The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-10
BROADWAY NOTES.
Vacant Pfeniscs and the Reasons Therefor
The Stampedc Nerthward-Fifth Avenue ~
Leader In the Observation-Disclosures Of
Adjacent Strects-The Shopping Prencna de

Adjacent Strects-The Snopping rre0cnaue
Limit.
Is Broadway about 70 be vacated by business
nrmsf An absurd question surely, SO far as appear
ances are concerned-for that thOr0ughfare Is busy
enough for the season--but one nevertheless which
frequent vacant premises cause to be asked There
has In short been no time for ten years when 80
many vacant first floors stared bankly at passers
and begged piteously TO be taken as appear now
III the course of q jaunt along that thorough
fare. Numerous new buildings have been erected
during the year past, TO be sure; numerous old
buildings nave been repaired and renaissancehed;
and, generally. the building and repairing mania
has been its height Sll OF the buildings put up
few have been occupied, whine Of those which have
been old stands for years many have been vacated,
and at present IL must be owned that the caoalstc
ITO let" is unpeasanlly frequent The vacant sheet
glass window, like huge, mal-shaped, unlidded
eye, Is even more frequent still-for many of the
vacant are left 10 stare in their own way; being
taken for granted that their vacancy must he appa
rent enough, without the usual imprint on white
Dashboard announcing the fact.
survey OF present vacancies develops soWe
curious facts for the statistican. From the begin
ming OF Broadway 10 Fulton street, there are not
many vacant first flo0rs seven covering the maxi
mum, including q couple in buildings just compet-
ed. from Fulton street to Canal street, including
new buildings, six vacancies are presented-there
belonging, however, 10 buildings either recently
erected recently repaired Al Canal street the
carnival OF vacant first floors begins, and continues
to Ninth street. substantially ending with the build
ing on the Ninth street corner, which was
formerly Goupis gallery From Canal street
TO Ninth street. quite irrespective of lofts,
OF which eleven were counted, count OF
vacant ground floors intended for stores
exhibited the enormous aggregate Of fOrtythree
belonged
either recently erected recently repared-iive 10
the former and two 30 the latter category.
From Ninth street to Union square only two va
caHces appeared; from Eighteenth street 20 Thireth
street. only ive from Thirteth street to Finy-ninth
street. distance OF twenty-nine squares only
seven.
the table of vacant drst floors suitable for stores
on Broadway therefore, upon accurate count, foots
up az subjoned:--
Battery TO Fulton street. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Fulton to Canal street, Observation-Disclosures.
Canal TO Ninth street. Observation-Disclosures. 43
Ninth street to Union square Observation-Disclosures.
Union square to ThiItieth street. ............
Thlrteth street to Fiitv-nnth street. .,.....,...
Total. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 10
OF this aggregate, thirteen belong to buildings
either lately erected or lately repaired leaving re-
mainder of hftythree unaccounted for, OF which
mainder the larger number lies between Canal and
thirty three vacant first noors on Broadway, be,
tween these two cr0ss-tOwn thoroughfares; and
what occurs to the observer as feature Of the
whole matter Is the frequent occurrence OF the
sign in vacant windows: --"RemOved to - on May
~ the bank being universally filed with some up
town locality ana number There has been-and the
fact Is patent-a general hegra OF the retail trade
uptown-ward tins spring; and that hegira has
been 70 rapid even as to leave many
vacant premises behind IT, Union square has
received considerable business population from
this hegra; some part OF II has fallen 10 Fifth avenue
II again mas passed over Union square and settled
along Broadway, about Eighteenth street. The
sween waSerey place and BROADWAY to business
has caused something OF a stampede in that dlrec
ton. The Fifth avenue style is now the style par
eIfettence; no stylish gentleman thinks of wearing
the broadway cut; no stylish lady thinks Of AFFORD
ing any patronage to other than Fifth avenue mo-
dtstes In q word the graytation OF the mode IL
Just now in the direction OF Fifth avenue; and Fifth
avenue rs likely to COMMAND higher rents than
any other business location for the next four
OF the thing wears on 1t will be the
Fifth avenue cut In pantaoons, the Firth avenue
mO0e in dressmaking and bonnets, the Filth avenue
setting IN jewery and gems, the Fifth avenue tit Of
boot or shoe or gaiter, the Fifth avenue everything
and anything that people so fortunate rs To have
secured lease OF Fifth avenue premises take II into
their heads to gull the fashionable public with. To
o cnt Of 10 note naner il to S
from Fifth avenue: and Fifth avenue Is TO govern the
style from new standpoint not from that Of buyer
in the market as heretofore, but as seller and DIS
OF the blessings OF the latest novelty every
ram1catiOn OF business.
This Finh avenue mania has affected the demand
for Broadway locations unfavorably-especially the
demand for locations south OF Bleecker street
which now almost the limit Of the shopping prom.
enade This tendency has been noted in papers
on the subject heretofore, about to work exactly
the same metamorphosls which It has worked; and
way. Not having done it this spring. as they should
have done, and Judging Of the future by the pasta
good rule ACCORDING 70 spck nenTy out not al
misses, and premises likely to remain vacant for the
rest Of the season Or 81 least until the fall trade
Broadway landlords had their will Of the
commercial class, and ran up Broadway
rents 20 figure eXtortiOnate that bust
A ta pYn
The tables have been turned by the Inevitable logic
Of the progress Of the metropolis northward, and
last May landlords IN this section Of Broadway
had begun to talk about abatng little. Time
works grand revenges, however, and time did 80 on
promenade mostly to that section Of Broadway above
Ninth street. almost completely TO the section above
Blocker, had the effect 10 make retailers look for
eligible locations within its limits. They must
remove within the limits OF the shopping promenade;
Il would not come TO them any longer. They could
AFFORD 10 pay heavy rents on the upper section Of
Broadway or along the section Of Fith avenue
alluded to az about TO govern the mode ; they
could not afford to pay even abated rents ia
the section upon which they were located. The con-
sequence was general stampede to the north. Re-
tailers who had occupied one situation for years
took leave Of their old haun:s: houses famous In
the trade for couple Of decades departed for other
premises; and the section between Canal street and
Blocker began the business year stripped Of most
OF its FORMER prestige as thOrOughfare OF the
MODE.
10 will take at least year TO recuperate-for
wholesale trade must inevitably take the place Of
retail for the length designated. Its period OF bril-
liancy as a shopping promenade has departed for
ever; and the few LEFT may well repeat Moore's
backneycd-
seem ike one who treads alone
Some banquet ball deserted
Whose lights are hea whose garands dead,
And ali but me dep arted.
Win some fall Of rents landlords may hope that
the wholesale trade will seek new room for the
coming year; but without abated rents the millions
OF non-paying property on Broadway this year will
De nkely TO remain non-payng until business must
have more room, which even then, has been the
cent streets nearly convenient for wholesale pur
poses. Under the system OF high rents on Broad
way one advantage has been gained. Adjacent
others have been TO an extent developed into pros
porous business thorouVnfares; and the wholesale
trade has emigrated thereto In reQments the book
trade preceding and the dry goods business follow.
Ing IN heavy patoons. More NAV be expected
unless landlords on Broadway abate their dem pds
which they are likely however 10 submit TO with a
view 70 recuperauon next season
LOCAL INTEL GeRCg.