New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-01-19
TO RUSH COURTHOUSE
Statement Issued After Board OF
Estimate Approves Site.
MAY BE READY IN 3 YEARS
committee to Consider Need OF
CITY Planning Commission to
Develop Civic Centre.

Work js to be pushed with all sneed on
the ACQUISITION of the site for the new court
house and the construction Of the building
That work is placed in the hands OF the
Courthouse Board under the law, and no
sooner had the Board of Estimate approved
Yesterday the site that had been picked
ont pv its special committee than the Court
house Board started to build up its organl-
cation
The site approved was that presented To
tho Board Of Estimate week ago, hoon"e"
on the north by Leonard street. on the west
bv LAFAYETTE street, on the east by Ba%tcr
and Park streets and on the south by the
oren snace at the intersection Of Lafayette
and Park streets. The question Of acquii-
ing the other property suggested Tor civic
centre was left for further consideration.
However Borough President McAnehE
said last night that he should recoHmeh"
Immediately the purchase by the city ot flo'
r. As indicated in the scheme presented u"
Che Board of Estimate week ago, Tor me
construction Of new Criminal 'our u
Building. This site is bounded by Leonard
Centre. Franklin and Baxter streets
.Tbe present Criminal Courts BUILDING
IN smile of the cracks that have Just ap-
reared" said President MCAnenY, rs per
fActlv safe at the present time. according
10 A report made by Rudolph =. Miller
Superintendent Of Buildings. There Is no
question. however. that the building is bad
~ constructed and that in time 1t VIII ne
come unfit for use. 1t would he better 10
start at once on a new building. Inc
rroposed new site is assessed at aoouI
5000 600. while the site of the present
building. which. Of course, would be soid'
Is assessed at about 100000
President McAnenv. speaking Of the site
for the new courthouse at the meeting OF
the Board Of Estimate. said the property TO
be taken for that building alone was as
sessed at s4.426.5OO. and It was estimated
that IL should not cost the city more than
s6 OOo. 600 lie estimated that the building
should not cost more than S9.OOO,ooo
Speaking of the new layout for the streets
Immediately 70 the cast Of the courthouse
site. President McAneny said:
These improvements would include the
cutting Of Baxter street south to Park street
on line with Lafayette street, thus open
tne M a new north and south thoroughfare
and tho arriving of Leonard street across
Nulherr, Bend and through Pell street to
the Povcry / believe that It might prove
better to substitute for the Leonard street
extension the cutting of Park street through
Chinatown 10 the plaza of the Manhattan
Bridge.
"It is proposed TO shut mp two blocks OF
Worth street which interseCt the court
house site. The receivers of the Second
Avenue Railroad have agreed 10 reloca-
ton Of their line now in Worth street TO
one Of the cross streets further north
To the end that new civic centre might
he intelligentlv developed the Board of
Estimate appointed committee consisting
NJ the Borough Presidents 10 consider the
sdyieahiity If establishing city plan
ming commission. which should hold an ad'
yisorv relation ~ the board in the future
development Of city streets. buildings. etc
The courthouse Board gave out the follow
ing statement last night
Immediately upon being Informed Of tn
adoption b. the Board Of Estimate am
Apportionment Of q site for the new
courthouse. the members Of the Court
house Board met and took up the question
Of proceeding at once with the work. step
were taken to secure the necessary work
ing force including a consulting architect
and arrangements will he made for III
early filing Of the map which Is required
and for the initiation II proceedings 70 &C
quire title 10 the real estate by application
to the court In cases where an agreemen
cannot be REACHED with the private owners
Under the law the Courthouse Board
with the consent and approval Of the Con
troller. Of the Board Of Estimate and Ap
portiOnment, can purchase at private eal'
all the property included within the court
house site, and as II Is proposed 10 pro
coed with celebrity, II Is deemed proper that
with respect TO all individual owners who
will present in writing to the board
statement Of what they will accept FIR theil
holdings the subject will be Immediately
taken up to the end that such property
owners NAV obtain their money within the
shortest possible time, thus saving the eX-
rense Of a litigation and the employment
Of counsel and expert witnesses, and not
being held up until the end OF long pro-
Cecdng.
The chairman Of the Courthouse Board
is Judge Morgan J. OBrien. Charles Steck-
Ter is secretary. The other members are
Edward NJ GrJut L. Latin Kellogg and r
Clifford Potter The secretary SAID they
saw no reason why the new courthouse
should not nc completed within three years
10 one could expect to get anything be-
You'd a fair price for his property, he add
Cd and proposed building schemes that
had been announced recently by some OF
the owners would not be allowed to in
crease the price