The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-23
THE GREAT UPTOWN MOVEMENT
Past, Current and Prospective
Changes in Trade Centres.
A new Tenement HOUSE DISTRICT.
Offices to Rent and Suggestions
for Downtown "F'lats."
A HIFTING MARK f T t.

at this time. The annual fitting which hos come 10
be of the features OF New York life is. however.
by no means 80 exclusively 80 the manner born"
here as our tired nOmads so often proclaim. An
incident within the writer's knowledge Ia q town
something over five hundred miles away where o
similar Ill custom prevails, illustrates both the SYM
patty Of other peoples with this falling Of ours,
and points an instructive moral In the same con-
nection.
~ have been sent to You, Mr. -" said a stran-
ger In the town we have referred 10, "by Mr.. -.
as being person who could recommend me a
desirable residence he says you have lived In so
many parts OF the city that you probably know
more on this subject than any man | can fnd."
"lndeed," said the party Intercepted with
suspicious smile, ~ am sorry to dsappoint
Mr.. IS expectations, but you must tell him that
really ne could not have made a greater mistake
chan TO credit me with the knowledge suggested.
The fact Is have never lived long enough In any
house to find out its good qualities and must there
fore decline to assume the responsibility which a,
compliance with your request would impose
But to return TO New YORK.
THE MIGRATORY DISPOSITION
Is not confined to householders, but is equally
noticeable In business circles, ana, indeed,
tually has its inception there. Although we are
accustomed In familiar conversation to speak Of
New York in rivalry with the great cities of the Old
World. the majority OF which, il is true, 1t In many
points exces yet ia reality New York retains even
to-day many OF the features OF frontier town. We
have no reference this 10 the prevailing lawess-
ness, the barbarian spendor OF such men as Tweed
and Fisk belonging to a society but yet lmperiecty
brought into The subsection OF complete culuva-
tlon but to the variety OF nalionaltes represented
In It's population, each IN turn asserting particular
prominence, or other evidences OF mperfection in
Its Institutions. The shifting character OF business
In respect to locality evidences quite sufficiently
that we are In
TRANSITION STATE.
Deduced from this cause ana eject we have in
logical sequence the full explanation OF our annual
disturbance, the root OF which is expansion.
The growth OF New York being restrained in one
direction as business increases and Its requirements
can for more space population necessarily pushed
mp the island In order to secure the required accom-
mediation. This Is the primary law OF rental devel-
opment OF previously unused or unpro1taby
used places wIlhn the area OF the city. There are
other Influences operating to modify this movement
which have each their separate share In Affecting
values. First in It's influence upon real estate
values as represented by rental income, and most
prominent In the commercial gro WITH and prosperity
OF New York, Is
THE DRY GOODS TRADE.
BY this we mean the wholesale or jobblng trade.
What the Stock Exchange is to the numerous
financial schemes aud monetary Undertakings which
nnd their tnermometrlcal expression and barometri
Cal caution and assurance in the dealings
there the dry goods trade Ii to the
various commercial and manufacturing interests Of
this country. Thus the highest rental values OF
business property are obtained in that locality
,c0Rnized the centre OF the dry goods trade,
always now presumably including and relative to
portion OF Broadway which street may be regarded
a MlSslsslDDi "A nod nj
New York, Inversely, however, feeding various
supplementary channels OF activity with the over
now OF its Opulent excitement People are yet
living who may remember when this trade was
connned TO the nelghborhood OF Pearl and South
William Streets and successfully III Pine. Cedar
John ana william streets This was IN the early
days OF the metropolis, contemporary with the days
Oi old JCnn JACOB ASOr
The FIRST IMPORTANT MOVEMENT
responsive W the awakening Impulse which has
given New YORK the commercial pre-emlnence IL
now enjoys, followed the opening OF the Erie
Canal winch Drought the whole business OF the liz
ser0r down 10 TINS city as the great distributing
depot, and located the dry goods centre on The
west side OF Broadway IN Dey, UoItandt, Liberty,
Fulton aud the streets running parallel herewith
.auu at right angles to Broauway and the North
RIVER The direction thus gwen 10 business expan.
sion has been since slngularly adhered 70 in the
steady extension Ol trace limits nOrtnwaruy along
the line Oh broadway to the gradual and still grow
anR neglect, rs Will be seen hereafter, or the east
side. Inc reason Of This preference winch the west
slde then Obtained ana mas since ned, Will be read
n
In the continuous streets running north ana south
parallel the great tnorougnfare compared with
The divergent direction vi TIE streets on the east sde
representing here the figure Of great counter, TO
winch come to be served, IRON the West and South,
over the lines or railroad that nave their terminl
along the rver's 'front.' the oitys best customers
The change OF the dry goods business from the
to the west side having become an accomplished
fact, as above noted, street after street grad
ually entered and occupied by J0bbers-Barclay,
Murray. Warren, Chambers and Reade streets. with
College place and Church sEeet. including por-
ton Oi Broadway adjoining, being linus successfully
reached. About 1861
THE SECOND GREAT MOVEMENT
OF the trade, winch was marked Dy important real
estate changes occurred III the opening OF Ii. b.
-Canin's new store IN West broadway, WHITTIER the
drm OF Clafln Mellen IL Co. moved from the Trinity
had Already carried some Of them as
following In the wake OF the hotels, but with Claf
Inns location In West Broadway q new centre was
clustered. Church street that time in this neigh
pOrno0d was about the most worthless property In
negro tenemeats but these were Quickly torn DOWN
and their slles occupied by magnificent warehouses;
,na were ae rented even before completely So
Lispenard streets, Canal serving TO marx the
limit OF uptown progress. Some four or five years
ago fresh agitation was provoked by the need OF
more room, and further move was actively can.
vassed This, however, Ola not suit the views Of
the properly owners within the district previously
mentioned, who had expended large sums
or money for improvements mat they mad
not yet reganed; hence in order to head or this dis
position Tor cnange until such time as they had
Realized legitimate return upon their investments
they purchased the hospital grounds upon which
they erected several blocks VI fine stores, which
were RAPIDLY taken mp and for a time stayed the
threatened movement. IL has since, however been
developed Win greater energy, and, from removals
which have already been made and Others contem-
plated, would seem TO point out
BRoOME STREET AS THE DRY GOODS CENTRE OF THE
PERIOD.
In Mercer and Greene streets good paying tene-
ment houses have been recently taken down and
seven story, iron front buildings put up instead, In
response 10 these indications. Among other EVIL
dences that such movement has already
commenced we have the following changes
already made or TO be made this
spring by leading hOuses:-Whte, Brown & 90.
their present place OF business In Duane street.
and remove to Bro0me street. Metz, Cleve Co.
have Just moved to the corner Of Canal and wooster
streets. Bartlett, Berry h Co. remove from No. 412
broadway, east side below Canal street, to the west
SIDE OF broadway, near Prince street. Curran,
GOODWIN, Walker 90. dissolve partnership, and Q
portion OF the nrm viii occupy the new building
Br0ome streets, A. RrsCh GO. remove from Duane