New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-05
THE NEW HALL OF RECORD.
THREE COUNTY AND THREE CITY DE.
PAYMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR
John r. THOMAS THE ARCHITECT HARD At
WORK on THE PLANs-AN EiGHT-sroRY
BUILDING WHICH WILL BE EQUIVALENT
TO ONE OF TWELVE sToRI

TO ONE OF TWELVE STORIES
Mention was made in The Tribune in an article
printed week ago. OF the fact that three Important
city departments were to be provided for in tho
new Hall OF Records. and when that building was
completed would longer be under necessity OF
occupying hired Offices. These are the Finance
Department the Department OF Taxes and Assess
ments and the Law Department. But the pro-
vision of quarters for them in this building was Al
aferthOught The first bill authorizing the erection
Of the Hall OF Records passed by the last Legislature
contemplated a structure for the accommodation
Of the Register the County Clerk and the orlces
and courtrooms of the Surrogates BEFORE inc
end Of the session. however. supplementary Dill
passed providing that rooms should be fur
nshed also for the three municipal departments
mentioned
The erection OF this building is under the direc'
ton OF the Board Of Estimate and Apportionment.
and there is a disposition on the part Of all the
members of that body to hasten il as much as pos
sib.e site was selected several weeks ago, ana
the process Of condenning the property Is now
going on An architect has been chosen his design
FOR the building having received the approval OF a
commission Of experts in architecture and the
work of preparing the detailed plans Is being dill
gently prosecuted.
A prominent city official. when spoken TO on the
subject a few DAYS co. expressed the hope that It
might be possible lay the cornerstone OF tho
new building before the end OF the present admin
isJration. When this remark was repeated to tho
architect. John r. Thomas ne Diandiy ana some
what irreleyantly replied
Well all I have to say that point Is that cor.
nerstone ayings are usually very pleasant occa-
sions"
Mr.. Thomas is unwilling az present to make any
statement to the probable time when the work.
ing drawings and specifications VIII be competed
and proposals called for.
The important matter of the apportionment OF
space in che building among the ha.f-dozen de-
partmcnts - be provided for Is wholly undecided
yet. Each Of ne departments has its own ideaS
to the amount OF Office room Il will need and
what part Of the building it would prefer to be in;
but the several heads Of departments will not have
! the deciding voice Their wishes will be considered
/ far possible. in all probability, but the de-
! termination Of the question will rest with the
! Board Of Estimate There appears to be a general
| agreement that the Receiver of Taxes and the
/ Bureau Of Arrears should be placed as near the
| street level possible for the accommodation OF
the large number Of people who make practice
| OF paying wha; they the city in person instead
Of by mail.
WHERE THE BUILDING WILL STAND.
The Hall OF Records is TO occupy the eastern
end Of the block bounded by Chambers. Centre and
Reade SITS. and Broadway. That is the best way
| to describe the site at present In reality tne
building viii stand on a block by itself as the
present Em-st IS to be virtually extended through
to Chanbers-st giving a western front 10 the Hall
| OF Records. with entrance on that side and tho
! additional, light and air that will be supplied in
| this way The frontage on Chambers-st. will be
! 100 feet and the depth Of the building l5l feet.
| Viewed from the Chambers-st. side II Will be
eight stories in height. but the basement story
! Will practically be above ground on Reade-st, and
! under that will be airy sub-basement, so that
| virtually the building will comprise ten stories.
The distance between floors Will be greater than IN
the ordinary Office building. and the total height,
about one hundred and fifty feet, VIII give the
edifce the appearance Of a twelve-story building.
| The outer walls will be composed Of granite. The
! building viii be crowned with mansard roof,
covering the two upper floors. The so-called skee-
ton method OF OF construction will not be employed
in this building but it is the intention Of the aren't
tect to erect sold prick walls all the way UP.
While il is designed 70 make Il ornament 10
the city. nothing in the way Of domes or towers Is
provided for since the Hal. % Records Is not 10 De
regarded in any sense as the CRY Hall or a SUD-
,titu,e for one. In one sense, however its erec-
ton & closely lated to the scheme for removing
the present city Hall and putting up huge mu-
ncipal building in It's place. In the competition
for the design for the proposed City Hall there were
1874 connections and the first prize was won by MI;
he WtIi Of Records TIE Board OF Estimate had
I'm power N the choosing Of an architect tor tn,s
| potifion Il was decided. however. 10 request Mr.
Thomas TO furnish design. and his plan was ap.
Board consisting Of Professor william r. Ware, o;
Cogmoa University; Henry O. MargIanqq ,ba
time VAS saved ana the result regarded as salts;
Jy architects generally.
MORE ROOM MAY BE NEEDED.
In the minds of some OF the officials whose de-
n,rtnnenfs are 10 have space in the Hall OF Records
a question has arisen 10 whether more room
might not wisely be provided by carrying the build
ing one or more stories higher Indeed. 1t has been
thought mat IN tas way 6e cy go2ernmeni in
| particular for the Public Works DepaItmehI ~
does not seem likely. however, ina; such ehahse
." do not believe" said one OF those interested,
...hat ne city should aim TO build a sky-scraper
WIN tne uea o. s5t mere Is nothing to proven.
possible 1ut o, GTi -; vn9tv or twenty-five story
buiding if it wanted to. But the officials seem
Beauty in an affair OF this Kind, and no very tall
building can be beautiful in cry street AS u
is what is practically twelve-siory building Is 70
be erected. and on the size i Is TO Occupy sucn
building be made dignined ana Impressive l ne
Viii stand over against the Tweed Courthouse. on
" cr,slniy an advantage for the architect and for
the city Tie two structures will present an inn
prrJ ,Se, on fbat viii gain a valuable lesson. I
suprose that in time the Tweed Courthouse will be
taken 5a a9"f bu s5ohS or a5er i mpst
Not only VIII the Hal. g: Records front on four
wil have the further advantage that at Centre and
Re9de SITS b there ,o a 5Ee bu ISgn maY be had
from the northeast Near this point Em-st as
%dGne1 e W s5 OF the Hall OF Records viii be prac.
Really a continuation Of old Elm-st.
IT WILL BE REALLY FIREPRooF.
Tho estimated cost Of the building is s2.J0ooo. but
no limit IS set by the law the sum which the
city may expend on IT. Mr. Thomas says that Il
will he absolutely hreproof. on account OF the large
| number Of invaluable records that Will be stored IN
| n lie is unwilling 70 make any prediction 10
Inc date when the contract can he let or as 10 the
| time that Will be required 70 erect the building.
Tho civ mas the right 10 enter on the property
four months after the fling % the oaths OF the
commissioners appointed by the court 10 condemn L..
n is OBVIOUS however that il will take consider.
abe time 20 remove the present buildings, and when
tbe work involved In excavation and in laying the
Foundations for building OF this character is con-
sdered II Is obvious thai the suggestion OF pos
| somewhat visionary.