New-York tribune., 1903-04-28
OPPOSES MAYOR'S PLAN.
Municipal art Society Against
Centre-st. Land Purchase.

Several questions OF civic Importance were dis
c1,sscd last night at the annual meeting OF the
Municipal Art Society OF New orK, "nlch l, was
held in the rooms Of the National Arts CLUB. at
No 81 West Thirty-fourth-st. John De Witt War
ner. the president of the society. presided.
Much opposition was manifested to the PROPOSE
ton advanced by Mayor Low to have the city ac-
ouire the property bounded by North William-st.
P.rlr Row Chambers-st and Centre-st., for site
for a new City Hall. The question came before b1e
society in the form of report rendered by sqe-
cial committed which had sent letter on the
subject to the Board OF Estimate and Apporuoh-
ment In part the report says:
The arguments advanced by the, Mayor Tor act
o,Iring the site adjacent the bridge. ana aSlsC
acquiring the site Chambers-st, adjacent TO tne
convenience of access Of the bridge site second d.
The co-opera OF fRe S,rdb much greater
pense attending the acquisition and deVeiophen'
In T renIv to the argument of convenience the Com
mission urges that Broadway offices are conslds
the bridge and rent for more A building erected TED
the bridge you'd not d be tbosb so it might be
for those from the East Side
Regarding the Mayors argument that the rail-
roads would cooperate and would be Wiling 10
pay reasonable rental, the Commission says;
The land in question is undeniably necessary for
a union terminal station. The railroads must nav @
the of it. If the city Is able TO Duy Ia it anu anu
rent It to them on n pie sbod be accom-
plished; if however. the city, by so DOING snouid
disability from acquiring the most advantageous
site for needed municipal buildings, tneh IIle
permanent good of the community would be sup
verted to the temporary convenience OF the ran-
roads-for the railroads can buy ror tnelr own
count, the New-York' Central and fehnSSl"d4i
have already done. ,,.
Regarding the comparative expense IN Ihe hS cFoSe
of sites the Mayor estimated that the Cnarn5eS 09
site would cost from $8WOpVO 10 3 Slo,vV9'Vov w
Your committee believed that the value pIaceq on
this land is far beyond what the CITY "Uuiu onie9
by buildings most of which, though not new are IN
good order, and which are at present qSeo use c Py
government makes it peculiarly advantageous Ior
the city to take it over. . 20
not all of the city departments could be located
here with great advantage to the city IN T eGIory ny
he necessary for the city to incur any immediate
outlay for the construction of new buildings Ulu-
matey, City Hall Park would De cleared OF % %0o-
structine structures. and in the mean time Jhe
much needed room would be made avaliap4e lor
the occupancy of the various departments ,,
The location of the courts over the hurly-purly
terminal station also seems out Qf the cues que51
ton, detracting from the dignity Wh!cn snouIu
hedge them. If a new courthouse must be bult,
why locate it where the business OF the courts
It would seem hardly necessary to emphasize the
advsabty OF planning the cItys lnPorIdn % i nTm tbe
one civic building in which New-York can take
artistic prde-therefore the suggestion or pu1ia-
ings TO the north and in axis with the City Hail IS
distinctly be preferred to any location 10 one
We do not believe that our plan in any way an
+aronzes the admiral BILE plan of the Mayor for ia
cilitating travel at the bridge entrance ProVlqhs
the erection of municipal buildings both sides
city may reasonably be expected TO take over ootn
sites. If however. the hnanclal conoiuon Oh tne Inc
the street railroads do the trunk lines nave al
ready done-purchase for themselves the lapa Ia6g
need, and by so doing leave the city Hee 10 pro'lue
the best site for its capitol
Several other reports were rendered by commit
tees after which supper was served in the grill
room of the club.