The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-17


travagant figures, and they cannot afford to
pay the enormous rents which they once ro-
garded with little concern.
Above Houston street TO Union square
landlords are asking about the same prices
as last year, but many Of the retail traders,
who formerly regarded this part OF Broad
way as the most eligible situation in the city
for their business, have been driven away,
and tho sidewalks are not now thrOngcd
with buyers as they were OF old. 1t is this
loss Of custom which is now leading some
Broadway property owners and shOpkccp-
ers, who once strcnuously fought every
effort TO lay IL down, to advocate street
railroad on that thoroughfaro; and it is not
impossible that we may yet see the
cars running there. The surface and the cle-
waited lines have benefited the retail trade
on the avenues to the injury Of that on
Broadway. Sixth avenue, especially, has
become of recent years great centre for
tho dry goods business, from Fourteenth
street far up TO Forty sccond street, n street
which promises to eventually develop into
very desirable location for retail trade
Fourteenth street itself has rapidly filled
up with shops between Union square,
where the jcwclry trade has centred and
Sixth avenue and it is now nearly as much
tLronged with shoppers as Broadway was
in its best days Twcnty-third street also
from Madison square westward, is be-
I coming n favoritc business locality, its
proximity to so many Of the largest ho-
tells presenting many advantages. Between
Union square and Madison square, Broad
way rents continue high, that being at pres
cnt the most eligible part Of the thorough
fare, narrow though it is along that stretch.
| for various branches of retail trade. Above
Madison square also, rs far ms Thirty
fourth street. Broadway is growing in de-
STABILITY as a situation for business.
The elevated railroads have naturally had
the effect Of stifrcning rents in the upper
part OF the island, and Harlem dwelling
| houses are coming into greater demand at
somewhat increased prices. During last
| year there were built in the city about 10
| hrst-class houses, 400 houses Of the second
class about 30 apartment houses. and lit
| tie over 800 tcnemonts Tho low price Of
labor and Of building materials, enabling a
structure 10 be- put UP at rs small u cost rs
at any time within nearly twenty years, and
the difficulty OF obtaining satisfactory in
estates. have encouraged the erection Of
these buildings; and it Is probable that the
present year will see n still larger number
added TO the dwellings, of the city.
or the more elegant houses, the chief part
have been built above Fifticth street; and
| between Sixticth street and Niuctcth street
a large number Of dwellings Of moro modest
prctcnsions have been put up. An idea Of
| the impetus which has been given TO build
| ing in the upper part OF the city is furnished
| by comparison Of the number OF specifics
tons filed in the Department Of Buildings
for structures TO be erected In the Twelfth,
| Nineteenth, and Twcnty-second Wards,
which take in the territory on either side II
! Central Park, during the year 1877 and the
! year 1873 In 1877 the total number was s3l
and the estimated cost was sSO35 759; while
the number in 1878 was LOO, and their csti-
mated cost was $40 ,3Sj, $40. There were also
erected in the annexed wards during 1878 a
total OF 222 buildings, at cost Of $752,725.
| These figures show that the northern part
Of the island Is being rapidly covered with
structures, though there IL still room there
TO accommodate with dwellings any in
crease Of population we may get during
| this century.