New-York daily tribune., 1862-04-15
CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

The great army of stone-cutters. brcklayers, hod-
carriers, mortar mixers, and carpenters, whore
ranks have teen steadily augmenting their numbers
duyins tie pas, f.w years, working sueh marvellous
,oeIamorphoAes in their onward marcl-eianging
the entire aspect of the lower part Of the city, and
causing magnificent structures 10 rse Aaddin-liAe on
our chief thorouehfsres-has this Spring been COM
p,Ied partially to diSband and be reduced to iguoble
insction.
Five Or six years since, tbe property holders OF
New-York were seized with epidemcal thirst foF
buldhg the constructing element wSs III the scend-
ant; it first developed itsef in the widening OF
Liberty street; thence extended to the Third ward,
whose familiar appearance was completely aliered d.
dweng-hou,es being rapidly supplanted by costly
and imposing warehouses for tho occupancy OF our
mercantile community. II did not end here, but
,pread into tie finh Ward, and from that into the
Eichh purifying in its several streets and To-
caliti.s too long cursed with scaudalous fame.
As sample of this may be instaneed Chnrch
street and the lower part Of Mercer street, whose
character has been totally changed and redeemed.
Broadway was not exempt from this visitation; land
marks that lived in the mind of that to-bo-respeccd-
individual, the "Oldest lnhabitant," were rutbessy
swept away, and on their sites modern structures
lowered with lofty aspirations skyward.
Higher up town the Fifti avenue had many vista
,ions; in fact that entire locality bade fair to coon
ignore the plain brick Of the KLiclerbocker age, in
the more pretentions adoption OF brown-stone and
W white-marbie fiont The Spring Of 1862 chronicles
rest in this building race; j, may prove, however
but the needed pause before another start. Builders
and SPECTATORS complain in regard to the goou of
tie times, and attribute the non-competon Of long.
cherished projects 10 the effects Of the war"
The uon-nierosted class OF Co,hanitcs rejoice in
a Spring comparatively devoid OF its usual ncongru.
itiet in the way of blocked up streets and sidewalks,
hazardous clamberings over heapei-up obstruc,ons,
showers of brick and plaserug from buildings
doomed 20 demolishment, heads in danger from as-
c,nding blocks Of stone, and u Spring air whose
balminess shall not be fEsighted with frasTSnts oi
siglt-dc5troyiug sand and mortar.
We chronicle, however, such improvements and
alterations Gs in progress or contemplated. One
of the cne.c0t il the widening Of Worth street. from
West Broadway to the Bowery.
Lest week the old building on the south.oa,. corner
Of Broadway and Worth etreet, formerly known ss
the Hotel do Paris pulled down. and pre- para
tons are being made few doors further eastward
to cut down thc wing Of The warehouse erected a
few years ago ly c. ". 4 j. I. Moore upon the
size Of the old Broadway Theater. Tho widening
of this street ID TN Improvement that has long been
called for and il will, whea completed, totally
change th, appearance of this part of Broadway
Nessrs Claiiin, Melcn * Co.. in anticipation thereof
set back their magnificent warehouse tho required
distance at the time of It's erection. The northern
wall of the hospital has olso been set back. The
widening cut OIL slice Of land y by l02 feet from
tho property Of llenry Barclay the southwest
corner OF Broadway aud Worth street, for which Mr.
Is. receives IRON the city the sum of So 800 over
and above Lis assessment for tho Improvement.
Continuing eastward it cuts into the very heart OF
the Five Points and will, by the erection Of di..
eront class Of houses tend 10 the regeneracy Of that
locality.
Tie worl. Of grading and paving the Chambers
street cxtcI.on remains ID stltu quo, yet thero is
prospect Of the work being taken up and completed
during Ito coming Summer. nasmuch as the prop
or,y hol1els along the line have to determna-
ton ia regard to Inc grade.
IN lh. way ol buildings, substantial structure Is
10 be erected on the site OF Hegeman's drugstore,
No l6i Broadway, which Was burned down lat
Winter. bu. thus far no pfogross had been made be-
youd clearing away the rubbish. IL will be erected
iOf Ito estate Of George Lang under the supervision
oi Thomas Son. architects aud will piesent front
Of =, feet inches. The lot is 30 feet dcep. IL Is
designed for insurance and other offices, and will
Z Ia f.ru fit
story viii be OF iron ard tic front Of Dorchester
stone, all IN the italian style. The rear wall Is TO
le twice recessed, ten feet over basement aud lIs,
story for Tie purpose of having large skyiisht over
these stories. Tho center Of tho building will be
lighted and ventilated by "A well-hole in tho upper
stories IND ,hylyht in tso roof Of the main '1'neure