The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-04-02
KLINE BLOCK
MUST BE SET
BACK TO Line.
Aldermen Order Main Street
Widened to Eliminate Portions
of New Buildings
Rogers & Co. In Similar Fix
Fleas of Counsel of No Avail.
Question of Damages

By a unanimous vote, the Common
Council has ordered the width of
Main street extended eight feet west
ward between John and Bank streets.
This means the remodelling of the
Kline Bros building, adjoining the
Burroughs Library building on the
south, and the Russell property now
tenanted by the Rogers Co., so as to
conform to the buildings north and
south of the two projecting build
ings.
The council held public hearing on
the matter at its meeting last even
ing. Attorney Thomas M. Cullinan
represented the Kline Bros, Attorney
Charles H. Shapiro represented the
Rogers Co., both opposing the widen
ing Of the street, and Judge A. B.
Beers, a member of the Library board,
represented that body in the absence
Of the president, General Henry A.
Bishop
The situation leading up to the hear
ing of last evening: arose from the
recent remOdeling of the Kline Bros.
building. This was done SO that the
building projected beyond the line of
other buildings in the block. While
the Common Council was planning to
rearrange the building lines, hoping
in this way to eliminate the project
ing building, the Rogers Co. stepped
in and built out to the Kline line in
the Russell property to the south.
When the building line was finally es-
tablished, it was found that the build
ing could not be set back through
this form of legislation, and that the
only alternative by which the city
could tear down the offending .sLruc-
lures was the widening of the street
A public hearing was held on this
matter last evening, but the minds Of
the Aldermen were made up before
the hearing. The street was ordered
widened by unanimous vote, and
special committee instructed to pre-
pare the layout.
Judge Beers said the position of the
Library board was that it wanted it's
property on parity with adjoining
property. 1t did not care especially
whether the building line was set out
so as. to allow the library building to
be extended out to the same line as
neighboring property, or the street
was widened and the projecting build
ings set back
Attorney Cullinan for Kline Bros,
argued that it would be a great dam
age to his clients to be forced to re-
construct their building. 1t would
mean the disorganization and disar- |
rangement of the business, and it's
practical suspension during the time
of the change. He said the Alder |
men should not feel that there was
a lack of public spirit on the part OF
the Kline Bros, for they had acted
under the advice of architects and
buffers in remodeling their structure. |
They are still one foot back of the |
old five foot building line, he said.
He questioned the legality of the |
contemplated action of the council on |
the ground that the council can order |
no such work unless it deposits money |
for damages to the credit of the ag-
grieved person, and that inasmuch as |
the Board of Apportionment had ap-
propriated only $500 there would be !
required. He said the Kline Bros. |
were satisfied that other property |
owners should come out to the old |
line, that the width of the street in
front of Kline Bros. store is only one
inch less than at Fairfield avenue and
Main street, at Meigs corner. He
said the building damage would be be-
tween $1,000 and $4,000, and there |
would also be land damages for a |
depth of eight feet as well as the
building loss
Attorney Shapiro argued along the |
same lines
Didn't the Rogers Co. receive some
notice on what action would be taken,
while the work was going on?'' asked
Mayor Wilson.
'"They did not replied the attor.
ney. 1.-THE first notice they received
was q week ago Saturday. They were
received the building line notice af-
ter the permit had been granted and
the building was almost completed.
That was for the hearing which T. at
tended a few days ago.
'It was four weeks ago, wasn't it