New-York tribune., 1909-11-05
SLOANES TO BUILD
Carpet Company Gets Half
WiRdsOr Arcade Site.

A new home for the big carpet firm OF
W. & J. Sloane is to be built on the north
eriy half of the Windsor Arcade site. The
Arcade occupies the entire block front on
the east side Of Fifth avenue from 4sth to
9Th streets. fronting 2OO10 feet in the ave-
nue. and $50 feet in each street
The proposed Sloane building will there
fore stand on plot 10o.5 by 2so feet, par
oei large enough to permit Of the erection
OF a structure of many stories. No details
regarding the plans Of the new building
were made public yesterday. but many
Fifth avenue brokers expressed an opinion
that the structure would be at least eight
stories. II will be exclusively occupied by
W. & J. Sloane. and the firm will therefore
have larger site in the Fifth avenue dis
trict north of i2d street than any other
business house there. IL leased the site
yesterday for long term of years through
the Cruikshank Company from Commodore
Elbridge T. Gerry, the owner of the entire
Arcade property.
On the ground floor OF the premises to
be improved is the Windsor Trust COM
pany, which recently got control OF
building diagonally opposite its present
home for occupancy In the near future
The Windsor Arcade Is four story
building. styled in realty circles as tax
payer" That term implies that the struct-
ure was not put up with the object or
getting the largest possible return on the
sum invested in the property, but simply
TO meet the cost of carrying the parcel
until the time came when the premises
could be profitably improved on a large
scale. 1t is considered by many building
experts 10 be the most beautful TAX
payer ever erected in this city, and IL
long ago proved. II is said. to have an
earning power larger than most buildings
of its kind. II was erected in 19n by Com
modore Gerry.
Owing TO its large central entrance and
arcade IL could be cut in two parts or
equal size, one half 10 give way to mod
ern structure and the other half TO be held
intact in its original form. In the opinion
OF Fifth avenue brokers the plans for i'm
proving the northerly half Of the site
mean that the entire arcade will soon De
replaced by modern buildings.
on the Arcade site stood for many years
the Hotel Windsor which was destroyed
by fire on March II. 1899. The fire was dis
covered as the St Patrick's Day procession
was passing. II was the most disastrous
hotel fire this city has ever had, more than
seventeen persons losing their nVeS anu
more than sixty persons being seriously
injured Warren Leland was he proprietor
OF the hotel at the time. His wife was
taken from the building horribly burned
Sha died soon afterward. Opposite the site
is the old Jay Gould home. Miss Helen NJ
Gould turned her house into temporary
hospital Miss Amelia Paddock. OF Irving
ton. y. Y. and several other persons who
were rescued from the burning hotel. died
in the Gould house. For her work In sue
coring the injured Miss Gould was honored
by the Fire Department An official badge
of the department was given 20 her by
John ]. Scannell, Fire Commissioner It
was the first badge ever issued tc woman
The Hotel Windsor was built by John T.
Day in 1872. He lost so heavily on the
venture that his mind became affected
While mentally deranged he committed
suicide