New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-19
FOR A UNION CLUB SITE.
PART OF THE ST. LUKES HOSPITAL
PROPERTY LIKELY TO BE CHOSEN:
NEGOTIATIONS PENDING WHICH WILL PROBABLY

NEGOTIATIONS PENDING WHICH WILL PROBABLY
LEAD TO CLOSING THE SALE.
II present indications may be trusted, only some
thing unforeseen can prevent the removal OF the
Union Club to the northwest corner of Fifth-ave.
and Fifty-fourth-st. Negotiations have been in
nro0reSs with the trustees Of ST. Luke's Hospital,
which owns the ground ever since the club de-
aided last May to move further up Fifth-ave. AT
arst tho club men met O stone wall in the shape
Of a refusal on the part of the trustees to sell
mart of their property. The hospital grounds ex-
tend from Fifty-fourth-st. to Fifty-hfth-st 200
feet, and 400 feet toward Sixth-ave, and there
fore cover thirty-two city lots The price asked
for the entire plot was S2,5oe,o00.
This piece of land was far too large for the site
OF even so wealthy club as the Union, so an
effort was made to get other persons to buy an
that part of the plot not needed by the ciuo.
This was unsuccessful. In its report Of May Ia
the Union Clubs Site Committee SAID II was
suggested that the University Club might DC Will
ing TO take the north half of the Fifth-ave roht'
and efforts have been made to ascertain whethef
there was anything TO justify that sugeesuon'
From the information received, however, the COM
mittee believe that purchase by this CLUB Jointly
with the University Club is at this time lmprac-
ticable."
situations. but found its task difficult one VIII
lam Waldorf Astor was asked by cable if he would
sell the plot owned by him on the northeast corner
of Fftv-sixth-st. and the avenue. Mr.. Astor, how
ever refused 10 listen TO an offer. AnotiHr site
which was Vowed with favor was the south half
Of the block between Forty-third and FOrty-fourth
sts' on the west side of the avenue, ana sui
another, the three northerly lots in the same
block II was impossible, however, to make satls-
factory terms with the owners
While the committee was thus in quandary
the trustees Of ST. LulSe's Hospital made an oner
which gave the Site Committee ray oil nope
The hospital would sell a part OF It's plot Al
first it was thought that front of 90 feet IN 'e
avenue and depth of 175 in Fhty-1ourth-st'
would be all that the club would need. The
trustees however, preferred to sell just onc-quaI-
Ter of their property, or eight city lots, which
would make site Of 100 by 200 feet. The Union
Club men were willing to take so much
and the only question now is one of price. The
trustees of the hospital and the clubs Site Com
mittee have each appointed subcommittee TO
settle that point.
Two million dollars and half is what the trus-
tees wanted for the whole property, but the one
quarter of it wanted by the Union Club is natu-
rally worth more than one.fourth of that sum-
The trustees finally decided that 100000 would
be reasonable figure, while the Site Committee
decided that 100000 would be all that the club
would pay. These sums were settled upon after
some preliminary negotiations. A difference OF
500 900 is no small affair, but the temper of both
sides seems to be in favor of arriving at agree
ment A mutual spirit of concession would bring
the transaction to q close in a short time, and
man who is well Informed on the negotiations yes
terday gave it as his opinion that the transaction
would be closed in u week or two.
There can be no question that one side wishes
10 buy and the other TO sell, and when this is
the case something is likely to drop In the
first place, the site is perhaps the most eligible
one which the club could find. 1t is far enough
uptown TO make it unlikely that another removal
northward would be required for decades, if ever.
Its proximity to the Vanderbilt houses and to
the other fine residences which are being erected,
or are about to be erected, in the protects
il in great measure from the march of business
in the thoroughfare.
Again, the site is on the northwest corner,
fact Of significance, for there are Union Club
members who would rather remain in the present
clubhouse, although they favor moving, than 90
to property that is not on the northwest corner.
The Site Committee recognized the existence of
this prejudice when, according to its report, 1t
directed its attention in the first instance to the
on the northwest corners" The secret of this is
that looking out Of the club windows in the
afternoon is an important amusement of many
members, and only in building on the north
west corner can they escape the sun Even in a
clubhouse on the southwest corner the rays
would shine on the windows at the side in the
afternoon.
Then the club would not have to buy build
ing only TO tear it down if it secured the Fifty
fourth-st site. The buildings of the hospital
all on the north half of the plot, except the
house for the superintendent and nurses This,
which was paid for by William IL. Vanderbilt is
On the Fifty-fourth-st side, but at the western
end Of the property, more than 200 feet from the
avenue The club could therefore build its
houss on the plot without disturbing single
standing building. The hospital people could keep
the institution on its present site, if they wished
even after the erection of the clubhouse.
II is only question of time when ST.
Luke'S Hospital will be compelled TO
Cheaper oSsG The trustees have Weefg recOgnzeG this
and have had their eyes on several sites beyond
the Harlem, although nothing definite has been
done yet. Ii may be mentioned that there Is no
possibility of the hospitals removing to the land
I at Fordham which il acquired when the House Of
Rest for Consumptives was merged into 1t. This
property. which contains four acres and is worth
about SiOO, 900, will be sold. Ii the Union Club
buys the property at Fifty fourth-st the hospital
trustees win make effort to sell the rest of the
property at once so tnat tle INSTITUTION may De
removed. There would be no pressing need
OF the hospitals going uptown as soou as the
trustees sold TIE lots at Fifty-fourth-st. but ii
a building We're put mp there it would shut off
light and air from the patients.
Inc Union Clubs committee had reported that
the plot at Forty-fourth-tt would cost $500, 600,
and that the one at Forty. third-st. could hardly
be bought for less than s. 900, 900. The hospital
site is therefore not more expensive than others
which nave been considered. The Metropolitan
Club paid S4sO,OO0 for its property at Siyteth-st
and Fifth-ave., but the Union Club could pay
more for site; as it can get considerable sum