New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-13
NEW CITY HALL PARK.
Plan to Make 1t Centre of Har-
mOniO4s BUILDINGS.

The Committee Civic Centres OF the Municipal
Art Society Of New-York, ]. G. Phelps Stokes,
chairman has made report to the City Improve
ment Commission in reference to City Hall Park
and its surroundings.
The committee urges the necessity Of promp*
action for civic centre for Manhattan at City
Hall Park, so that public buildings which to be
erected in the future will be placed with reference
to existing buildings, and group created that shall
be not only notable for the individual structures.
but for the beauty Of the group.
The term "civc centre has been accepted by
students Of civic Improvement to include the
grouping of public buildings around park or
open space plaza. that to the advantages
of light air is added the length of vision which
enhances architectural beauty, while there also
brought into closer relation those buildings which
through their use by the public. become the centre
of civic life.
The report says in part:
The centre of business activity in the Borough OF
Manhattan is undoubtedly in about City Hall
Park The City Hall, which is the heart of any
sic of ] M IS t6eFe The Mhc Ra
of Records and Courthouse, many of the newspaper
of the city for generations vital part Of the city
at this point there should be some intelligent effort
made so 10 dignity this part Of the city by group
the most Beautiful civic centre in the world
For the space rented by the e.. city Of New5York
amount PAID year is s2a4,707 This is absurd It
VICE. this amount is interest to f buid maRcpa
Offices which would be not only more suited to the
6gny to q the Svo 0u' winch Sh0ua eha
A plate submitted Plate 9 shows a suggestion
Lindenthal. by which municipal offices may be In
g az tRs S p Rta This IS
suggestion of grandeur entirely possible and in
this or other form entirely probable of accomplish
It is. certain that i the, proper treatment were
given to the City Hall Park locality the nucleus
for a civic centre. with future Postofice. Court
house, municipal Offices and kindred buildings so
placed that the streets ead Ing to the park would
each building had the proper setting not only for
sffy tSe o Wat @ S9 w9 em
porarily in stucco at the Chicago fair could here
be achieved in stone and marble, to serve as a con-
tpuous inspiration to other cities.
When a public building is to be erected It should
ever there is an important public building already
in existence which has not adequate approach,
ated if practicable. Public buildings and buildings
of seni-publc character should be grouped to-
of great picture. with distance enough about It to
allow the onlooker TO get the entire effect When
decoration of buildings will follow a natural
quence. both as to external and interior decorative
art
The Municipal Art Society secured during the ad-
ministration of Mayor Low, the right to have a
administration of Mayor Mcclellan the commission
named. This has been long step toward in
of the identifying of the city. The first report of
the City Improvement Commission, which had been
recently issued more than 1Hstfes the formation of
the commission. The interest there displayed by
terment is more than encouraging. In advocating
the formation of civic centres, especially civic
nicpal Art Society, through its committee, wishes
to emphasize this as one of the several but one
of the most important. steps TO be taken for I'M
mediate Improvement
The committee last spring issued a report to show
how civic centre could be created in The Bronx
around the courthouse then planned,