New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-30
F. B. Williams Says Street
Should Be Basis of
DistriCting Here.
VIEWS FORMED BY
OLD WORLD SURVEY
Plan First Put in Effect in Ger
many in the '70s-The
Zone System.

Frank Backus Williams. special counsel
TO the Heights Of Buildings Advisory
Commission. is an advocate of the street
a a basis of districting and has submit
ted his views on the subject to the com
mission. In the forthcoming report Of the
commission of which H. NJ. Bassett for
mer Public Service Commissioner ~
chairman. the segregation Of buildings.
according to height. use and OCCUPANCY
will figure extensively II has been care
fully studied i'm the last six months by the
commission
The paper submitted by Mr.. Williams
on this important subject contains the
conclusions reached by him after re-
cent survey of building conditions IN the
leading cities of Europe. He told ABOUT
his trip abroad and the opinions he had
formed at the First city and Town Pan
ming Conference held two weeks ago at
the State House, Boston.
In his report on distrlcting, Mr.. Will
Jams says, in part, as follows:
in the creation Of districts there IS
much 20 be said in favor of the street as
"A basis.
"Districting is planning in recognition
of the differences. actual and potential
between different parts OF community
territory. We are accustomed to think OF
these, districts as tracts of some breadth
but often this is not the case. BUSINESS
or traffic streets and resident streets are
often near each other, and paralIel OF III
tersecting The business and uaihc
streets are the main streets; the resi-
dence streets are the minor streets; the
minor industries are. usually, on the mann
street: the residences, most of them, in
the minor street, near by. Together they
form neighborhood.
This is an arrangement that should be
protected and made more complete lral,
nc and business help the main street anu
each other. Their increase raises Value'
and the income from land on the suee'
as well.
"Traffic and business are nothing put
disadvantage to side streets ana increase
values there by the damage they 90 ~
living conditions. The main street 49, %
should be made, broad. Buildings OH II
may he higher and cover more OF the lo'.
80 ,t,,. ,,ust on account of greater land
values.
narrower. or at any event, the roadoeu
may be left narrow and expense say Gu
All this is a gain 10 resloeh's 'H u"
street. The fact that II is mario" anu
ouiet makes II better for LIVING PURPOSES
HIGHER values means no increase 10 mousse
holders. but only higher taxes. Chder
,has. circumstances less intense use oil
the land and more of it for each house
may be required by law, at no greater
cost than less land more intensely useu
on a wider buster and more expensive
street. And the resident street VIII De
near the business street. and separated
from il 10 the advantage of both streets.
"AIl this is according TO estaolsheu
principles Of city planning, too seldom
unfortunately, put into practice but the
fact is not always recognized that TINS
principle can only be carried out by max
ing the street the district unit
so far as the division between main
traffic and business streets on the one
hand and minor residence streets on the
other exists in this country, ii is unstable
and incomplete The two classes OF build
inps are always found to some extent on
both streets, anu theic !" ~
nance preventing the one or the other
class on either street The recognition oil
the distinction in city planning and law
would make the division complete and Sc
cure.
"In this country, too, this distinction Is
found almost entirely in the suburbs OF IN
smaller communities. This is not so
abroad. Minor residence streets in the
immediate neighborhood OF principal busi-
ness and traffic streets exist almost In city
centres. In this way more people can
live near their work and walk to H.
"If we districted by streets We 100,
should have quiet. pleasant residence
streets more centrally located.