Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-02-16
WOULD WIDEN STREET
SeIectmen and Others Confer
with H. G. Barber
Latter Will Erect Four story Brick
Building on Site of Ray and judge
Propertes-No Offer Made.

propertles-No Offer Made.
For a generation the desirabiity OF
Strengthening the west side of Main
street between a. V. Cox's store and
Flat street has been recognized. and the
tlihe appears TO be ripe for taking some
step in the matter Some time ago
Attorney Herbert G. Barber bought the
Ray building and recently he bought the
Judge building, so he now owns all the
property between the two points men
toned. Mr.. Barber has decided to re-
move the buildings and erect on the site
four-story brick building for mercan-
tile and office purposes, with possibly
some apartments, provided he can figure
to his satisfa ction that the investment
would be profitable. There seems to be
no question about that, however, so It
may be stated with a reasonable degree
of certainty that within two years, pos
sibly within a year, the erection of a
building will be begun. Mr.. Barber al
ready has consulted an architect relative
to plans and he has received applica tions
for space.
Having practically made up his mind
as to what he wishes to do, Mr. Barber
recently notified the selectmen that be-
fore beginning the erection of building
he would like to know whether any effort
would be made to straighten the street,
as the knowledge might affect the archi-
tect's plans. The result has been that
Main and Flat streets by Gilman &
Helyar plans of the lot and streets have
been made and the question has been
discussed in its various phases with Mr..
Barber by the selectmen and by several
connected with the board of trade but
no offer has been made by either side.
Mr.. Barber paid for the property how
ever, al the rate of $4.27 square foot
of land and he has an idea of about
how much he ought to receive having in
mind that whatever he sells off the front
side reduces the comparative value of
what remains
Mr. Barber's title shows that his
northeast corner is about in the middle
of the sidewalk, there being a bend in
the sidewalk there. If nothing is done
toward Strengthening the sidewalk he
intends to have the new building extend
out to that point and from there on a
straight line to the corner of Main and
Flat streets This would give the build
ing depth of about S5 feet, but it would
make it necessary to extend the side
walk further into the street, having the
bend farther north. One plan suggested
Is that the street be widened so that the
west line of the sidewalk would be II
feet farther west than it is at present
at the point where the Ray and Judge
buildings join and four feet farther west
at the Flat street corner. This would
bring the front line of the building prac-
tically on a line with A. V. Coxs build
ing and would take off about 1850 square
feet of land, leaving the depth of the lot
70 to rs feet Another plan is not to go
back quite as far
Another Improvement that has been
suggested, which would be beneficial
both to the town and to Mr.. Barber, is
that the southeast corner of the lot be
carried north about IA feet and that the
southern line of the property run west
at right angles with the front, which
would straighten Flat street and make a
much better approach to Main street.
This would take about 260 feet of land
from Mr.. Barber and give him about
440 feet in return, Flat street now run
ming northwesterly past the Ray build
ing The town would then continue
Strengthening Flat street by aaking parts
of several buildings on the south side,
including the steam laundry and the
jelly mill
The town now receives about 5000 a
year in taxes from the Ray and Judge
properties. A building such as Mr..
Barber intends to erect would yield $1,000
or more in taxes. 1t has been pointed
out that in a few years the extra re-
ceipts from taxes would pay the cost of
widening the street, whatever plan was
adopted. 1t is evident that the time for
deciding the matter is not far distant