New-York tribune., 1909-03-17
OPPOSE PARK BILL.
Er-Mayor Lo7o and Others against
an Academu ON arsenal SITE.

Ex-Mayor Seth Low expressed regret yesterday
when told of the passage in the Senate OF the Dill
permitting the erection of a building Tor the Ma
tional Academy of Design on the site OF the olo
Arsenal in Central Park. He said he resented the
encroachment on the park. and feared for the re-
suit If such a precedent we're established
II hope" said Mr. Low, that the bill will be
beaten in the Assembly. 1 opposed TO the erec-
ton of such building. for have one building
In the park already devoted TO art, and 1 think
that is enough. There is no telling what would
follow the erection Of such a building as tle
academy wants. and the replacement OF the Arsenal
by a more slightly building does not seem TO me 10
afford compensaton-R
Calvin Tomkns is another man who does not
favor the erection of such building He thinks
there is a opportunity for some one 10 come
forward and put the academy on a substantial
financial footing, and that an arrangement with the
city for the site in Central Park would work
against such a benefactiOn.
Charles n Lowrie. treasurer Of the American So
cietv of Landscape Architects. opposes the plan,
chiefly because he feels wholly at variance
with the ideas Of the originators of the plans for
Central Park We cannot be certain he said
that the National Academy would be satisfied IN
the long run with the ground it now asks for 1t
might want a larger site its needs develop
Several members of the academy are opposed to
the Central Park site. although they are reticent
to the extent of Withholding their names
The academy" said one OF these men last night
has a better site on Cathedral Heights, opposite
the new cathedral. That location is more eccesst-
Bile than the proposed in Central Park The
academy owns the land and would not have TO
share its quarters with the animals IN the Zoo and
the park police Animals and policemen are all
right in themselves, but neighbors for an insti-
tuition devoted TO art. they seem TO me a little
weird.
Central Park is splendid as it stands and moth
ing the academy could would erect would add
one jot to it's beauty. Let US leave the natural
beauties of the park as they stand, and not seek
TO add 10 them, and. in doing. open the way to
further invasion of the really fine spot IN the
city
At a meeting Of the American Society OF Land
scape Architects held last night at the Hotel Man
haitian Frederick Law Olmstead, president pre-
siding a resolution adopted protesting against
the bill allowing the proposed new building for the
American Academy of Design TO be placed IN Cen
traI Park The resolution said:
That the American Society OF Landscape Archl-
tects record and publicly express the e1phauc pro-
test of the profession throughout the country against
the current proposal divert portion or the park
T,,sr i'm order TO save the market price OF a build
ing lot for the Academy of Design
Henry w Hubbard. of Boston. and C N Lowrle
and Charles w Leavitt, jr.. of this city were ap-
pointed a committee to appear for the society De-
fore Governor Hughes Mayor Mcclellan and the
various state and municipal committees before
which this matter viii come