New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-07-02
FOR A BRIDGE TERMINAL.

The account Of Commissioner LindenthaPs
bridge terminal plans which published
two or three weeks ago seems to have been
highly imaginative effort His actual scheme,
presented to the Board Of Estimate yesterday,
exhibits some features which were pretty ac-
curately guessed at in that forecast but there
is nothing fantastic about it, as far as his de-
scription shows. The problem which he has
endeavored to solve is extremely complicated.
A colossal traffic, employing many diverse lines
OF communication above, below and at the
street level, must be taken care of and provision
made for its indefinite expansion hereafter
Whether or not Mr.. Lindenthal has succeeded
is a question for experts to determine after
careful study of his design but he has had COM
petent professional assistance, and his explana-
ton of the comprehensive project now submit
ted 10 public criticism is likely to produce, in
the main, a favorable impression.
II represented that the Commissioner
had in mind a terminal station rising to an i'm
mense height, and, owing to its shape. Of sur
passing ugliness. But the proposed structure
he describes it is to be about as high as
the new Hall of Records, and INTELLECTUALLY
harmonious with that fine building, though it
includes a campanile which. if it should be
finished in accordance with the PLAN would
have indeed a cloud capped summit. The
ground space TO be covered is large there
would be a great amount of office room in the
upper stOries and it is estimated that the rents
which the transportation companies would be
willing to pay together with the saving of
rents now paid by the city for quarters in
which to transact municipal business, would
make the investment a good one. The Mayor
and the Controller have asserted the financial
soundness of a new municipal building plan.
and We see no reason TO doubt that their conclu-
sion would apply 10 this particular proposal.
Not the least interesting part of Mr.. Linden
that's report is that which relates to a posi-
bic development not directly connected with
the present problem. Referring TO Mr.. Post
and Mr. Hornbostel, the architects with whom
he has advised, the Commissioner says:
In their professional judgment it appeared
wise to go a step further, and to conceive the
architecture OF the bridge station not only in
relation to the new Hall of Records, but to a
group of public buildings for which the city's
need is daily growing more urgent. and which
the public sentiment as well as artistic opinion
seems TO have located along the northern side
of Chambers-st., facing City Hall Park, and
extending from Broadway to Centre-st.
The grandeur of the idea is shown in one of
the plans herewith submitted to you: The bridge
station, with the Campanile a department
Office building on the right: the Hall of Records
at one end; the Courthouse at the other;
the new Municipal Building in the centre be
tween them, and the venerable City Hall
in the centre of City Hall Park, from which
every other building is removed. The whole
forms a scheme of architectural magnihcence
rivalling the famous Place de la Concorde in
Paris the Trafalgar Square in London the
Schloss PIatz in Berlin. or the Rathhaus Platz
in Vienna-and has more than twice the of
any Of them.
That is indeed a fine conception. which is
capable Of being realized whenever the city
shall have the will and the money. 1t is many
years since The Tribune first expressed the
opinion that New-York must eventually occupy
the Chambers-st property for municipal pur-
poses, and consequently that it ought to be
acquired without unnecessary delay We think
there is good warrant for saying that general
sentiment is inclining more and more to that
view. and we welcome an official utterance
which brings before the public mind a vision
Of noble buildings on that site and the City
Hall standing alone in the park.