The evening world., 1912-08-31
Building of the Home
As a Matter of Economy
Expert in Distribution OF
Big Estates Says That
NorthWard Movement
Is Stronger Than EOer
as Result of Vast NeW
Transit Projects.
BY BRYAN L. KENNELLY.

BY BRYAN L. kENNELLY.
! Home. buyers and home builders TO be
succes sful from financial standpoint
must he particularly careful Of one
basic factor-the value OF their sites.
II Is to the land that they must look
| for enhancement In their holdings.
| This shows how important It IL to Sc
lect sites In the path OF the most rapid
and substantial development. New York
is growing fast and 1t IL sure to con-
tnue to grow fast. As II spreads. II I'm
parts new vsiues TO surrounding land
| But It's spread is not uniform, and far
greater values are carried Co some sec
tons than 10 others during the same
period OF growth
History proves that there ls continual
pressure OF population norihward 10
the very limit of transit facilities. when
the ma sses Of home-makers move their
first choice Is always the northward
line. The greatest flow Is maintained
along that territory until the congestion
compels more OF less spreading INTO
other parts.
When the south end of Central PARK
was suburban, half q century ago. lots
there sold at prices which are ruling
now on the northward line In the vicin-
ity OF Van Cortiandt Park. around Two
Hundred and Fortieth street. Al an
auction sale held by A. J. Blocker n
Sons block front on Broadway oppo'
site Central Park. from Fifty-eish'h 10
Fffty-nlnth streets. was sold at @5e'
To-d..y It Is owned by George Ehret
and valued close to $3.oo0.ooo Similar
proof Of the steady Increase In land
value as part OF the northward march
Ia offered by every parcel along the way
Broadway has been the main line OF
the advance. While population ana
higher prices have spread Into all sec
lions OF Manhattan and the Bronx,
Broadway has remained the great GEN.
trail avenue OF least resistance. Its de-
velopment has been halted Mt various
! periods, due chiefly to extension or
transit facilities in other parts OF the
city. but the ultimate return to the
Broadway line has started II ahead
again with redoubled vlgor.
This was illustrated by the building
Of the Washington Heights subway.
l Upper broadway and tho Heights had
been through several booms. And thers
. was the most desirable land in the
Q metropolis for residential uses, yet this
}. section was held back for several de-
>. cades by disappointment over rapid
transit When. however, the subwa,
= finally was built land prices doubled ant
A trebled.
q In fact. although the subway has becr
i IN operation for nearly Il decade. prices
on the upper west side and along th'
Q Heights are rising stu because the
u pressure OF population into those dis
: tricts Is sustaining n demand FOR stu
!. taller and larger houses. West End
n builders are concentrating their best en-
i ergies upon twelve-story apartments
s while Washington Heights builders are
e putting up houses of six TO ten stories
and the overlooking demand for flats
OF the middle class liz turning the Dyck-
man section at the far end OF Manhat-
v tan Island into lively new field for
the construction OF the six-story build
=. ings.
. The northward movement OF the hest
' class OF home builders was never
= stronger than II ~ To-day This fact
T., being demonstrated every week. The
y rush over the new ralrond into West
- chester Is more popular than ever
rha dual system of subvays and cle-
y waited roads will give II new force. In
,ddi,ion. the Putnam division OF tho
= NV York Central Railroad Is being
u Innrov.d with electrical equipment
these of,or n certainty Of great I'm.
. nrovements 10 be carried out from plans
u ac,uaIiv a5opted and ordered executed
hv Tho proper public authorities.
;. 's.tno of Ncv York's big fortunes hay,
o been accumulated from this northward
a movement of city centres Prominent
i ,,nd-owning families bought tracts ir
! suh,,rhan districts and rolled M thcli
wealth. ma tho city grew and spread II,
II noo,Io over thew hold'nvs The carl,
i peuerations OF Astors, Goelets, Rhine
u L,nders and others heyan ~ far south
II os I'llon SmIare. and their helrs hav,
foIlowed tine movcmon. north over man,
miles Rut what they have made ha,
! been only n speck compared with tn,
= oggrcgate that has been realized b,
% Thousands OF small owners along tn.
nath Of tho continual expansion. II liz
a niuycment that never ends. II lisa fun
II" elemental part Of the big clty's proQres r
% Nearly all OF the land was held at Oh,
tim. ar another in largo ostates nm,