New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-08
BOROUGH GOSSIP
Municipal Building To Be Larger
BEGINNING of the Ferries.

The borough administration has found IL
necessary to enlarge on the plans for the
proposed new municipal building a Few
weeks ago Mckenzie. Voorhees, & Gmein
received the contract TO prepare plans for
a BUILDING 20 cost not more than S,OW,V"'
Last week the limit was raised $4,000 1t
was announced at the time that the change
had been made because some of the local
departments Of the city government would
require more space than was originally
thought
This change is not without significance
10 those who have watched the growth
o. the borough and its governmental de-
partments in the last few years. Just
about eight years ago the Williamsburg
Bridge was opened. The ceremonies that
attended the opening might have been also
I'm celebration Of the launching OF big
land boom and ar important thrush Of pop
ulation. The population Of the borough IN
creased at an unequalled rate, so that with
in a few years the aspect Of the Williams
burg. East New York, Bushwick ana
Stuyvesant sections was largely changed
and Brownsville had become a rival Of the
East Side. Manhattan. The sudden eN-
pansion Of population caused CORE
spending increase in the work Of the Dor
oush departments.
About the time Of the opening of the
Williamsburg Bridge the necessity for
new municipal building was recognized
among the people acquainted with the re-
quirements OF the departments. Still. the
most farsighted had no idea of the proper
tons the borough was to attain. Every
one knows now that IT IS well that the
building was not erected then. The delay
Of n few years has cost the city in rent
but the delay has been Of advantage
When the city has money tied up in real
estate it loses the earning capacity Of The
money. together with the cost Of mainte
nance. The loss is 10 all intents and pur-
poses the rent Of the departments accom-
modated
The city finds many advantages IN belng
its own landlord Some Of the advantages
are good housing, proper care, convenient
location and quick Accommodation.
These advantages are worth money, be-
cause they expedite business and save time
and energy. The advantages are almost
as beneficial TO the general public as to the
city employees and officials.
If the building had been put up when
first demanded these ends would have been
achieved only to be lost, for the building
would have been Cutgrown by this time
and the old troubles would have arisen
again. Now the building Is TO be put up
in such a way that its size can be in
creased greatly hereafter The founda-
tions are 10 be massive enough for addi-
tons This has been determined upon be-
cause the officials in charge Of the plans
arc looking 20 the future. They see
larger view than their predecessors, be
cause several things have happened Of late
one Of these is the development of the
Ilan for improving Jamaica Bay. which,
some years hence. will undoubtedly cause
another large expansion Of population In
Brooklyn It will also cause a great In
crease in the business done here. The
borough. IT is now realized. is only in the
carly stages of it's growth. Consequently
the farsighted want the borough Depart
ments to have plenty Of room for expan-
sion on city property. All the spare room
will be needed. the opinion is long before
the new municipal building has outgrown
Its youth.