New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-22
THE SEASON OF RENTS.
CONCENTRATING IN NETWORK AND ITS con-
SEQUENCES.

p.pYn Observation-Disclosures ON THE
WEST SIDE AND sTAGNATIoN ON
THE EAsT-A LOOK AT THE
BUSINESS DISTRICT.
rb;. is a family matter this question of rents.
Movino-day is not far off. and if we are going 10
change our local habitation it is time to look
around for home more desirable than that which
we now occupy. We are not quite ready to Duy
bonse and lot and we do not care to rent place
for term of years. because we think rapid transit
will soon be here, and then we can 60 away up
town and get house for what q small nat costs
dawn in the heart of the city, and the men folIi
can reach their business without dlfhculty we
won't move to the Twenty third or Twenty fourth
Ward just yet. The elevated trains are 100
crowded We don't like TO ride standing LOT al
hour 10 be knocked and cuffed about ana trahiple"
on III we were young married couple weo ~
10 BROOKLYN the city of connubial bliss ana REM
little house of two and a half stories with Dack-
yard oox5O and raise a few peas and potatoes,
own n dog or two cat and canary Dlrd' anu
nossiblv a parrot if he wasn't too wicked. But
you see we have been married few years ana are
Handicapped by results-two babies, boy and a
rirI with promise of additional posterity-and as
tho children like New-York we shall humor them
We thought of going up on Murray Hill, we've
heard so much talk about it but, do you know Ii
is no easy matter to find suitable house in that
ouarter Rents are no higher there than they
yere last year. but the desirable houses are IN
srch demand that most of them have already Deen
snoken for The residents of the Hill are not
forsaking it rs we thought year or two ago they
wore going TO do 1t looked then as il everybody
was bent on moving uptown TO get entirely beyond
the encroachments of trade, but there was sudden
check to immigration, which we attribute, or
course to the lack of rapid transit After all, IL
is no small advantage, even to an enormously rlch
family, to be near the heart OF great CITY. near
the theatres and hotels and assembly and ball
rooms II saves a tremendous lot of time, and is
not so hard on the horses One can leave home
later and return earlier. There is more time for
dinner
In a DAYS search we found less than dozen
vacant houses on the Hill. and while we were
bestating between them they were rented at
prices varying from 50 500 to $4,000. IL Is not
AZ all difficult TO find tenants which causes 1t TO
seem a little strange that rents have not advanced
Stores tailor shops. millinery establishments and
offices continue to creep into this district. Inc
business invasion of the streets adjoining Broad
way near Thirty-fourth-st. is driving out many
commercial purposes at from $4,000 to $4,000
Some well-known places in Fifth-ave have been
abandoned TO trade a noticeable one among them
being the old DinsmOre house on the northeast
corner of Thirty-frst-st 1t cost $4,000 year,
and is now undergoing alteration 10 tit 1t for
business purposes 1t is not less difficult to buy q
house here than to rent one We priced several,
just for the fun of it. and found prices practically
out of reach. In Thirty ninth-st., for instance
between Fifth and Madison aves. we were asked
to give So, 900 for fourStOry dwelling that was
not at all extraordinary We admit that neigh
borhood is a great deal, but we cannot afford TO
buy whole one for the sake of obtaining home.
In Thirty-sxth-st. modest house was offered
us At 100000 In Park-ave we found the prices
from $50 900 to $4,000, and the agents dlsln-
clined to reduce their figures in the slightest
degree.
ABOVE FORTY-SECONDST ST.
We tried little higher up. between Murray
Hill and Seventeth-st., and met with the same
general treatment. In the first place. rents are
Aigl-no higher than they were last year, IL Is
true so we could not complain on that scofe-alo
in the second place most of the desirable houses
are already taken. We learned that the renting
season up here has changed from May to OCTOBER
I and H. II amounts to the same thing in the
end, but people imagine that it does not. lhey
Are rich and usually spend the summer at the sea-
shore, in the mountains or in Europe, ana 40 hoo
care to be bothered with moving into new home
in the month of their departure. They prefer 10
do their moving in the fall, when they return to
the CITY So. then il is rather late in the season
10 secure a suitable home in this region, unless OF
course we should 60 far to the east or west OF ruth
ave. The October leases principally obtain between
y. FL hnllGpS
vacant were held at prices varying from $4,000 10
s6 ooo \ wear. There is more purchasing than
repti,g in this district and it is the one portion oil
,be city where n majority of the residents own
their homes. Prices are exceedingly SUM- now
ever and a short pockct-book has no business mere
For a four-story house near SiXth-ave. S23,0OO Is
asked and as we approach Fifth-ave the hgure III
creases rapidly till it passes 100000. really
nice house in Fifty-fourthst, near flfth-aNe'' we
could have bought for $4,000. but as we couid
not possession till May, 1892, we let it 60 Some
one sent us printed list of houses for sale puJ IL
failed To furnish us a home Here are lew Oh
the most desirable dwellings, selected at random
ST. near Fifthave.. nearly full se ~ H9
iit, sx.hs near FIfthaye. nearly fun Size g. 0 000
ftysyenth-st. near % - taa 1000
ST. near Ffthave.. full slze.'..''.. 'oooo
on THE EAST SIDE.
The Fast Side is much mixed from Fifteen,h-st.
TO Harlem. and we were obliged TO consider II IN
divisions South OF Fifty-ninth-st rents have not
changed. and those who like the district VIII
have no trouble securing places of abode on reason
able Terms The demand for houses and flats Is
not excessive and prices range between S0oo @ho
$4,000. We saw but little improvement IN 'h's
quarter IL fact the most OF 1t seems run GOWN
OF the heel The same may be said of lorkvilie'
which is in the next division, north OF fli'y
ninth,s, Yorkvie has been dead 70 the worio
for long time, and show no sign OF resurfec-
ton. No building worth mentioning is going on
aad rents are gradually sliding down. 1t is one
Of the cheapest places in the city to ive' Dut On
account of its woe-bcgone appearance. is not IN