New-York tribune., 1908-11-08

The trading in the real estate market Iast "eeN
reflected 2 reawskening Of interest IN tl'e uis
forming what are known as the orldse zohes'
ub5cb are exnected TO be important factors IN the
shaping Of new factory and fiathouse dstrcts + OF
many years the majority Of real estate opeI
rd builders have paid very little attention 10 the
crearion Of newer districts for manufacturers anu
TO- h,ses engaged in the wholesale and retail ousl-
ness outside OF the midtown sections OF Manhattan
Island. The market is therefore confronted win
the problem Of furnishing adequate and modern
,srters 10 the thousands OF manufacturing plants
located within the limits the greater city and
which are in need of more conllodious buildings
for their use.
II snpears from the efforts which have been d.
rected in the last ten years to bring about
the transformation Of the section bounded by l4tn
and s4th streets Fifth and Seventh that 1t
was the aim Of Of the realty leaders to keep
permanently the great factory section IN the centre
Of Manhattan island. or at least in part Of the
city easily accessible from section Of the Ve
boroughs There is doubt that the vast building
projects which have been carried out in that period
north OF l4th and south OF 5zth street have
added millions. regards realty strength 10 the
city and have resulted IN the replacing OF blocks
of old dwelling houses within a short distance Of
2Sd street and Broadway with the best type of loft
buildings and with many modern store and office
structures On both the easterly and the westerly
sides Of this greater loft or factory centre are
Thickly populated tenement house zones, one being
the famous East Side and the other the lower
Eighth avenue district.
MISPLACED FACTORY CENTRES.
But in spite Of the rnasnitude and perfection of
this work The primary object In the creation of
greater loft factory centre in which there
would be larger and better avenues Of employ
for thousands Of skilled and unskilled work
.ng men and women has not been achieved. Were
= not fer the fact that the majority Of manu-
featuring concerns housed in this easily acces-
stble zone Of the city have rapidly expanded in
The last five years. and have found quick mar
kst in nearly every season Of the year for their
products, the realty nner OF this city would un-
6oubtedly have learned long before this that they
Rad failed create from the manufacturers
point Of view hawless greater manufacturing
centre.
The modern loft structure IS much more costly
than the average modern factory building. If
that loft structure is placed on a centrally To-
Gated site such any those which form the big
midtown loft district where values many
times higher than in many other districts OF the
city, and which bordered by thickly populated
tenement house zones, the cost of manufacturing
IS considerably greater than in sections where
sites are less valuable. In other words, the per
rnanent fixed charges which the manufacturers
ere burdened with from year TO year largely in
crease the cost Of production, and 10 do profit
able business the manufacturer is not able 10 pay
high wages for skilled helpers
BIG REALTY PROBLEM
II thought some years ago that the newer
ing the boroughs OF Manhattan and BROOKLYN
WOULD arouse many OF the realty leaders TO find
districts in which manufacturing could be more
economically conducted and where the labor Of
the working man and woman would receive higher
compensation This question Of better nav for
the great army Of skilled and unskiled ernoloYes
who toll in the great midtown zone or in any
other district Of the city is Of the principal
realty problems which must be solved in the near
future with the aid of realty leaders if the con-
dltions under which the laboring masses work
and live are 70 be greatly improved.
The city can get along very well without such
: crowded district as the great East Side There
* plenty Of within the limits Of the greater
city for every family 10 have proper housing and
20 live in not only attractive surroundings but in
ideal homes The realty men are largely TO blame
fer continuation Of the depIorabe conditions on
E the East Side, where four and five thousand per
are housed block, and in some cases
r. The number Of persons living block is
considerably more. And the East Side will remain
IN its present condition, with here there signs
Of slight Improvement it is thought, long as
the principal manufacturing centre of the greater
city occupies the midtown within A
few blocks, as i were Of the great Fifth avenue