New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-25
TRADE IN FIFTH AVENUE.
Rus,Nrss RAPIDLY GOING UPTOWN.


Trade is making strides further and further up
Fiftn.ave Several buildings tor business purposes
are gong up between Madison Square ana Centrsl
Park and others are proposed At various points
along the avenue new shops have been openou
within the last few months; several houses 10 Dc
used for trade are undergoing alterations, and dwell
lings may be seen at intervals with pacarus Oh
them announcing that they are to let FOR business
purposes. The greatest activity Is between Mad
lson Square and Thirty-fourth-st, where many oil
the houses are not occupied by the owners, Dat
have been let to families or used as boarding
houses. This fact makes it easier for business to
creep IN. As Yet the trade in fifth-ave has been
of fine class and the tradesmen already there are
OF the opinion that n heavy business or popular
shops such as those in Twenty third or Four
feminist would not succeed. The first business
house TO OMEN above Madison Square was that oil
Black Starr & Frost, jewellers, at the northeast
corner of Twenty eighth-st. This invasion "se
made about five years ago. Other Jewellers Aoi-
lowed, then O tailor appeared; then more talors-
more taors than any other class OF trauosnon :
and in course of time millinery shops were opened
carriage and harness shops and art saiesIoonnS
These who have been established for some time 10
the avenue say that it is moro desirable Ior lbeir
class of trade than Broadway. To persons unac-
ouainted with the facts of the 1T may appear
much greater than In Broadway or other business
onarters According to the statements OF real
estate agents the contrary is true. By suble'tng
the basement for business purposes aud the upper
floors as fats or bachelor apartments. tho lessee is
in many cases 10 to reduce the rent OF bis shop on
the ground floor TO a low figure.
Inquiries were made at the real estate once vi
Whiting & Davis, which is in the basement OF q
brown stone house between ThlrtIsth and Thirty
hrst-sts, regarding the demand for rooms
ave have "a great many applications for houses
between Madison Square and Thirty -fourth-st. Tor
business purposes. Every house on either side VI
the avenue could be let for business if the oW ners
would be content with fair rentals"
"Are people who live in their own houses wiIing
to give tnom upf"
avery few of the houses in this part OF the
avenue are occu ped by their ners they have for
some time been used mostly as boarding houses"
"Are owners willing to rent them to persons
desiring to open shopsR"
"They have no objections to business, but they
are rxorbtant in their demands. Most OF them will
not name their price. even. They want you to
make an offer and will not listen to anything like
q reasonable figure. Even when they do give
lease they make it only for short term of years.
Without doubt property in this part of the avenue
will command much higher rents in a year or
two than 1t does new."
"What classes of business are seeking locations r
"The applications are mostly from tailors.
dressmakers milluers and those in similar lines OF
trade" :, =, -.
DO the owners mako the necessary alterations"
~In most cases so far the shopkeepers have
made their own alterations. If the property
owners would make the necessary changes the
business rooms ould find occupants in less than
SWhat disposition is made of the rest of the
house when there Is a shop on The first noori"
"In IL few houses there are suites of looms or
flats but the upper doors are for the most part let
out as apartments for bachelors. In two Ur three
cases the shopkeeper and his family live upstairs
" How is tho property owned between Madison
Square and Thirty fourth tF "
Mostly IL single lots of twenty-five and twenty
seven feet front. The block extending from
Thirty third to Thirtyfourth-St belongs to the
"Whati is The average rent of house IN this
Tic pIice until two-years ago ranged from
$4, 900 to S4.oCO q year; now the same class of
houses rent at from s. 900 to $500
"Few prOperty -Owners who do not live IN their
HOUSES said another real estate bIoker arc able
to resist good offer made by persons desiring
business locations. Some houses hay Q been thrown
lies owning them wished TO move uptown be-
yond tho reach OF trade.
Among the new buildings in course of cOnstTuc-
ton is an apartment house at the southeast corner
of Twenty eghthst. which will have business
rooms on the ground floor. The Gilbert mansion at
Thirty fOuTth-st n handsome brown stone house
NTH oriole windows. has been leased to Narcotic,
the furniture dealer IN Union square, who will oc-
cupy 1t rs soon as the alterations are made. Two
broWn-stOns houses are now building ut the south
east corner of Forty second st. One of them IL to
be occupied by Potter q Stymus. 1t will occupy
a part of the site of the old Rutgers Female College
building and viii have frontage OF hity-ons feet
Tho front will be of brown stone. and tho building
will be seven stories high. The other building Is
being erected on the lot adjoining ut the corner
of Forty Recond-st and Fitth-ave. Tho ground
floor of this building is to be used as bank and
for safe deposit vaults the upper stories will be let
he hon on he
above, which was formerly the residence of Levi T.
Morton, has been occupied for some lime Is an
apartment house with carriage waToroons on the
first floor with the entrance on Forty second-st IL
Is generally believed that FOrty-secOnd-st. will
eventually become centre OF trade much OF the
same character as Fourteenth and twenty
third-sts. If this transformation takes place, IL
will undoubtedly give more Of business aspect
to Fifth ave in this neigbbOrhOOd 1t is reported
that new hotel is proposed to be built at
Iwenty-e ighth-st, on the corner Just above the
Victoria V. X Stevenson thinks oil building
large hotel near the tlfth-aVc. entrance to Central
Park.
below Madison Square. This is SAID to be due 10
the high rentals demanded by property-o"uers
herter Brothers, however have gained possession
OF the house formerly occupied by Robert l.. STUART
at the nj rthwcSt corner oi 'flfth-aVc. and 1wen-
tieth ST. and will open a place of business there
in n new building The parur floor OF the house ut
the southwest corner OF the same streets IS under
going alterations and wIlI0 he occupied by {, ii.
George, dealer in paper hanglngs who was N the
building adjoining the Park Theatre. W len bust.
first introduced here some years ago. II
was vigorously resented by families owning
bouses in ne neig hburnOOd Nevertheless alter the
start was made one shop WAS opened after
another Ths places of business here now include
the warerUoms Of several of the leading piano
manufacturers
The first business house above Madison Square in
Fifth-ave. that of Connick BOuton. opposite
the Hotel Brunswick This firm was formerly NJ
No $50 Broadway A member of the firm said
Yesterday that they had opened their shop in
tifth-ave. because they thought the situation the
most desirable one in the city for fine class OF
trade There everal other shops ON this book.
One near that of COnnick d. BOuton is occupied by
Mr.. Rock
" Has your business prospersd here ?" was asked.
Yes. We were the iirst tailors TO open an esta6-