New-York tribune., 1912-02-02
'OBJECT TO LIBRARY SITE
BROOKLYN Organizations Want to
Delay Plans for Building.
"WOULD SPOIL PARK PlAZA'
Declare Structures Cost Would
Be Excessive Because OF Res
ervoir's Proximity.

Since the announcement was made tha'
the plans for part Of the foundation oi the
proposed central building of the Brooklyn
Public Library had been fled with the Bu-
rcau Of Buildings many persons VINO are
interested in a systematic and harmonious
development of the borough have again eN-
pressed their dlsapproval Of the site CHOSEN
The proposed site is the triangle Of park
land at the Eastern Parkway and Flatnush
az cnue. where the bronze memorial taple'
10 Henry w Maxwell was erected IN l?"".
At present $500 900 is available for begin
mig the building operations. The plans
fled provide for the basement OF wlhs
222 feet long and so feet wide. Both the
Brooklyn Chapter of the American lnsu-
tutc Of Architects and the Brooklyn League
have passed resolutions and forwarded theH
70 the library board, requesting that no fhr-
tie action be taken until the BROOKLYN
committee on city planning, of when r.
e Pratt is chairman, has had an oppor-
tunitv to investigate and report on the
placing Of the building on the site selected
There are two leading arguments against
tho use of the site one is that the build
ing will spoil the Prospect Park Plaza ana
tn,. building will cost 81. 100000 or so more
than it would If placed somewhere else
TIL. north side Of the Eastern Parkway, on
the ridge upon which the Brooklyn Mu-
scum now stands. is favored. There is also
a third argument that the site Is TOO smali
to set off properly the structure. hidden as
II will be by the Mount Prospect Reservoir
and the water tower. Those In favor OF the
ste sav that the city owns the site ana
that delays are dangerous and may be fatal.
whatever you do. don't let any building
go on thatw said Daniel G. Burnham' the
famous city planner, pointing to the pro
posed site of the Central Library building
on his recent visit to Brooklyn 10 start the
so-caIled Brooklyn Beautiful movement.
His words were quoted yesterday afternoon
bv Superintendent John Thatcher of the
Bureau Of Buildings. He drew out the plans
that had been filed and explained them.
Il told them that the site would be dan
gerous, owing 10 the presence Of the reser-
voir," he said THE reservoir Is twenty
feet deem and its bottom is several
feet above grade II is proposed to sink
the foundation of the library thrty-two
feet below grade The result IS that they
have prepared plans for building Which
would be stronger than any fortihcation IN
the country and far more expensive than
would he needed elsewhere. The founda-
tions will be OF concrete, reinforced with
steel bars. and the side of the building
toward the reservoir will be held up hy
steel beams that weigh 1i5 pounds TO IN"
foot. The great strength is demanded TO
Withstand the pressure Of the water"
Mr. Pratt. chairman Of the Committee on
city Planning. said he was personally OPP
posed to the site. but knew Of no move
ment in the committee to oppose its use.
Professor Franklin ". Hooper. director OF
the Brooklyn Institute Of Arts and Sci
ences. said he had been opposed 10 the site
from the frs; and that a larger and better
site should be picked out. William l. Mich
OILS explained many OF the objections lie
said:
The erection OF the building on the pro.
posed site would be a detriment to the To-
cality. It would prevent the proper and
harmonious development Of the plaza and
the park entrance. would hide the water
tower-our finest example OF architecture
and would add enormously to the proper
cost of the structure. Such buildinH
needs a setting but II would have 10 he
built 20 the curbs Of noisy and dusty thor
oughfares There would he no view from
two sides at all. Such a building should oc'
cupy a block on the north side Of the East
ern Parkway. between the plaza and Wash
ington avenue, where 1t could have fine
grounds around IT and where 1t could be
properly seen"
The estimated cost OF the structure Is
81. .S0,Oo0 but Mr. Thatcher believes, from
his long experience as a builder, that II
will cost nearer 100000 II erected in the
way proposed and on the site selected. The
first stage of the work will cost S2oo0IO
The borough authorities will ask the city
for 81 10000 in the next budget TO carry or
the work.
Raymond +. Almirall is the architect. The
plans for the section have been approved
| and II Is expected that the work on the
foundations Will begin I'm March