New-York tribune., 1907-01-12
NEW COURTHOUSE SITE
UNION SQUARE CHOSEN
Commission Recommends Moue I'm
to5cn to Board of Estimate.

After. delay of three years the Courthouse
Board, appointed to consider and select a site
for a new county courthouse made it's repor,
10 the Board Of Estimate and Apportionment
yesterday and recommended that the building
be erected the site bounded by Fourth ave.
nue and Irving Place and 14th and 18th streets
The board, which filed its report consists Of
William Lanman Bull. chairman; ex-Justice
william \. Cohen, Charles S. Fairchlld. Edward
NJ Grout and David B. Ogden. secretary.
There have been five sites under consideration
by the board. Originally the legislation ap-
pointing the board allowed the board to select
site only below Franklin street. but it was
later amended TO allow the board discretion
There has been great deal of opposition TO an
uptown site as many lawyers feared it might
be necessary to move their offices uptown The
report of the board. however. does not make
the selection q positive fact, as the Board of
Estimate will give a ptblic hearing on the
matter on February l. after which final action
Will be taken.
Mayor Mcclellan would not discuss the selec-
tion yesterday. He said he would wait until
after the public hearing
In the wording of the boards report the site
recommended is described as follows:
All that tract of land, situated In the 18Th
Ward or the City of New York. which is bound
ed and described follows: Westwardlv bv the
easterly line of Fourth avenue or Union Souare
Dortherly by the southerly line of 18th street
eastwardly by the westerly line of Irving place
and southerly by the northerly line of 14th
street and the easterly line of Fourth avenue
or Union Square, including so much of the beds
OF 10th and 10th streets included In the
said boundaries
Report is made of the numerous meetings
which the board has held
The total valuation of the site selected is
given as $S9135O0 The various distributions
in the three blocks are:
The block bounded by Irving Place 14th
street, Union Square and 10Th street-Land,
S3GS5Ooo: buildings. S444 900; total So 529 600
The block bounded by Irving Place 10Th
street ST. e ~ Union Square and 10Th strickland,
$4,000; buildings. S7O5 800: total, S2915.5OO
The block bounded by Irving Place 10th
street. Union Square and 18th street-Land,
sZ03I.oco; buildings. S432,o00; total So 469 600;
grand total, SS,913, 800.
The site is described in detail by the board in
Its report In part it says
The total area is about 2S6OOO square feet.
OF somewhat over six and q half acres. The
entire west side of this plot borders on Union
Square. The natural or most important ap-
seem 10 be almost a foregone conclusion that
the courthouse If placed this side. should
front on Union Square. looking toward Broad
way as the main artery of approach. If this
be done, the axes of 18th and 10th streets about
Ioo feet apart, more or less. suggest the natu-
raj location of wings pavtlions of the build
ing. A larger space can be provided along the
rear or Irving Place front. where the private
entrances for judges and the service entrances
for juries, etc. would be conveniently located.
Continuing, the report says:
The Union Square site is on high ground.
about thirty-eight feet above sea level. and the
underground conditions are such viii pre-
sent no unusual difficulties IN securing a proper
foundation. Its area dncludfng the beds Of
18th and 10th streets) is large enough to per-
init building OF the required size and OF the
best design to be placed upon II, with ample
open spaces all sides to insure quiet and iso-
lation," as is shown by the report of Professor
Hamlin transmitted herewith. II offers a bet
ter opportunity for a monumental building and
appropriate setting than any other site in an
accessible and central locality which has been
brought to the boards attention. The subway
has brought ii into close touch with the lower
part of the city, that from Wall street sta
tiOn one can get TO l4th street almost as quickly
walk to the City Hall from that
point go by public conveyance 10 Null
berry Bend Park.
If the Board Of Estimate should select this
site it would mean the tearing down OF a num-
Der Of landmarks. The best known is the Union
Square Hotel Fourth avenue and 10Th street
The Hotel America. which has also been known
as the Hotel Jefferson, will also go, as well as
Steinways warerooms and factory on 14th
street AT Irving place and 1ith street is the
notorious old Figaro" which BILLY" McGlory
at one time managed. On Irving Place tho
Hotel Westminster would disappear The new
EST building Of importance is the Union Square
eavings Bank, a marble structure at 10th street
and Fourth avenue.
The property in the nelghborhood, II is con-
ceded. would undoubtedly increase tremendous
y in value. Tanmany Hall would be one OF the
largest winners 1t not only owns the hall
proper. but Tony Pastors Theatre as well The
Academy Of Music property would also increase
In value, and the old Everett House would be
able 10 take a new lease Of life, well as the
old Clarendon and the Florence Hotel.
The five sites which the board has had under
consideration have been in widely different parts
Of the city. The Union Square site has been that
most thought OF from the first. Another site
was the block which DIR. Parkhursts new
church and the Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company's building situated. The cost Of
condemnation, however, IL found would be
enormous third site, which the board at
time thought of deciding on. Mulberry
Bend. The neighborhood and out OF the way
situation against II. A fourth site allowed
Tor property facing on Washington Square. The
fte which downtown lawyers have most favored.
however was that in the two blocks north of
Chambers street. II argued that it was
central and more easily accessible than any
other
The recommenda tion for the site resulted in
the sale Of three parcels facing the proposed
realty operators. Daniel B. Freedman bought No
i5 Irving Place, a four story building a lot
foezs0 feet; Potter & Bro No. 1I5 East 18th St.
three story dwelling house lot 25x92 feet, and
the Rips Bay Realty Company the building
plot 2Sxii5 feet at the northeast corner Of Union
Square and 18th st