The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-11
THE POSTOFFICE SITE.
Speculation in Event the Indianapolis
Bill Passes.

In the event the bill for a new federal
building passes, carrying with it an appro-
priation of 81, 100000, there is speculation as
to where the new postoffice might be To-
Gated. Postmaster Hess says that the only
site for new federal building he has heard
discussed, beside the present location, is
the block bounded by Meridian and Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio and New York streets, just
below University Park. Mr., Hess says that
real estate men have estimated the present
quarter block belonging to the government,
bounded by Market and Pennsylvania
streets and the east-and-west alleys, could
be sold for 100000. This amount with per-
haps $4,000 added, would be sufficient, in
the opinion of real estate men, to purchase
the entire block named above, portions of
which are now occupied by the Plymouth
Church, First Presbyterian Church, the
Hutchins block and schoolhouse No 8. Mr..
Hess thinks that this would be desirable
site. The building could be located in the
center and the grounds about it constructed
into park to conform to University Park,
which would lie just north of the postoffice
building. The bill provides for the pur-
chase of sufficient ground, in case the pres
ent site is retained, to give the government
all the half block between Market street
and the alley south of ii, from Pennsylvania
to Delaware street. Under the provisions
of the act, the building must be protected
from fire by streets at least thirty feet wide
This would require part of the ground now
owned by the government to be added to
the alleys on the east and south if the pres
ent site is retained. AS real estate at this
point is so valuable there would be consider
able waste of ground.
There are many Inconvenience at the
present location. In the summer time,
when 1t is necessary to keep the windows
open. the courts are annoyed by the noise
of the street traffic. as are the officials in
the postoffice. On the Ohio-street site this
would be obViated, as the building would be
remote from the streets sufficiently to be
away from the noise. A more imposing
structure could be erected. facing Univer-
sity square, on the whole block than In the
present place, where 1t might be necessary
to build q sky scraper on account of the
more circumscribed territory. AS Mr. Hess
says, he, of course, has nothing TO say about
the location of the new building, as the law
itself provides propositions for sites snail
be made to the government. The post
master says that he has no idea or the
proportions of a building that might be
made within the appropriation named
b1t meet W 6ead Of Pe the feders
courts, pension office custom house, etc,
for a century. Mr.. Hess said that he did
the Pennsylvania and Ohio-street land, nor
what price they would ask for it, but the
government has authority to condemn and
take any land it may desire for public pur-
poses. 1t is supposed that there would be
some opposition to the taking of this prop
erty, especially from the churches The
First Presbyterian Church is a stately
structure, about which a good many pleas
ing recollections cluster in the minds of the
members. Real estate men say that the
trend of business building is to the north,
and that it is only a question of time until
the portion of town up to and beyond Uni
versity Park will be built up. a condition
that the location of the postoffice in that vi
entity would hasten, at the same time en-
HANGING real estate near by.