New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-13
THE NEW COURTHOUSE SITl
A Last Plea Is Made for the Cham
bers Street Civic Centre.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: IL is not yet too late for the
people 81 this city 10 protest against the
proposed site FOR the erection OF their
new courthouse.
nicipal history exists here for the cree
ton Of a monumental group OF buildings.
including the courthouse as the main
structure. which would change forever
the present tendency OF abandoning. ex-
cept for business. the lower end OF Man
haitian Island and 20 far toward per-
manently fixing New York as the real
capital OF the Western world.
This proposed courthouse should obvi-
ously be one not merely for use and
ornament. but an expression in marble.
an idealization. OF the truth that JUS
tice az the goal Of civilization deserves
not merely n house but shrine.
A decision has Ind ,ed been made by
the powers that be" 10 locate this
structure TO the northeast OF the present
city Hall Park, away from Broadway.
on strip OF land soping down toward
what was once a swamp. a place UNI
adapted for the purpose and in a locality
for all time out OF the way. and more or
less obscured by the Hall OF Records
and the new Municipal Building In one
direction and by the ugly Third Avenue
Railroad in the other. of tho main
and great thorolghfare OF our city and
there TO attempt to create what they are
pleased TO call civic centre"
Heaven forbid that such locality
even II It could be approximated 10 that
should ever be the site OF civic cen
tre," but neither time nor money will
ever make that locality anything but an
inferior side show in our great city. ut
terly unworthy OF the use to which II is
TO be put!
| submit that the most casual observer.
as we'll as the careful student OF the sit
uatlon. can see at glance that New
York has an obvious fitting site for the
great purpose referred to-vx. the mid
die space running from the north side
OF Chambers street. over Reade street
TO Duane street. fronting on City Hall
Park. This land should Immediately be
taken. as also the land occupied by tho
old Stewart Building. at the northeast
and the buildings on the west side OF
Broadway on both sides OF Chambers
street
The plan ultimately to be executed for
this whole locality shohlld be as follows:
A duplicate of the new Municipal Build
ing should be erected on tho west side OF
Broadway bridging Chambers street. In
harmony with the lines OF the present
Municipal Building; n building similar In
architecture 10 the present Hall OF Rec
ords should stand where the old Stewart
Building now stands; between the pres
ent Hall OF Records and the building
last mentioned should rise the splendid
new courthouse-in position and archi-
lecture manifesting itself. without the
need OF a signboard TO that effect, as a
great temple OF justice.
From the City Hall Park should. OF
course, be In time removed the present
courthouse, including the old brown
stone building, and with this ultimately
should go the present Postofilce Building
Ii IS not necessary that ali this should
be done now. These buildings are not
all at present needed: in fact, IT is best
i'i "' All tnat tne "crh shouiu DE
gradual; but who can doubt that with
In from twenty-five 10 fifty years all
these new buildings will be absolutely
necessary. and meantime. of course, the
courthouse should be the first, and i'm
mediately, erected.
1t Is true that this plan will ultimately
involve great outlay. but in city whose
present debt Is si,JoQoo,Ooo the sum re-
quired for this proposed purpose would