Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-06
BOOMING THE RENTS.
Business Men Make a Rush for Places
on Smithfeld Street.
THE MECCA FOR HERETAILTRADE
Many Changes Caused by the Removal Of
the PostOfice.
TRADE NOW HlMPKRED BY THE HUMP

The struggle among business men to ge
near the new postoffice is making the situa
ticn comfortable to owners of property OF
Smthfeld street, and there will be more
moving, tearing down, rebuilding and fit
ting up on the street next season than ha'
ever been witnessed in two whole decades
previous combined. Most of those affected
bv the purchase of Messrs. Solomon and
Ruben have made up their minds that they
will leave, bat Mr.. McCloy said he did not
know vet what he would do, intimating,
however, that money might effect a peace,
able arrangement
Sign painters will get considerable en-
ployment. C. C. Will s. Co. state that
they will move across the street to the
place now occupied by Mcknight & Vic
tory, and one of the latter said they did not
know where they would go. DR.. Shidle
moves, but has not selected another place.
j. Rhodes Miller & Co. will move, but
have not decided where. George Camp bell
is in the same fix
Changes at the Central Hotel.
In the Central Hotel block some of the
tenants have made terms with Kaufman
Bros, and will not remove. Anderson &
Rowan have decided to stay J. NJ. Littell
said he mad decided to stay, though he
thought the rent pretty steep. E & g. HI.
Zacharias will probably remain where they
are. Halpin, Kennedy & Co. will remove
to Wood street. Their rent was raised from
81, $50 to $4,000, and they say that one
street is as good as another to them, as they
attach no importance to their retail trade.
j. L. Shields Will remove from 415 to 315
Smithfield street. That building will be
remodeled.
While there is some complaint on the
part of renters that prices have been raised
too much, c. H. Love, who has the agency
Of the Central Hotel property, states that
the advance will only net the owners about
4 per cent Nj. Love says the rents hereto
fore have been very low on that property.
Charles Somers stated that if every build
ing within considerable radius of the
postofice were vacant they would all be
taken long before present leases expire.
Heron & Sons said it was yet too early
to predict next seasons work.
SmithfieId the Great Retail Street.
L, has been stated that the Howard block
would be remodeled and the upper stories
converted into Offices, but inquiry among
the tenants does not indicate the truth of
the rumor. Most of them have leases that
have yet four years to run, and they say
they have not had any intimation
from the owners that they would
like to make any change. One
thing seems to be determined beyond
controversy, viz: That in future Smith
field street will be the great retail street of
the city, though Fifth avenue property will
still be as valuable, as downtown business
room will be scarce and will grow more
scarce from year to year, unless the hump
be cut down to give an outlet.
Some people are beginning to discuss the
revival of the project to cut down tie Fifth
avenue hump, but at the Department of
Public Works it was stated that there had
been no official agitation of the subject.
This was also the report in the City Con-
troller's office. Some real estate brokers
say the matter will not down, but that be-
fore many years pass the hump must 60, as
more room must be had for business.