New-York tribune., 1907-11-22
Az orTHoUsE FOR THE CIVIC CENTRE

An OTTHOUSE FOR THE CIVIC CENTRE
The proposition 10 erect shack or outhouse
in the City Hall Park is meeting with mer-
tied support. The Board OF Aldermen. which
always shows a truly conservative spirit win
respect 10 the city's architectural beauty AMI
unity looks with great favor upon the idea,
those members whose knowledge of artistic
things is universally admitted being leaders in
the movement, while the low brows" in the
board. who make pretence rather to con
nOiSSeurShiD Of Highba lis than of architecture
properly content themselves with following the
sure judgment of their more cultured fellows
The project is now before the Mayor for his
approval. and we trust that he will not be mis-
led into blocking this great artistic opportunity
by the opposition to it that is sure to develop
If the aldermen were going to set the Parthenon
down in what the East Side calls Sewer Park
some iaundiced persons would arise and oh
ject to the building and TO the site. Among the
cantankerouS people of this town who set up
as opponents of culture there are some WHO
actually prefer the City Hall Park in its pres
ent state of largely unimproved land to Il civi"
centre every foot front of which would he Or-
cupied by a building. To the Pericles of the
Board of Aldermen ana his associates who are
for making this city the dream of the future
our advice is to pay no attention to these mai
contents, who 90 ON the principle that resist
ance to public improvements is proof positive
of their artistic superiority.
OF course. we do not agree with the plan in
every particular. for is there not as the chair
man of the aldermaniC Committee on Culture
said, a Latin proverh permitting dispute in
matters of taste? What slight criticism we
have to offer is made in a most amiable spirit
and if the adoption of any of our suggestions
would in any way mperil the project of adding
an clubhouse to the architectural features of the
City Hall Park pray that it may he il
nored. We would cheerfully waive any and all
criticism rather than the whole design fall
In the first place then II seems to us that tie
Board of Aldermen is making Il serious mistake
in designing this clubhouse for the stabling Of
the judiciary rs n temporary" structure. BY
all means make it permanent If. as is planned
the clubhouse should he taken down at the end
of a generation. or perhaps two generations, ouc
children or our children's children would be-
robbed of the contemplation of Il masterpiece
and the artistic and architectural ensemble Oc
City Hall Park would be ruined for succeeding
ages Then again il seems to us that mistake
is being made in placing this masterpiece oh
securely upon Chambers street. II is a truism
that the site makes the building. Why not.
then. erect this building in the centre of the
park between the Postotiicc ana the City Hail
and fronting toward the latter. where il would
be- the first thing TO greet and cheer the eye
of the stranger arriving in this city from
Brooklyn, and would enable him at glance {"
compare the efforts of the city in its humble
but aspiring youth with the triumph Of its later
splendid and resourccful maturity These
two things seem TO MS the main faults of the
boards plan, but as we have said, we bad
rather that our tongue should cleave TO the
roof of our mouth than that any criticism
of ours should endanger this project 50 worthy
of the city ana OF the Board of Aldermen. The
intention Of the city fathers TO concentrate oui
public buildings upon this square is admirable
What We need above all else is civic centre"
and what is Il civic centre without an outhouSc?