New-York tribune., 1909-01-18
TO THEEDTTOp
COURTHOUSE SITE
Justice Greenbaum Favors Was5;,.
ton Square for Proposed Buil,s;n.

Issued oy a special committee OF the N., vI
County Lawyers Association requesting -.
card vote Of the lawyers, expressive OF r,.sai s''ai
erenees in the matter Of site sor the 49,. -
new courthouse, between City Hall Ps,, Jgosa
ington Square and Union Square @so-
The action Of this COMMITTEES IL sor,a,-..
tTaordinary, considering that its rnerhs-- "a
lawyers accustomed to deliberate s75~ -. ~
methods of procedure.
In the first place. # would be tdfe n -
preference for the Union Square site -
been twice rejected by the Board Of ES+fr,a. 14s
Apportionment on account OF It's costlinssa ? -
next place, vote as invited Is mearingla., -,
those expected to vote made familiar -,,- -s'A
arguments pro and con affecting the or,sss,- Is y
may be assumed that judges and lawvs-, -,rl =
would quite naturally prefer the CITY var -
site OF ali others. II for other reaso8 th. -
they have become attached 70 it by year, - -
ciation and because Of it's convenience
The question, broadly, Is not vhethsr -.
City Hall Park is preferable to any other T,...
were all, the problem would be speedily 80
The only question is, considering the s1Irror,s,-
limitations Of area and the requirement., -.
courthouse, is the present courthouse sta -
erable to one al Washington Squars2 Tn. a.. :.
1so3 as amended in 1906, expressly limits ,hs -
Of the City Hall Park available for a eour-,.-.s
and it has been generally conceded that n. H.,
thus imposed preclude the erection OF a .t,-,c+
sufficiently commodious and adapted To n. -
The lawyers committee has recognized sha. a.
has suggested that additional legislation Be- invoES
10 remove the limitations OF the existing ae+ A.,
II is doubtful whether such legislation can =. =.
cured.
= The public Is strongly opposed 70 the s1rr.nS.-
Of additional park space, account OF the al-.asv
restricted park at City Hall Park Besadsx =
should be remembered that the act Of 1893 vhsc,
created the courthouse board. restricted tha s.
lection OF a site. south OF the southerly In. a,
Franklin street, and the first official reconrsnsz
ton Of the board site AT Mulberry Bend n
its report the board deplored the fact OF Its r,s
ton to site below Franklin street, REALIZING "a
It did. that the selection OF any other site tsss
that at Mulberry Bend would involvs an snoruou,
expenditure OF money in the acquisition OF Ii,
necessary land. City Hall Park was, by rsrs-a
consent, regarded out OF the question. becaus,
Of its insuf1ciency OF area, and the result vas
that by the unanimous approval OF the COURTEOUS
board, the Board of Estimate and Apporttonrsut
and the justices Of the Supreme Court. new lsxs-
lation was procured removing the Franklin street
limitation, so that the courthouse board might Be
free to consider sites above Franklin street Al
though known opposition TO the legislation had
been manifested. mysterious and hidden In.
fuences checked legislation for two years and Il
was not until 1895 that the desired amendment vas
passed The courthouse project thus delayed
two years.
After the passage Of the amendment Of 1906 ths
courthouse board successfully selected two Erss
on Union Square one between 18th and nth streets
one Of which was rejected by the Board Of Est-
mate and Apportionment. acting within its proper
discre etion for the that these sites ware
garded as too costly.
To seek further legislation now would accomplish
no possible good and would tend 70 rstard the srec-
ton OF a new courthouse But assuming that
the desired legislation could be secured. seems
10 me that the City Hall Park site presents many
insuperable objections The lawyers association
proposes the erection Of building with series Of
wings on both the Chambers street and the City
Hail Park sides. with a corresponding series OF
outer courts the end Of each wing to be utilized
for small rooms, available for rObing. Jury and
other purposes and. incidentally, 70 keep out TIE
noise and hustle OF a busy neighborhnod- The
courtrooms would thus open into outer courts.
with scant opportunity OF ever receiving any direct
sunlight With the windows OF the several court
rooms facing one another. II viii be readily per
ceived that when these windows are open the on
times animated appeals 70 juries OF earnest and
vociferous lawyers IN one courtroom would ssTf-
ously interfere with the orderly conduct Of trial
IN the opposite room. The proposed serratsd and
molster-like structure would doubtless De made
Quately ventilated and would be susgessve OF
commercialism. not betting temple Of justice
AS a work OF architectural beauty. doubt the
Municipal Art Commission would approve Of II
The Washington Square site IS peculiarly Vel
adapted for a courthouse With the added space
TO the existing park. which the law requires. the
building could be placed within the park. anordins
a maximum of light, air and quiet. which are itS
prime and essential requisites. and the situation
would be such as 10 lend itself to dignifed and
effective building IN consonance with tbs purposes
OF q courthouse The atmosphere that should SUI
round a courthouse should be calculated to en-
courage the calm, quiet and deliberate admlnisrra-
ton Of justice and.to impress thoss who enter II
with feeling Of its sanctity. bringing possibly 70
many an otherwise reckless witness q reaiSst'on
of the solemnity OF oath.
Then too. the Washington square site IS ons
which viii enable the courthouse board 70 s1Fs
due regard to the financial conditions OF the c'ty.
Considering the recent Improvements IN trans''.
the rapid growth and development OF the Guy ana
the probable construction OF crosstovn suo"AJS
with stations at Washington Square. and the sx-
listing facilities reaching this site, the ooecn
OF inconvenience is reduced to a negligible quan-
tity. Besides, while convenience TO members Ok
the bar is undoubtedly matter Of Importance ye-
where the inconvenience is not very eonsiceraDls
it is believed that the public spirit and civic prsns
which have long characterized the legal proresSon
will ma anifest itself when the actual condrionS -
understood. by a recognition OF the superior 00
siderations which should influence them IN "a
pressing their preferences for site that Is NOT "
be an abiding place for day, but for geneEauoA'
TO come
The existing courthouse conditions are oeP'1-
able not TO say disgraceful, and It Is to oe nOp9
that no III considered though well meant oppos
ton will thwart the efforts Of the coufIaO
board waich for five years has endeaVereu =
carry out the mandate Of the Legislature tnal
site be provided for a new courthouse We @ -
convenient speed" SAMUEL GREENBAUA
Justice OF the Supreme Court
New York City. Jan Is 1903.