New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-02
A NEW BUILDING.


WHAT THE PRODUCE EXCHANGE PROPOSES.
COMPETITION AMONG THE ARCHITECrS-THE FOUR
SELECTED DESIGNS.
The first impression which one gets from
stu,y OF plans for the new Produce Exchange
Building selected by the committee from the whole num-
Der submitted that the on that committee OF
some who had the power TO read an archteeturai
drawing and translate 1t into actual bricks aud mortar
would have been thing be thankful for II the Prod
nee Exchange is likely enough, does not count such
person among members. the body might have called
I'm the services OF architect engineer ana pald
him for telling them what they can do and what they
cannot and for opening their eyes 10 what the gentle
men who In these designs propose to commit
them to.
As thttenton of the Exchange seems 10 have finally
settled upon the designs signed "Ceres" and In
me spes est" and to have tacty agreed that moth
ing can be done with the two signed I" Adsum" and
"Qui TAM" we shall eonne the few remarks we have TO
make upon the subject to the two first named They are
not reality enough better than the other two to en-
title them to be seriously considered, but as there s
danger that of them will be chosen and as we desire
70 do what we can to avert such calamity, We Will
briefly set down what on careful examination seems
to US TO be wrong In these two designs
II we are asked why NEEDLE with the matter at all,
we answer or rather take the words out OF the pub
lie mouththat the erection of building such as this
proposed be Is far more public than 1t Is private
concern 1t is true that the members of the Produce
Exchange pay It out of their pockets and that
they are building for their private use and tie
use of their tenans But then, their own membership
ancludes q large cantel Of the population, ana
when they come TO add the tenants they propose 10
house to their list few spectators will be left to see
what Indifferent quarters they have made for them
selves stil Of those few will be found with taste
and common sense to call to account a great puohc
body that so lightly proposes throw away splendid
opportunity
For there has not been since the New Post Office was
built so line opportunity offered to our architects as
the erection Of such building as is here proposed gu
such q site as the BowliDg-Green square. Whatever
taste they may have will find ample field for
display and their skill will be called for solving the
difficult problem in planning that is here set before
then Such building If carried out in the right spirit
by the men who pay for 1t and by the architects who
have charge it, not only leaves Its mark In the history
OF the development OF the mechanic arts and OF the arts
II Ia the fashion call decorative, but must make an
era in the higher and not In the highest at least
In the noble artof architecture.
whetber them such an enterprise s to be carried
worthily unworthily is matter OF public concern
and we have q right to ask II the who have this
particular undertaking in charge are looking at 1t In
the serious way ought to be looked at
At any rate, harm can come from our suggestions
and we make them only with the hope that they may
be OF value enough attract the attention OF body
which, by its public spirit and the important place 1t
occupies In our business world Is entitled 10 our
interest.
Tie plans and elevation marked In me spes est"
are likely enough to please at first sight those members
of the Exchange whose taste leads them to quiet and
transformations design The author has had the benefit
Of the information that too large rooms on the man
floor 1.-THE floor the street leveD had been rented after
his design was sent in and that only this ransac
ton but the increased subscriptions had permitted the
extension the building BY the addition OF another
s.ory He has, therefore. sent In what he calls an
Alternative" design, but he has been 50 hurried In
the making it that only the plans OF portion and
he elevation of one end appear, and those
sre not Of character to advance his
reputation with those who have been disposed to like
his frst design. That design was In soft. tame ltaah
sye correct enought and obeyiDg all the old conven
tons but when in the alternative design we ind heaped
upon their meek and selfdenyng body the monstrosty
Of story with Mansard roof and pavilion, such as
hoped no one but Muett could devise. we are In
doubt what is really like TO DO the outcome OF
design BY architect with 90 iregnated taste. But
after al though the public Is most concerned with what
s upon the exterior OF the proposed build
ING, the members themselves seem TO be more con-
eerned about the plan and what the accommodations
for themselves and their s to be. And, little
merit willing concede to the two designs,
dRned Adsum 4" and Out tam," we do not find any
ponta in them Objectionable forced upon our
aunfaon m the one at present considering Look
Inc meanncss Of the entrances matter Of prime i'm
peopie-tne members Of the Exchange alone number
more tnsn 5000, We told study the placing and
arrangement OF the stairs; let any one studying the
plan imagine himself entering the building and making
his way from moor to floor. On the whitebal,st side
The stairs nearest the doorway do not face the person
entepe but obge hi TO turn sharp about and rerrace
bis steps All the starways are of the character one
xpecfs TO nnd IN buildings crsmped on ordinary city
sots wholly unworthy Of building Of the importance
Of the present one besides being unfit to do the actual
work required We are even Of opinion that the Bureau
a 5utidines would NOT permit such plan "a this 10 be-
carried ont Once more let the disposition Of the water
closets on this plan DO looked into particularly OF thos.
On tho third story. They viii be found-but surely no
one win read this without incredulity-to have thar
waste carried OF through two Of the columns that sum-
port the great han OF Meeting the supposed nuoleus
this inamenso building Probably such device az this
tr getting nd Of sewerage was before thought Of
respectable architect Perhaps. % 1t is now the
hshion not 70 cover up the service-ppes IN
essafng -houses but TO paint them. or did them.
4 - otAsrwiss subject them to the laws Of
~ feeerA1vs art" while leaving them free to
ept - for necessary tinkering this may have
- she present architects mind But We doubt
- - Bsasd Of Health would ike the proposition