New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-23
CITY HILL PARK MENACED.

The scheme to disf1gure the Clty han fark
by the construction of enormous edifces over
shadowing the City Hall and County Court
Uonse has nothing to commend it. II is a
strange peryersity and distortion Of public
spirit that leads some of our Democratic city
officials to push this job in spite of general
chorus of disapproval from judicious and sensi-
BILE citizens. To put up the proposed build
ings on each side of the City Hall, calling them
wings of that well-proportioned structure,
would result in defacing and degrading the
most respectable piece of architecture in the
way of public buildings that this metropolis
possesses 1t would choke up the City Hall
Park, already much too crowded, and would
prove not only serious obstruction, but
grevous blot on the lower part Of the city.
The only argument which has been advanced
in support of this grotesque and preposterous
scheme is that it would serve the convenience
of public officials and those who have business
with them to concentrate all the work of the
municipal Offices within a few feet OF the
MAYORS rooms and the courts. But building
on the land owned by the city in Centre-st.,
now used by the New-Haven Railroad, would
be for all practical purposes sufficiently con-
yenient and accessible. The site is only short
SPACE from the offices and departments which
cluster about the City Hall.
A bill is now before the Assembly introduced
by Mr. Crosby, prohibiting the erection OF a
municipal building in City Hall Park. The
reasons for its prompt passage are weighty and
important. The conspiracy to destroy the at
fractions of the only open space along the line
of Broadway from the Battery TO- Union Square
should be crushed Immediately. 1t would be
impossible to raise a vast pile on each side of
the City Hall without running the appearance
of that building and making OF the whole City
Hall Park an eyesore and an abomination. But
some of our public officials seem bent ON dong
this at any cost to the city at large in order to
save themselves few steps each day. They
should be taught sharply and promptly that no
scheme Of this kind will be allowed to succeed.
We are glad TO note that Mayor Hewitt declares
that he is not committed to any such oblec-
tionable undertaking. He says that such sup
port as he has hitherto given to the project has
been only that the question should be properly
considered in all its aspects, and that the OBJ
tanning of plans from architects for the sug-
gested "wings'' was merely q tentative matter.
The Mayor shows good sense and good judgment
in not committing himself to any such wild, ex-
travagant and wholly unworthy enterprise.
The projected wings" even their friends
admit, would cost three or four millions Of dol
lars. With our experience of the outlay on
public buildings, it is almost certain that the ex-
penditure would run up TO five or six millions,
at least. On the Centre-st. site well-propor-
toned, modest but dignifed structure, suitable
for public uses, could be erected at moderate
cost 1t would be in no way necessary or adj
yisable that it should be deliberately orna-
mented or decorated. 1t should be plain, sim
pie and severe, to suit its surroundings and Its
uses. A big building in the City Hall Park
would inevitably be extravagant in design and
construction. Such a structure, whether under
the guise Of so-called wings" or taking any
other FORM would be positive evil and injury
to the city. The sensible and business-lke sug-
gestions made by Tax Commissioner Coleman,
in an excellent interview printed in our columns
on Thursday last, merit commentator and sup
port on all sides He has solved the problem
in the simplest most practical and satisfactory
manner. Let the Legislature see to it that the
ridiculous but mischievous scheme which has
enlisted the sympathy and the advocacy of some
of our misguided Democratic city officials is
defeated by the passage of the Crosby bill.
This is the plain duty which the Assembly and
the Senate owe to the people of New ork.