Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-21
DOOM OF A LANDMARK
Tony Newell'S Old Restaurant Build
ing Rented for a Music Store.
RENRICKS TO HAVE 1T NEXT APRIL.
other Changes That Will Likely Take
Place on Fifth Avenue.
HOW A BIG DEAL WAS KNOCKED OUT

Among the many rumored business
changes in the lower part of the city next
spring is one that will make quite an inroad
on what has been fixtures for some time
past N
The DR.. Hussey building, just below the
Postoffice, now occupied on the main floor
with Newell's restaurant and Quincy Robi-
sons cigar store, will change hands, so far
as the tenants are concerned, on the date
mentioned, and thereafter will be occupied
by the Henricks Music Company. This
company is now located in the Meyran
building. below the Masonic building, on
the same side Of the avenue. 1t is under
stood that the Hussey building will be re-
paired quite extensively for the new occu-
pants.
A call was made at their place of busi-
ness last night, but the gentlemen were
backward about saying very much on the
subject. 1t can be depended on, however,
that the change will be made.
A HISTORICAL RESORT FOR EPICUREs.
Twenty years ago the late Tony Newell
and his brother John opened what was the
leading restaurant in the city at that time
in the basement of this building. The
recollections of this place will live long
after the present structure has returned to
its original dust. 1t was as much head
quarters ior men about town as Delmonico's
in New York, and there is hardly Pitts
burger of that school who has not fund OF
remembrances of the old restaurant.
Some years later Tony" began in the
quarters now bearing his name, and es-
tablished very extensive business there.
1t is not definitely stated what will become
of the business, but Newell's restaurant will
doubtless continue to be fixture of the city
in other quarters for years to come.
1t is stated that the present Henricks
headquarters will be turned into restaurant
as soon as possible after the firms removal,
by well-known gentleman of the city.
Among other stories of contemplated big
downtown improvements going the rounds
during the last few days was one toathe
effect that Mr.. Ben Thaw had decided to
erect magnificent new block on the corner
OF Third avenue and Wood street, opposite
the st. Charles Hotel, the story being that
he had recently purchased the site.
NEED OF NEW BUILDING.
When Mr.. Thaw was asked about this
story he replied that it was hardly correct
that he had just purchased the property,
inasmuch as his father was born there aud
owned the property at the time OF his death.
So far as the new building was concerned,
he said that in time one would have to be
erected there, as the present buildings were
getting old and worn out but added that
nothing definite had yet been decided upon.
A well-known real estate dealer said yes
terday that premature rumors and publica-
tions had much to do with keeping the
progress of the lower part of the city back.
He cited an instance where he worked for a
year trying to get the property on the corner
of Fifth avenue and Wright's alley into
shape for a sale. There were five different
owners, and all had to be in line, as the
property was of no use to the proposed pur-
chasers for their purposes unless they got it
all. The details were all but arranged,
when an afternoon paper published rumor
thai part OF the property had been sold at a
much higher figure than had really been
offered.
CAUSE OF A BLOCKED DEAL.
The result was that one of the owners I'M
mediately jumped his price up to an out
rageou limit. This delayed matters and
another party flew the track and made a
three years lease of his property, whereat
the deal was declared off
"Now this occurred within the present
year, and the city was robbed of what would
have been the finest business block in Pitts
burg" continued the real estate man. 'The
real estate deal alone involved $500, 900. 1t
was front of 140 feet on the avenue, and
120 feet deep. The parties to the transac-
action were New York capitalists. One
thing about downtown property owners is
that every time sale is reported they ad-
vance prices all around. They never stop
to think that there must be two persons to
each transaction. People will not pay two
prices for anything, no matter how badly
they may need it."