New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-26
FOR A NEW BUILDING SITE.
NATIONAL, ACADEMICIANS DIVIDED
OVER A LOCATION.
DIVIDED
eovp WANT TO MOVE NORTH or CENTRAL PARR
WHILE OTHERS WANT TO STAY
DOWNTOWN

WHILE OTHERS WANT TO STAY
DOWNTOWN.
nh. MANNERS Of the National Academy OF Design
~. On @ ouandary over the choice of site for their
r.v building AS stated IN The Tribune OF ycster-
dav the property occupied by the Academy OF
Des!-n IL owned by the Metropolitan Life lnsur-
ance Company and Il is SAID that the buildings now
Standing there will be torn down and the acado-
r,,cjans will be forced 10 find a new home JUST
where that new home will be IS the question mat
ia now disturbing the members. Some OF them N
view OF the growth Of tho city toward the north,
sre In favor OF a site north OF Central Park. ana
others are equally certain that the new Academy
ehould be south OF Ffty-nlnth-st It was learned
that at the meeting held on Tuesday evening there
were two sites proposed. Those favorng an uptown
size liked that located IN Amsterdan'-ave between
One hun, d-and-nnth ard Observation-Disclosures
SITS The proposed site has frontage Oh III leet
on Amsterdam-ave. anc 200 feet ON the c''ss-'o"n
streets and contains fourteen and one-half ci,y
lots. II this site decided upon the new Aca"-
envy would probably face the Still unfinished ca
thedral of 81 John the Divine. ana would nave an
extended outlook that will never be built up the
site proposed by those IN favor of a downtown To-
cation is In Forty-third-st between Fifth and sixth
aves vote taken on the uptown sl'o anu
lost and then one the downtown site wa also
lost. The Committee on Site which disbanded al
tho last meeting. was composed OF James NJ tart
yice-presideat Of tho Academy, chairman; T.. W ood
Perry and j. G. Brown. who are both members or
the Academy Council, and Horace Wolcou Robbins
and Harry W Watrous.
A Tribune reporter called upon number OF the
academicians at their studios yesterday in order to
learn their personal views upon the matter Will
tam n Beard said: Personally, am strongly IN
favor Of a site above Central Park Tie city ls
constantly growing in that direction ana II : only
n matter OF a few years before the centre or the
metropolis will be UP there. Then there Is another
reason why that locality better pace for US 10
build than further downtown The property up there
is cheaper than the downtown property and II Will
not be long before II will appreciaoly increase IN
value The property in the lower part OF the city
IL worth now about all that ii will ever be worth.
while that above the Park is advancing In value ali
the time
WANTS 1T UPTOWN.
J. c. Brown, OF the members OF the Academy
Council and also a member CT the Committee on
Site said: Il do not care TO talk about the affairs
of the Academy, but can give you my own per-
sonal opinion 10 where l think TIE Academy
should be located. am very strongly in favor OF
site above Central Park. There number OF
reasons why in my opinion that IS the best place
! believe that the site IN Amsterdarn,ave. Is the
best that could possibly be found anywhere. There
which would make the light excellent. 1t is close 10
ama 's in that
will before long be the centre ana heart OF ths
the downtown sites The money that would be
necessary 10 buy one city lot downtown VIII ouy
one and is being built up with handsome buildings.
] believe that in deciding this matter We ought 10
who Will after The site is not only the
best to be found now, but Is the beS, one mat
there will never have TO move - .s.. ,.vo
heard and seen. in favor Of a site for the new
Academy below F!ftyn.nih-tsst There are some
but / believe that for the work that the Academy
tries 10 do such location would be TOO far from
] stopped at Mornings.de Heights on my way down
IN haf q a II
II would be- was not very much taken with 1t.
and found that Amsterdam-ave. Is being built up
with stores. and not hrst-cass stores IN my OPINION
at that"
WOULD LIKE 1T DOWNTOWN
While Mr. Guy talking. Edgar NJ Ward hap
pencd into the ROOM and asked his opinion IN
regard to the matter. He said that ne was not de-
cidcd and had any uptown site He was
OF the opinion that the matter ought be talked
about at all until something definite had been de-
c,ded upon E Wood Perry then Joined the little
party Mr.; Wood was very decided In his opinion,
matter and it is very strong one. am
decidedly for a downtown site There may be some
fine sites uptown. bu, our object VIII not be accom-
plished with the erection OF large and handsome
building. We put the Academy IN the
heart Of the activity and hustle OF the city. What
from the outside Look at the old Academy. in
Munich and L'Eco.e des Beaux Arts. IN Paris.
Neither Of them Il pTisnop and neither bay mas
done their work. and done II well. The School OF
Fine Arts. in Paris. Is in narrow street Of IN, the
must be below Fitty-ninth-st. The life OF the Acad
envy would be dry rot If It was located above
that 1t must be downtown among the
studios and the artists. and in the busy active life
OF the city. 1t is question Of beauty OF site
II the academy is TO be a working institution for the
advancement Of art, II must be in the midst OF the
city. and not away GU, in the country"
--->----