The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-06-11
San FRANCHISES CIVIC CENTER SCHEME
DESIGNS BEING PUSHED TOAARD COMPLETION

Of the utsoll Al the old site have been
decidedly unfavorHblc, while the foun.
datiCn a. the west ~ excellent. IN this
connection The report says, concerning
The old sitci
"Therc is every indication Of the cx.
istcncc Of an old slough running
ncfoss the site. and the conditions are
worst where they should be best-that
is, through tho center whore the dome
should be built, Approximately on the
site Of the old dome. Internationally
the conditions OF the subsoil had much
TO DO with the bad account the old dome
gave Of itself In the earthquake OF
1905. These conditions can Of course
be faced and the difficulties overcome,
but only at great expense"
Old site Undesirable.
As to general accessibility, tho re-
port says:
"It might be argued that the city
hall structure could be brought
wholly within the limits of the old site,
but this can be done only by looping
off a considerable portion of the south
corner of the plan. This would result
in an awkward aud unsymmetrical
building, and should not be considered
for one moment. Another argument
which might be conceivably advanced
against the more westerly site--namely
that it is farther removed from and
therefore less convenient to the
present center of business activity
is not, in our opinion, of great weight,
The difference of distance is only two
blocks, and slight change in the
[ streetcar system would discount this
even as it is, two lines pass the site.
! Summing up the above considera,
tons in few words, the only point
which might be made in favor OF
Scheme A. is that the city hall would
be nearer the downtown center OF
activity; on the other hand, the foun
dations are poor and marshy and or
the public square is exposed to the
wind"
Both plans submitted provide for the
closing of City Hall avenue and the
extension through to Market street OF
Hyde, Grove and Leavenworth streets
offering adequate channels for the cir
culation of traffic through and arounC
the civic center. tScheme Bp offer,
something, however, that is absent il
i"Scheme A. and that is the magnifi
cent vista through the monumental
approach to the city hall from Mar
ket street on the axis of Fulton street
prolonged easterly to Market stree
intersection.
With the library and the opera hous,
at the east this vista opens between
them, while the city hall on this sit
would shut it off completely and rele
gate the big open square to the bacl
yard. The square will occupy the tw,
blocks between Larkin, McAllisteI
Polk and Grove streets, and the blocl
to the south of the square is the on
chosen for the $l,000,000 auditorium
Opposite it, at the north of the square
will probably be the art gallery, Will
the irregular block south of McAllis
ter street that will be formed by tn
opening of Hyde and Leavenwort
streets and the eastern continuation
of Fulton street, is suggested as
site for a state building. 1t is pre-
, posed eventually to acquire four sma
parcels of property diagonally opposit
. the corners of the open square an
) utilize these for such buildings as a
, emergency hospital and headquarters
for the department of health and othe
: detached commissions, but provisio
Tor this is not made in the Origint
, plans or condemnation proceedings.
The present streetcar lines enterin
/ City Hall avenue at the west frol
Grove street are to be diverted mort
, into Larkin street, turned east int
r McAllister and north into Leavenwort
2 street. In other words they will 70
low the two sides of right-angled tr
{ angle from Larkin and Grove street
2 to McAllister and Leavenworth street
: instead of the present hypothenuse {
, the same triangle formed by City Ha
: avenue.
: In concluding the report to IL
a mayor and board of supervisors, IL
5 architectural commission says:
y ''Once the city owns all the lani
Q necessary for the civic center, and tn
/. is now assured within the near futur
: the problem should be envisaged
the largest way for the solution whic
Y will most rebound to the city's cred
+ in perpetuity. In our opinion 'Schen
G b. is that solution, and we thereto
r strongly recommend its adoption.
a I. ~NttH -