New-York tribune., 1911-04-06
WIDENING FIFTH AVENUE
New Plan Affects Part Between
48th and 58th Streets.
ESTIMATE BOARD TO DECIDE
Idea Would Necessitate Altering
Fronts of Churches, Clubs
and Houses.

Another stretch ~ Fif;h avenue VIII soon
rs .rrred ovor 70 the rencdeliers y Nh"
Board - Estimate approves the Plans
which will 10 pvt before II today for tro
widening of that 'horouehfare from tstn
- 18th street ~ various times witnin
the lest two wears the famous avenue has
been in state OF semi-earthquake fron
the slrnc kind OF widening plans for th"
sections south Of 18th -,reet. and row the
Improvement VIII 10 continued as FAR as
the 18th street plaza.
The fen-block grea included in The now
Improvement emhrar es besides many ~
tho city's rest known residential mansions
mcst e tho prominent Fifth avenue
churches ard most OF .he avonCe clubs.
The latter class OF buildings have been
erected. however. within tho legal building
line. and AT the most viii not have u"
tshave off moro than Ornamental iences
Continuing the building line. when :
established south Of 18th street. wou'
mean that the fences and sters fronting
the Collegiate Church on the northwest
corner Of Fifth avenue and isth street
would have TO he removed. and tine same II
true OF the fifth Avenue presbyterian
/ Church. q, 18th street and 81 Thomas :
rplscopal Church. AT sd street Between
these comes st. Patrick's Cathedral. Whlch
wiz not lose more than few ieet OF "S
! frcnt lawn. and possibly one or at MOST
two Of the present steps LEADING up the
terrace fronting the building
| The Ruckinehar1 Hotel. across "th
street from tho south side II the cathedrd' j.
will not lose much more than us narrow
prass Mot in front and the Gotham ana
81 Regis a few blocks north. their ter
races. which are at present used on oc-
cssion as outdoor dining rooms. The hioc''
on which the Hotel Savoy stands IS no,
If Guided in the widening plans. which VIII
Le presented TO the Board Of Estimate 10
day.
ms, south Of the Hotel Gotham me
University Clubs broad stone fence-hHe
p9rapet extends outward beyond the h"'
drawn south ~ the 18Th street Wldene'
section of the avenue. and on the othei
side ~ the avenue at 5ist street the nioi
cIuh has a somewhat similar ornamer' IL
front
MANY of the city's best known private
residences along the avenue VIII oe III
cluded I'm the prospective widening 'r"e'
starting with the house Of Mrs. sage hed'
18th street. and ending with the huge "ol
fences Of Mrs Cornelius Vanderbiit hoihe
NJ 57th street. Across the street the houses
of Mrs Coils p. Huntington and MIS-
rfermann Oelrichs. fronting i'm 5'th street
will lose parts of their stone ornaments
pieces
Retvean these are scores OF houses Whict
will have 20 sacrifice either ornamental
fences OF iron or stone. or flights ot carved
stone steps. None Of them has It's ac'ud
house front extending beyond me hnll's VI
the widening order however, tnoueh lH'
elimination Of ,he present steps VIII neces
state in many cases a remodellinS OF 'n'
house 70 bring the front entrance down u
The sidewalk level.
The Sage home at No. Goa Fifth avenue
will have TO sacrifice its present hisnt
stems. as will the succeeding residences u
the north Of Mrs Ogden Goelet ana rreu
erick Flower In the next block the Ma
,loual Democratic Clubs house VIII nave
IN he remodslled so a. 70 dispense WIN IL
Irresent flight Of stone steps and bring tn'
front entrance down 20 tho sidewalk lever
Between 1st and j2d streets the NiiIian
X Vanderbilt mansion will be shorn OF III
present entrance steps and the ornamental
fences in front
Samuel 'Untermyer's house. a. NO b"
Fifth avenue. together with the seVera
houses south Of it in the same block vii
lose its flight Of stone steps and will need
new sidewalk level entrance.
DR.. William Seward Weobs house. at No
$50 and Hamilton NICK. Twombly's. at NO
Gsl. will oe In the same predtcament, as VII
Richard Mortimer's and Adrian Iselin jr :
AZ Nos. 200 and III. William Rockefeller
home I'm the same block with the 81. Regis
will probably nave 70 give up its steps an'
stOop