New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-26
RUMORS ABOUT ST. LUKE'S
A STORE MAY GO ON THE HOSPITAL SITE.
THE NEW HOTELS NEAR CENTRAL PARK WAR
RANT A LARGE EsTABILsHMENT-sUG-

THE NEW HOTELS NEAR CENTRAL PARK WAR
RANT LARGE EsTABILsHMENT-sUG-
GEsTIoNs OF A PRIVATE PARK.
Among other rumors that have been started in
reference to the site of ST. Lukes Hospital Fifth
ave- and Fifty-fourth and Ffty-lfth SITS, Is that
a large drygoods firm is negotiating for the entire
frontage in Fifth-ave. with a view of putting up
an enormous drygoods establishment on the site
of the old hospital. A man well informed on the
subject said to Tribune reporter yesterday:
This is one Of the many rumors that have been
started in reference to this highly interesting piece
OF property. 1t probably will be very difficult
matter to get the exact facts of the matter Tor
some time. IT, indeed there Is any foundation 10Y
the rumor at ALL 1t certainly is a most desiraDe
situation for q drygoods house. 1t Is weli-Khowh
fact among drygoods dealers that they get their
best trade and get the best prices from TRANSIENT
visitors in NewYork. And these transient visitors
are to a great extent punched around the great
hotels the southeastern end of Central ParK.
There is the gigantic Plaza Hotel. the Savoy the
New-Netherland, the Buckingham. the Belgravia,
the Windsor and the Waldorf, each of which Is
q small town in itself. so far as the amount OF
money which is expended in purchases every day
is concerned.
MANY LARGE HOTELS FOR SHOPPERS.
'Then, most convenient Of access are the great
hotels and flathouses on the west side OF central
Park such the Beresford, Hotel Endicott. the
Dakota, the San Reno and a large number OF
similar buildings. There Is doubt in my mind
that such store would meet with great success
If properly managed. People coming In town TO
spend few weeks in shopping strike a bee line
for the nearest and most inviting drygoods store
Many people living in the interior towns do the
bulk of their shopping and save up their money to
during few weeks of their annual stay here
And, like most other people with money to spend.
they anxious to do 1t In the quickest possi-
BILE manner This class Of people not only have
their own money to spend, but they generally
have lot Of commissions to execute for friends
You can easily see. therefore, that well-managed
and attractive drygoods store on the site of ST.
Luke's Hospital would be gold mine to its
owners"
In answer to the question If Fifty-fourth-st was
not too far uptown for such an extensive establish
ment he said: "St. Luke's Hospital is not so far
uptown now as Nineteenth-st. was twenty-five
years ago when Arnold. Constable & Co. built
their great drygoods house. Anybody who has
gone downtown and has seen the great crowd or
carriages and the great inconvenience that women
have who so shopping In this way can readily
understand why they would prefer to do their shop
ping uptown. where there Is not such'a tremendous
crush of trade wagons, cars and trucks. 1 am
convinced that II first-class drygoods store were
opened on the site of st. Lukes Hospital Its
owners could afford to pay higher price for 1t than
any other enterprise"
A DENIAL FROM THEODORE B. STARR.
Theodore B. Starr the wel-known 1eweller in
Fifth-ave. near Twenty-sixth-st. has been men
toned of the men interested in the project
of erecting a large store the hospital site. He
said to Tribune reporter last night: Your in
formsnt is mistaken in placing my name In such
connection have entered into no such plan. am
exceedingly sorry to learn that it is proposed to
erect trade buildings in such a quarter. l had
hoped that John D. Rockefeller who lives opposite
to the Hospital would buy the entire plot and turn
II into private park 1 know that he bought two
lots adjoining his house. for which he paid large
price, and there was some expectation that he might
purchase the entire hospital plot. 1t certainly
would be to the interests of the rich men living in
that neighborhood to club together purchase the
plot. and turn 1t into a private park Even from
business point Of view this would be good in
vestment for them. 1t is a great pity to cut down
those old trees. which have stood there for so many
sre left in = this Sse ov Ve city,
a man wei-informed in the affairs of the Hospital
that the site of st. Luke's Hospital. so far as the
0nase is ,Ss taS bsu ito o ih
encroachments OF. trade and defling Fifth-ave. is
the people get in Fifth-ave the less they care
live in the United States and especially In Fifth
Wbo ve in the Of the hospital and
how many Of them have enough interest In their
From a financial point of view. these people would
rejoice to have this part of the street given up to
value tremendously, and would many times com
pensate them for the small inconvenience OF moving
Most Of them would like TO move. because the con-
stantly increasing improvements in architecture are
making their present houses old-fashioned. You can
safely say that the conspicuously rich people near
st. Luke's. not going to pay out money to keep
q business block off the hospital site
Now what Is going to turn the balance ABOUT pt
highest bidder will get the site And who will the
highest bidder be-the man who Is going to put up
private or iat-houses the man who is going TO
put up a business block that will pay FIVE times
as much as a residence block would? You can
safely say that business block will be put up on
the Ffth-ave. front Of this plot inside Of twelve
months