New-York tribune., 1907-03-03
VEST STREET IlIPROVES.
NesC Tscenty-fOur Story Skyscraper
Leads March of Progress.

The completion of The West Street Building.
which fronts the North River. occupying the
block between Cedar and Albany streets. brings
to mind the projected Improvements to prop
erty. both private and municipal along the North
River front from 23d street TO the Battery.
This building is twenty-four stories high. 1t is
built Of hreproof material over a steel framework
and rises in strongly marked vertical lines. which
terminate In ornate cornice. Gothic In its gen
eral conception, but full OF detail and color Above
this the roof rises steeply. The corners Of the
building are emphasized by low projecting bays or
"toureles" which extend far above the cOrnice
and end in lacelike ornament. This building,
standing as II does the waterfront, be
viewed and criticised 10 better advantage than
most Of the city's other tall buildings because Of
it's conspicuous position.
The lower stories OF the building OF granite.
simply treated in line with the established Gus
tom. but the main lines Of the lower portion OF
the facade are accented with inlays Of colored
marbles. The Ornamentation Of this portion OF
the building modelled In clay. under the per-
sonal direction OF the architect, Cass Gilbert, as
was also that of the terra Gotta work above
The main shaft Of the building is simple, story
after story repeating itself. Near the top the
and orDsmented with color and with modelled de-
tail In some parts this ornament Is glazed and
in others dull, the color scheme involving dull
blues soft reds. golden yellows and vivid green's
This building has uninterrupted light for its
twenty-four stories i is owned by The 3, west
Howard Carroll is president,
raised that water may not interfere with the slot
trolley line which IS 70 take the place OF the present
horsecar line But Mayor Mcclellan is said to have
still greater plans In mind for completing the
work begun by his father by having constructed
a sea wall thirty to fifty feet from the shore
OF the Hudson, hanling deep water, with its base
anywhere from thirty 10 seventy feet below the
surface and stretching from the Battery as far
north the eO-called Gansevoort district, OK
which 23d street IS approximately the boundary.
When John I. Hoffman was Mayor OF New York
General Mcclellan able 10 accept Invitation
plan and then TO build wall extending north
erly from Pier !. General McClellan's plan
accepted by the city. Under his eye the founda-
ton for the first wall laid at Pier and
internationally constructed far north as Cort-
landt street. and from Cortlandt street
broken wall to 23d street.
A seuni-authoritatiVe announcement has been
made that the city has entered into agreement
with the Pennsylvania Railroad management so
that speedily wall will be constructed on the
Hudson River near the shore, directly in front OF
extend the broad avenue now sweeping from 23d
COrtlandt street along the river front go
feet in width It is expected that within the year
the sea wall will have been built where now there
are several intermittent breaks.
The by which rapid transit IS to be OBJ
and the Battery by way OF West street has not yet
been determined. The Rapid Transit Commission
has indicated that II favors the construction OF an
elevated railroad along West street starting at
3Oth street and connecting there with road, partly
sunken partly the surface and partly elevated,
10 Spuyten Duyvil Creek But this plan has been
objected to by a number of residents and property
there shall be a subway south from 3Oth street TO
eha Rat