The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-13
REAL ESTATE MATTERS.

Eastern boulevard, East River Park
Destruction OF Water Fronts-Great De-
mand for Riverside Park Lots-Eleven
Hundred Thousand Dollars Refused for
s'Hamilton Grange"
A bill is before the Legislature, introduced by Mr.
McCrary, but not yet printed and reported to the
Assembly, providing tor the laying out of q new
boulevard on the east side OF the city and also
new park The bill has been kept comparatively
secret but few, II any, Of the property holders
whose property is to be taken, who are assessed
for the Improvement, have been consulted In the
matter.
1t Is understood, however, that the proposed
route for the boulevard is from the Central Park
eastward, through Seventy-second street, to ave.
nues and b thence northward through both ave.
nues to Eighty-ninth street; thence, diagonally,
across to Third avenue, at Ninety-sxth street
the Third avenue to be widened from Ninety
sixth to 1929 street; thence eastward again
through 1929 street to avenue A, and along that
avenue northward to the Harlem River. In
addition to this the bill proposes to take the land
between avenue b and the East River northward
from Eighteth street to Eighty-nnth street for an
East Side Park.
The boulevard project Is, to say the least, very
questionable Improvement, as IL will involve great
expense to the city as well as the property holders
adjoining who will have to be assessed for 1t, and
also because Of its aimessness, as nearly all the
streets in that section OF the city are now opened
and many OF them largely built up and the bOule-
ward may be said to begin and end nowhere. 1t
has no salient point OF commencement or ending
which IL not REALLY reached by the present plan
OF the city avenues and streets.
The park project, ON the other hand Is positively
injurious, as 1t cannot exceed three or four hun
dred feet IN width, but destroys nearly half mile
of water front in section OF the city where every
loot OF wharfage Is becoming every day greater
necessity for the growing demands OF the people
residing east OF Fifth avenue from Eightieth TO
Ninetieth street. Aside from this when the OBJ
structions in He'll Gate are once removed the now
rapid western channel oil the river will be greatly
relieved by the current being equalized with the
eastern channe, and thus the water front proposed
to be taken by the park rendered still more avail
able for commercial purposes. On the east side Of
front to spare, and the visionary and foolish
schemes OF parties who have bouevards and parks
same have taken root and sprouted. 1.-THE city
cannot AFFORD the expense" "thc property hold
ers DO not ask for it, and our commercial neces
we advise tho Chamber OF Commerce and the
gentlemen having our commercial interests at
heart to look into this project protest against and
II possible, defeat the passage thereof We see no
necessity for such one-horse park, and when
the establishment OF such is known to be an injury
to the city's interest 1t should be promptly abated
1t does seem as though some OF our people were
gone park and boulevard mad. We have little
enough room left on this island for building pur-
poses, we have more parks and bouevards than
we can find names for, and have piled up q bill OF
costs for them which Will take two generations to
| pay for.
| commentary on the above Is the fact that q
| number OF capitalists have employed Mr.. John
McClave to purchase for them all the Riverside
| Park lots he can secure at reasonable rates. Mr..
McClave has now advertised In the leading dailies
\ for the past two days, and even waived commits
SONS from the sellers, yet he mas not had single
| offer OF the required property.
The same broker yesterday made an oner Oh
ST. 100, 900 for "Hamilton Granpe.r the old home
stead of Alexander Hamilton, embracing about four
hundred lots running from 140th TO l46th street,
and bounded by the old Bloomingdaie road ana
what Is known as Break Neck hill, but the PROPOSE
ton was refused. Mr.. McClave offered sl,o0o,oOo
fact was duly published In the HERALD. The price
asked is 81, 900.
MIR. Vernon X. stevenson, Jr. date V. X. steven
son n SOM reports the sale OF q four story high
stoop brown stone house and lot NO. is West
| Fifieth street. 1sx65xl00 Columbia College lease
/ Ihe ONLY transaction ri tns Exchange Yesterday