The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-23
BEAUTY!
ELEGANCE |!
CHARACTERIZE THE DEVELOPMENT OF
UPPER WEST SlDE."
A Section OF the city Surprising in Natural Beauty Any Section in the World,
Which is Being Improved by Elegant n Palatal Homes,
and Rapidly Being Filled with Refined, Broadly
Educated and Wealthy People.

In the past year probably no one section OF the
city Of New York has undergone 80 complete a
metamorphosis as the upper west side. One doesn't
have 10 be so very old TO recall that now.crowded
section along Eighth avenue known AZ Central
Park West as q series of open lots wherein tho
youth of the vicinity wero wont to nmuse them
selves at baseball and other outdoor sports. Tho
change in less than . generation is too we'll known
to New Workers to need any comment here. but 1t
will servo ss . parallel by which to measure the
future ofthe westside a little north Of this rendezvous
of fashionable apartment houses and private dwell.
ings.
It is not hard to determine the future Of the upper
"west Side The progress Of the last two years is
sufficient indication " what the marvellous growth
Of the near future will be, 'Tis facts that show. and
the steady increase OF the building OF such mag.
niacent dwellings makes the most uncertain and
cautious one positive in his calculations a. to the
growth and development of the section.
As has already been stated In this Newspaper. the
upper west side. that section of the borough of Man.
haitian from Seventy-second street to Grants Tomb
and from Broadway to Riverside Drive. Is surely
destined to become the fashionable residence sec
ton Of New York city.
The lower parts OF New York city. those de-
voted to business as we'll as to dwelling houses,
are crowded-crowded more than nature ever
meant they should be. The air space is rapidly be-
coming as valuable as the ground. 1t is iney-
table that such compression should sooner or
later cause q break. It began with u leak, but the
aperture has widened, and almost as fast as private
residences and comfortable. roomy and at the same
time aristocratic apartment houses can be erected on
the upper west side they are being taken up by
those who, already sickencd by days and nights in
the bad air OF the congested streets further down
town, have made their way north to a locality where
elbow room Ia not ut q premium, where fresh air is
free to all. and where, in the Hudson and the Pail
sades, there is daily unfolded to their view n picture
OF languid grandeur. such as no artist. living or
dead. has ever produced on his canvas for the eyes
OF the world to feast upon.
or the mon who have foreseen the future Of the
upper west aide. who have used their brains and
their money in preparing it for the work they have
known it must ultimately do. we shall have some
thing to say later on. Just now it is Of tho utmost
importance to mention an occurrence Of the past
month. which has so direct q bearing on the future of
the section mentioned that it promises TO do for it
in q year what nature and all the congestion OF the
lower part Of the city would not do in FIVE. We
refer. Of course. to the proposition of the Metro
politan Street Railway Company to build the much
talked-of tunnel and to operate a railway therein.
which will give to New York the system of rapid
transit which 1t has so long needed.
This proposition is. in the minds of New Workers.
the first bona hde one ever made to the Rapid Transit
Commission. 1t snacks of business, and there SCI ms
little doubt but what we will soon see ground broken
and q rapid of a work which New
Workers have dreamed of for many a weary year, but
had almost given up hope of ever seeing accom-.
plished. That rapid transit is an assured thing for
New York city even the most ~skeptical now believe.
And what does this mean for the upper west side ?
An examination of the plans submitted by the
Metropolitan Company will show an arrangement