New-York tribune., 1903-04-26
TO IMPROVE EAST SIDE.
Public Fairgrounds and Widening
of 4Len-St. Strongly Urged.

Civic centres, more fairgrounds. the widening OF
AIen-st. these are the watchwords of the people
Of the East Side to-day united as they are in the
first comprehensive and combined effort for the bet
terueni of that part Of the city which is known
the Ghetto. Social reforrners prominent residents
and local organizations have all Joined in an ef-
fort provide cumulative and scientific scheme
for the gradual improvement of the most congested
and densely populated quarter not merely of the
city. but OF the worldfor there are regions In that
mart of the city which shelter more people than
any other district Of equal size in any great city
For years the public spirited workers and residents
Of the East Side have been striving to provide
breathing places and beauty spots In this wilder
ness Of tenements. They have seen year by wear
thousands, millions Of dollars expended in public
buildings. schools. fire stations and baths by the
CITY an6 they have seen these buildings, many of
them handsome structures, buried in a mass of
feue1uents without adding slightest TO gem
eral effect Of the streets.
Realizing this loss Of architectural effect the
residents Of the East Side have at last brought
forward a definite scheme of civic centres. This
scheme is simple; whenever buildings to
be erected they propose that they shall be grouped
q library. q school. a playground and public
hath scattered in a mass Of tenement houses give
10 esthetic effect: the same buildings placed il one
block would make pleasing and beautiful square
in the midst Of the tenement house world. Place
these same buildings that they face a public
park such as Seward Park. and a complete effect
such as the Partisan world insists at every
square secured. This is the keynote of the civic
centre i6ea. There is no agitation for immedi-
ATE Transformation of the East Side and ex-
pensive campaign OF building. The idea is SIMPLY
that when new buildings to be built the civic
centre idea should prevail.
To take q specific Illustration of q civic centre,
the proposition urged by Robert Hunter is for
centre in the block bounded by Edridge, Rivington
Allen and Delaney sts. In this block the Univer-
sity Settlement now owns three lots. 1t is pro-
posed TO put Carnegie Library on the corner Of
Allen and Rivington sts-. adjoining the Settlement
Public School No. %. Of the newest and finest
schools on the East Side now faces this block. In
the centre Of this block It is proposed to build
public bath. and the Of the space will be given
over for playground for hundreds Of children
who swarm the school. the Settlement Kinder
sarten and the College Settlement in Rivington-
st. block east. These children have at present
no nearer playground than Seward Park. many
blocks distant. and are condemned TO the streets
for playing. In this it is seen that no less
than five public buildings two OF them already
built viii be grouped and a breathing space in
the heart Of the densely populated district in
the world Is assured
CIVIC CENTRE SCHEME.
Here is what J. G. Phelps Stokes, always a friend
and now resident OF the East Side. recently
wrote concerning the civic centre scheme:
At the present time persons in municpai positions
Of authority are aGNo sang ne sfls S -
creation upon the lower East Slde OF new scL3G-
house (to be the largest in the cty) two new pupnc
for pubIic meetings and concerts, new court
house and four new small parks or Fairgrounds
ne latter 10 be equipped with outdoor gymnasium
apparatus Shall these much needed imp oVeTne nts
b. Scattered helter szelter thrOug hOut the district
or shall they be placed in groups that each ele-
rneut shall reinforce the usefulness and beauty OF
aro+ber2 Obviously. il is desirable, for instance,
from standpoint Of mere utility that the play
grounds should be near the schools. and that the
v libraries should be easily accessible to students
and pupils. Why not place pubic baths also near
ar hand and add them large and well equipped
public gyrnnasia2 And why not group the build
fres that naturally related IN iuncIlon
TO one another around open park spaces-hoWexer
srnal-where grass and flowers can pe sultapIy
rT-7oferted and enjoyed. and where benches can De
provided and where on frequent summer evenings
outdoor music can be en1OyeoE
In 2 recent letter TO Mayor Low, Robert Hunter