The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-09-23
ART MUSEUM
PROJECT ENOW
AT STANDSTILL
Directors Say Nothing Will Be
Done Until Size Of Site il
Settled
MANY THINGS OCCUR
TO CAUSE MUCH DELAY
Rejection Of First Plans and the
Resignation Of Donaldson Set
Scheme Back Two Years

Detroit II still long way from the
realization Of its projected art center
on Woodward-ave.. according to mem.
bers Of the Art Museum board. The
rejection OF the nrst set of plans, and
the resignation Of John M. Donaldson
AZ architect, have set things back
about two years. II IL claimed. The
board has no money. no plans for
buildings. and even the dimensions OF
the site are In doubt.
In fact, things are now In the same
situation that they were In last
spring. Nothing could be done during
the summer because many OF the
board members were away from De-
troit. In addition, the plan Of the city
plan and Improvement commission,
sprung In July. has complicated mat
tiers until II II doubtful II the board
VIII take any building steps until the
matter OF the site II cleared up.
Architects Day and Bennett. OF the
public library and the beauty board"
Lave submitted Z plan to make the
art center site more symmetrical than
the original plan contemplated. About
s6OO,0O0 worth Of additional property
must be obtained II Farnsworth-ave. 10
to be abandoned and Putnam-ave. ex-
tended across Woodward-ave. In a
straight line. This property includes
'and on the west side OF Woodward.
ave. owned by the Simon j. Murphy
estate and William H. Murphy. and
land on the east side owned by Dexter
NJ. Ferry. jr.. and others. Mr.. Fer
~ al a.. xn,S11 Lea - n
rifice his property, IL other owners
their good citizenship by making their
comfort secondary to the larger plan.
IT 10 also planned to straighten Kirby
ave. by buying property on the north
side Of kirby-ave. occupied by sew
houses and hats. This would
add another strip to the library site.
The additional property thus OBJ
tanned on the west side Of Woodward
ave. would not interfere with the build
ing OF the library according to Archi-
tect Cass Gilbert's plans. ~ 1t would
give the library site additional land
on both the north and south. It would
make q big difference to the museum.
however. - all the additional land
on the east side Of Woodward-ave.
would be on the south side OF the
site. Il II, therefore, impossible to
make any but tentative plans for the
museum buildings until definite de-
cision IL made a. to the size Of the
property thev are 90 occupy. ltis mt
likely that the matter Will be
until the board of estimates meets
noxt spring, and determines whether
to allow the estimate needed for the
acquisition Of the new land. The
property already In the possession Of
the art museum was bought by pri-
vate subscription, and the board feels
that II 10 time that the city az q cor
poration began to contribute to the
scheme.
In . week OF two. the annual
meeting of the Art Museum
board will be held. Probably there
will be little discussion of the new art
center In that meeting. but subse-
Quent assemblies will take up the
problem and endeavor to frame .
working plan.
Members Of the board profess salts
faction with the work Of Acting d.
rector Clyde H. Burroughs, OF the
Museum Of Art, and It 10 unlikely that
there will BE- any haste In choosing q
successor To A. Fl. 0rifath,