New-York tribune., 1908-04-01
THE COURTHOUSE SITE.


In its latest report the board appointed 10
select a site for a new county courthouse re-
affirms its earlier judgmeu that L mon square
is on the whole the most desirable neighborhood
in which to build. The plot formerly chosen %!
the board lay the east side of the square ana
embraced the three blocks bounded 10y Fourth
avenue 1Ith street. Irving Place and lith street
Rut the BOARD Of Estimate aud Apportionment
rejected the first report, made i'll 1903, ana also
the modified alternative report. offered in l9o5'
on the ground that the plans were too ambitious
and that the county could not afford TO spend
the SlSOo0Gp0 TO S20oo0o0 required 10 carry
out the boards recommendations. 1t is now pro
pcsed to cut down the space 10 lac used and 10
take only the two blocks bounded by fourth
avenue, 10Th street. Irving Place and 1'th street
aud TO take also for an approach the small angie
.,n the west side of the block between l4th and
18th streets, caused by tlac curyiDg of fourth
avenue north of 14tb street
4 new county courthouse is badly needed ana
il is not good policy for the city To postpone
building since real estate prices IN lower Mah-
>hattaR are steadily rising. If the city author
itirs had had the foresight to acquire the Stew
art Building in Chambers street. len years as0
and to condemn other property on the northern
side of City Hall Park al ample site for new
courthouse could have been obtained at mod
craze COST. tlir t1dil - tbt
centre of New York and so far as the transac
tion Of official and legal business is concerned
it is the NEST accessible and convenient site
both for the courts and for the citys offices.
The Tribune has always maintained that Cham
bers street offered the most desirable site for
new courthouse and that the part of the block
west of the Hall of Records SHOULD have been
acquired for courthouse purposes 1t appears
however that the board desires larger area
than is now available in Chambers street, and is
convinced that Il plot further up town must De
chosen.
If this judgment is sound. Union Square is
undoubtedly the best second choice. The great
ma jority of the lawyers of the city have offices
between Canal street and the Battery. If they
must go uptown 10 appear in court they will
find it easiest to go TO Union Square, since the
present subway the Third avenue and Fourth
avenue surface the Third avenue elevated and
the Broadway surface lines all reach the Union
Square district. and the time lost in transit
would be inconsiderable The board in previous
report suggested Washington Square as an alter
native site. But Washington Square is off the
most used routes of travel and is relatively is0-
lated and inaccessible A courthouse there
would he more or less maroOned, while i'll Union
Square it would be on the most travelled line OF
communication north and south, and could be
made q signal addition not only TO the cityS
conveniences but also 10 it; architectural adorn-
mentS WheD the next subway is built. running
up the East Side il. TOO, will tap Union Square,
that from the point of view Of transportation
facilities the section between 14th and 18th
streets, Broadway and Irving Place, will con-
tinue 10 gain in accessibility. We are there
fore disposed TO commend the choice Of the
board as a fairly satisfactory solution Of the
courthouse site problem.