New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-28
ACADEMY OF DESIGN SOLD.
FOUGHT BY THE METROPOLITAN LIFE.

THE ,xsr,p,NCF COMPANY NOW CONTROLS THE
rvr,pr FRONTAGE IN TWENTY -THlRD-sT
BETWEEN MADISON AND FOURTH AYES
.s nredic,ed in The Tribune about fortnight ago.
,he METROPOLITAN Life Insurance Company has ac-
ouired nearly the entire block OF land ana pu'idihss
hs,ween Madison and Fourth ayes. and Twenty
third and Twenty fourth SIS. on one corner Of
which overlooking Madison Square, its Imposing
oc1ca building stands The negotiations have been
conducted with great secrecy. Yesterday the an
rou,cement was author!tativey made. however.
that the Academy of Design. at the corner OF
rne,tv-thira-st and Fourth-ave.. had been sold
% the company for about 100000 BY This transfer
the Metropolitan Company has acquired, according
70 the statement Of John r. Hegeman It's president
"a1 the property in Twenty thirG-s,. between Its
building on the northeast corner OF Twenty-thlrd-st
and MaGison-ave. and the northwest corner OF
Tweniy-third-st and Fourth-ave" This gives to the
company the entire Twenty thIrd-s; frontage on the
north side between Madison and Fourth aves.
Mr. Hegeman said yesterday that the officers hai
two objects In view In making these large pur-
chases One was to prevent the use of the property
in the future by Objectionable enterprises. Ike beer
gardens and hquor-shops. and tho other was that
the company might eventually extend its own great
building over the entire ground thus acquired II
desirable
The Metropolitan Building and the Madison Square
Presbyterian Church. of which the Rev. Dr. Charles
H. Parlhurst Is pastor now alone occupy the 'front.'
age on Madison Square between Twenty-thrd ana
Twenty-fourth SITS. 1t has been understood that the
company for some time looking to the purchase
of the church property also inasmuch as II recently
ACQUIRED the two lots in Twenty fourth-st directly
in the rear OF the church Upon these two lots II
Is understood that the company proposed 10 con-
struct a twe.ve-siory office building II was STATED
yesterday. however. by President Hegeman of the
Metropolitan Life Company, that the church prop
e-ty would probably not be purchased, certainly not
at the present time inasmuch as the church people
and DR.. Pdrkhurst do not 10 move from their
present home. President Hegeman announced yes
10 move its Offices into the new building 10 be
constructed in Twenty-fourth-st.. in the rear of
the church. and 10 out the entire main building
al TNcnty-third and Madison-ave. Until all this is
accomplished. 1t is said. the buildings on the lots
living between the main building and the Academy
OF Design will noi be torn down. but rented
There is guarantee that the Academy or Design
shall occupy its building until May next. and
Il IS not improbable that the time Will be extended
until May. 1886.
The National Academy Of Design formed in
ls2G. and was an outs:owth of the o.d New-iork
Drawing Association. The incorporato tors under the
PASSED April ), 1928, were Samue. F. H.. Morse.
Henry Inman. Thomas :. Cummings. John l.. Nor
s. Agate and Thomas Co.e The institution really
had its origin in movement so far back as 1892.
when Edward Livingston, Colonel William Smith.
Dr. Joseph Brown, John B. Provost: William Cut
conceived the idea of founding an Academy OF Art.
The first exhibition in vacant riding schoo. In
Greenwich-st., near the Battery. This was the
centre Of fashion at that time. The present building
was begun April p, 1855. The exterior Is copy
OF the pa.ace of the Doge Of Venice and is built
OF gray and white marble.
There Is some doubt to the pans OF the
Academy respecting the choice OF a new site.