New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-01
THE SHOPPING CENTRES
CREATED IN EIGHT YEARS.
Nesr Retail Centres That Haze
Sprung Up-4dded Realty
Values.

Nowhere else N THE country there larger or
better re,an shopping districts than within the
boundaries OF the greater city and in no other place
has dollar a greater purchasing power than hero
The fame ~ New York's retail shopping districts
rests or foundation created by the best made. the
most iceabe and the most stylish goods to be
had and with honest and courteous dealing as a
cornerstone
Father Knjckerbocker IS sorely vexed az the de-
plorapie conditions in many OF his thicldy populated
tenement house districts and at the inability of cit
gems 10 direct wisely his municipal affairs, but he 10
proud oe his department store sections, and just
~
about eight years ago Father Knickerbocker had
about four sections Manhattan Island and ono
IN BROOKLYN that could be rightfully called big re-
tan shopping zones In Manhattan they were the
18th street. the central Broadway-frorn about sth
TO 80 street.-The Sixth avenue, the 2Sd street and
the I25th street zones. and in Brooklyn the lower
Fulton street area. The Fifth avenue district was
then only a comparatively small centre, and few
real estate experts expected TO see Bath street
great retail shopping thoroughfare. One well known
real estate Spectator who clearly foresaw what
would soon happen IN Fifth avenue, unhesitating-
IL acknowledges he could not look in those days
around the s4th street corner" and see In that
street anything there indicate that IL was veri-
tabls mine OF realty opportunities
IN THE s4TH STREET DISTRICT.
The first big addition 10 the department store
oentre. the creation OF the district at Salh
street and Broadway. II was planned and DUH
SONS time before the tunnel projects We're per-
fscted and made public. and IL therefore preceoeo
and cid not follow the tunnel routes In other
woros the tunnels came TO It Its planning ana
building caused rome anxiety among owners OF
property IN the older store districts, particularly
IN 18th street Some OF those owners and many
real estate brokers who were considered carelnl
students of real traditions thought that l4th
street as a shopping thoroushfare was doomed ana
that Il would quickly disappear 10 make way lor
q wholesale trade centre
No such doubts or fears agitated ths mind OF
Father Knickerbocker. for the growth of the New
Jersey suburban fields and the northerly and east
erly suburban sections Of the greater city were
more than satisfactory 20 him The larger growth
meant better avenues Of transit TO and from the
city and thus more inviting thoroughfares OF egress
from and ingress the older and newer shopping
centres OF the greater city.
ALONG FIFTH AVENUE.
Later followed the transformation Of the Fifth
avenue district into OF the greatest and highest
class shopping centres in the world. The wonder
tul changes in the physical characteristics Of that
district in recent years have redounded 10 the
benefit OF the entire city, increasing the total as
sessed value OF taxable properties by many mill
ions.
Father Knickerbocker chuckled and gazed beam
ingly az his larger taxes. He subsequently saw
the Izth street more firmly intrenched as
retatl shopping district and the REINFORCEMENT OF
at eth street. into OF the highest class and
one OF the most popular of the entire city. Along
Sixth avenue from l4th 10 saith street the pleas
ures OF shopping were increased in many ways,
especially by leading factors in the trade adding
70 their holdings there. and by many up-to-date
little concerns becoming larger.
Each link in the tunnel chains has wtdened and
deepened the foundation which these retail
shopping districts rest The "cick-clang" Of The
iron workers in the tunnels has been like sweet
music 10 the OF Father Knickerbocker and TO
the owners of the splendid retail shopping centres
Of greater New York. Father Knicksroocker fully
realized that each tunnel link brought the charm
ing New Jersey suburban districts nearer 10 old
Kew York regards time spent in travel. They
have been brought nearer by from ten TO twenty
minutes by direct railroad routes into the business
heart Of the city. F1guratively speaking. the big
shopping centres OF old New York have been placed
the very threshold OF Northern New Jersey.
The total expense OF the tunnel work OF the
Hudson & Manhattan Railroad Company viii be
bout S7o000,600 That sum will represent only e
fraction az the greater realty worth OF the dry
goods shopping centres OF ole New York resulting
from the tunnel projects. Truly. New Jersey has
nor benefited 81 the expense Of old New York