New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-28
ONE-STORY BANK BUILDINGS
WHY THE SAVINGS INSTITUTIONS PRE-,
FER THEM.
LIGHT AND VENTILATION PRIME REQClslTES-A'
EXCEPTION TO THE RULE IN FAVOR OF


TALL BUSINESS STRUCTURES.
The most notable departure from the prevailing
rule that new buildings for business purposes In
this city shall be Of the sky-scrapng variety Is to
DO seen in the recently erected savings bank buhd-
ings The same thing Is 10 be observed across the
river in Brooklyn. In fact. there are only three or
four savings banks in the Greater New-f YORK "hch
have thought II worth while to run their structures
IN several stories for the sake OF getting an income
from the rental Of the upper part for offices. why
this Is so has led to speculation in the minds OF
many New-Yorkers and OF them set out the
other day to II some light could not he thrown
upon the question His first call was made on John
Harsen Rhoades tho energetic president Of the
Greenwich Savings Bank, which three or four years
ago put up handsome structure exclusively for It's
own use at Sxth-ave. and Sxteenth-st
Mr. Rhoades. when your bank decided on a new
building why did it not build one that would bring
in some income for the benefit Of the depositors?"
was asked
well" said the president in reply that is per-
haps not easy question to answer. The decision
not reached without considering the subject on
all sides. The main purpose We had In moving was
to give a larger banking room, with good light
and good ventilation Sometimes have 400 or
1.5O0 deposors in here time and we think
1t only fair to give them good accommodations.
Ventilation, 1t is easy for any to see is one Of
the most important things in connection with such
crowd of people. When were considering the
building question 1t was my idea that We should
build the walls heavy enough that the building
could be up a number OF stories later. If it
should be thought desirable or necessary. But the
trustees generally did not agree with me
NO KIND OF BUSINESS SUITABLE
THE question OF what sort of business should be
provided for in this neighborhood. in case a larger
building erected. was an important one II
would not do to give people OF questionable char
acter in any way access to building in the vaults
Of which are stored securities the amount Of
100000. OF course. II would be useless TO put I'D
an office building here. for there Is no demand for
Offices. and II not thought best TO allow any
sort Of manufacturing business to be carried on in
connection with bank. The Manhattan. over on
broadway. has a clothing store I'm the upper part Of
Its building but we could not put part of our build
Ing to such a use. If we had provided room for it,
Some people have idea that when a savings
bank erects fine home for itself it is done at the
expense Of the depostors. That is altogether mis-
take. The building is erected out Of the surplus
and stands as valuable asset Of the bank We did
not make canvass of depostors before de-
Gliding to move. to learn whether they approved OF
such course. but IL we lost any Of them we have
more than made up for the loss. for our business
has been steadily growing since we came uptown"
The newest Of the savings bank buildings is that
OF the Bleecker Street Bank. 1t is commonly
called, at Fourth-ave. and Twenty-second-st. Tho
Bank for Savings Of the City of New-York" is it's
was the first savings bank started in the State 1t
was chartered in 1873. but the agitation for bank
OF ihs klnd began two or three years before, and
the first legislative committee to which the mat
ter was referred reported that IT was unable to see
that any need for such a bank existed, The presi-
dent of this bank is Merritt Trmble To him was
put question In substance like that answered by
Mr.. Rhoadcs.
1T WOULD DEFEAT THE OBJECT OF MOVING
IF we had erected a building several stories in
height" answered Mr. Trimble we should have
defeated the object we had in view In moving In
addition to providing for our depositors our
the employees of the bank to do their work in with
good light and abundant circulation of air That
is what we have got. In the old building we were
badly crowded. and AT times the line Of depositors
waiting 10 nave the interest entered in their books
extended out on the sidewalk. 1, would have been
more and rent them for offices. But In the first |
place, that would have deprived us OF the most i'm
portant thing we were after. Then II would have
added to the cost largely, and the trustees would |
return from the added expenditure. As a matter Of
fact, | understand that the office buildings in this
neighborhood have difficulty in getting tenants.
But supposing We had taken that course ard |
were successful In renting the Offices, so that an
income Of $1,000 4 secured what would |
that amount T. respects our dcDositors? II |
would he only rifle. for the interes, paid TO them
Is more than 100000 n year None of our deposit |
on the contrary. they pleased. and seem ID |
have sense of ownership In IL. We did not con- |
suit their wishes before deciding 10 move. but n |
canvass made several years ago showed that half |
of them at that time lived above Twenty third-st" |
OFFICES COMBINED WITH ONE BANK
There decided contrast when the searcher |
af Tor eft no LIGHT nd