planned ▁his ▁first ▁row ▁houses ▁on ▁the ▁West ▁Side ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁he ▁designed ▁buildings ▁at ▁ 1 5 7 ▁and ▁ 1 5 9 ▁West ▁ 8 8 th ▁Street , ▁the ▁low ▁sto op ▁row ▁houses ▁were ▁each ▁constructed ▁for ▁US $ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁a ▁piece . ▁His ▁development ▁corpor ation ▁for ▁his ▁spec ulative ▁buildings ▁was ▁the ▁R ivers ide ▁Building ▁Company . ▁ ▁Two ▁rich ly ▁varied ▁rows ▁of ▁True ' s ▁signature ▁" low - sto op " ▁town h