The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30
TENANTS FIGHTING.
COMPLAIN or INCREASES IN .5TH
F'ENUE GROUND RENTS.
College Proposes 20 Jump the Rents From
100 TO 400 Per Cent. a Year sage
and ID. d. Mills Among Those Affected
Property Originally a state GIFT.

Property Originally a state GIFT.
A dispute that is not far from acrimonious
+ now going on bet Seen the trustees OF
Columbia College and the lessees of some
Of the most valuable residential realty
in the city of New York over an advance
20 be made by Columbia in the price that
has been charged for ground rent during
'he last two decades. The property is all
in the vicinity of the homes of the Wander
bits and other very rich families. Among
those who have residences on the ground
involved are Mrs. Russell Sage and ID. D.
Mills.
The old leases being about to expire,
the college demands a rental Of about 81
per cent. on the market value OF the prop
erty, a jump of anywhere from 100 TO 300
or 900 per cent. IL il said that in the dis
position Of the great wealth which her
husband left her Mrs. Sage had Columbia
in mind as a worthy institution to be re-
membered. Now il is declared that Mrs.
Sage does not think 40 we'll Of the institution.
Although Mr.. Mills personally would
got discuss the situation, il is known that
he has told the Columbia trustees that no
will not sign a new lease next May, when
the old one expires, if they persist in their
demand for higher rent. It was related
yesterday that Mr.. Mills holds some OF the
obligations of Columbia in the shape Of
bonds and that his returns amount to but
8 per cent. on the investment. For this
reason he cannot quite see why Columbia
should demand for ground rent alone 81
per cent. on the full market value Of the
realty in addition to the payment Of all
taxes, insurance and the like by the les
Gees.
When the dispute over the increase In
ground rent reached a crisis some time
ego the lessees formed an association and
demanded arbitration under the terms Of
their leases. The appraisement Of the
property On which the new rentals were to
be charged was made on behalf Of the
college by Douglas Robinson and H. s.
Ely, realty experts. The ground embraced
almost two solid blocks extending along
Fifth avenue from Forty-ninth to Fifty
first street. taking in all the lots in the
rear except those which faced on Sixth
avenue.
The ground rent under the old leases
amounted to 500 600 a year, but under
the new leases it was proposed TO fix 1t
at about $576, 1000, an average advance
of nearly 800 per cent. The l~easeholders
tAlnAV n ~ Ob6 PACNCSe NM hhS ~
was the result. Michael Coleman, formerly
a member Of the Board Of Taxes and ASSESS
ment, was chosen by Columbia and Henry
Lewis Morris by the l~easeholders. should
they fail to agree each of them is empowered
to select two residents Of the ~neighbor-
hood who know the situation, and from
these four names one is to be chosen by
ballot. II it becomes necessary to add a
Abirl Daapnhar to tho hoard fhn xyNfoa ~
any two will be ANAL. Thus far but one
eidered by the arbitrators and no decision
has been reached upon it.
The value of all the ground involved
te now estimated by the experts for the
college at sI5,27o, 200. The ~lesseee, while
should be allowed to share in any profits
that may arise from improving the land.
es without the improvements the lots would
bring in no revenue at all.
They also declare that they would ave
90 objection to Columbia's getting 3H per
cent. on the value OF the and if the college
WAS willing to sell, but this the Columbia
trustees will not consent to do. They also
point to a clause in their lease which says
that a reasonable" ground rent Is to be
Charged without any reference TO the actual
market value of the and.
This property came to Columbia by grant
from the State in the early years OF the nine
teenth century. Although then a wilder
ness it was called by courtesy. Botanic
Park, and Columbia was obligated toTmove
the college from downtown to the new site
within twelve years. 1t was also stipu-
lated that the college should deliver II re-
uuired at least one healthy exotic flower,
hhrub or plant of each kind (Which it raised)
pf which they shall nave more than one at
the time of application to any college IN
the State applying for them. The college
Rfterward had an act passed by the Legis-
Nature removing these restrictions.
The FIRST lease was granted to Randolph
Hurry, an architect, for the purpose Of
Inducing him to build there, He paid
almost no rent. Then other leases were
made to those who would improve. The
tlrst leases expired nearly twenty-one years
hgo, and there was a fight then over the adj
Eances which the college wanted TO make.
Many who now occupy the property are
either the original leaseholders or their
descendants. AT that time the charge was
8 per cent. on the valuation of the ground,
but it was changed in the leases to "a reason
able charge.
The college also owned the block along
Fifth avenue between Forty-seventh and
Forty-eighth streets, but sold IL to tho
Dutch Reformed Church, which improved
the corner of Forty-eighth street and dis
posed of the rest Of the plot. The college
Undertook to prevent the sale, asserting
thar il had been sold in its entirety for
church purposes only. There was no pro-
Vision in the decd, however, TO prevent
the sale and the courts upheld It. Ogden
Goelet now owns the house at Forty-ninth
street and Fifth avenue.
John Kane, a brother of Delaney Kane,
leased a few years ago the property at the
Northwest corner OF F%orty-ninth street
md Fifth avenue from the college. The
property had seventy feet front on Fifth
avenue. He built on foTty-seven feet Of
II and tried 10 dispose of the remainder,
but could not do so. it is reported, because
the ground rent was so high. He paid SIS, 500
a wear, and the proportion Of this rent which
would fall upon the land not covered by his
house would he about 81 500 a year. In order
10 sublea So it, il is said, he had to pay a part
NJ the ground rent for the extra twenty
three feet Of property.
The Ziegler estate owns the house at the
southwest corner of Fiftieth street, and a
lo' Of money has been spent on the prop
ertv. Those who are fighting the increases
~ rent saw that the executors Of the estate
have been trying to dispose OF the lease
Ind house for n year without success, be-
ra,se the ground rent ia so high. About
two years ago Il. Altman bought the lease
md the house ~ the northwest corner OF
fiftieth street from the Gurnee estate, the
9. I'll Aainv atDE 900 Tho nrOInH