The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-02-06
Claims It Doesn't Need Prop
erty That Council Would
Condemn
TWO BOULEvARDS ARE
ENOUGH, SAYS WEBB
Aid. Vernon Suggests That City
Buy Land and Sell Ii to
Railroad


Co., 20 bear a portion OF the expense
OF acquiring the property In front OF
the new depot building and clearing
away the rookeries, is holding up the
nretentious plans for a plaza or es-
planade to connect the depot with
Michigan-ave.
The matter was brought before the
council committee on street openings
again, Thursday morning George Z.
Webb, chief engineer OF the Michigan
Central and the Detroit River Tunnel
Co.; Frederick T. Bancroft, who
drew up the tentative plans. and Aid.
Patrick 0,Brien. whose constituents
In the Tenth ward are clamoring for
action so they can finally dispose or
their property TO the Michigan Cen
trail or the city, were present.
Mr.. Webb did not enthuse over the
plan offered by the committee to have
the Michigan Central bear a portion
Of the expense Of buying up the
property In front OF the depot and
vacate 1t for esplanade purposes. He
araued that the company, while in
terested in identifying its property.
did not necessarily need an esplanade
and that two boulevards, radiating
from the depot and opening into
Michigan-ave., would serve all prac-
tical purposes.
"But you don't want TO make an ex-
ception in Detroit by not identifying
the depot surroundings, do you?" de-
manded Aid. O'Brien. Mr.. Webb re-
piled that the company was always
glad to purchase a little adjacent
property for a breathing place"
In fact we now have plans for
identifying the depot property with
shrubs and small trees" he added.
Aid Vernon insisted that the com
mittee was In no particular hurry 70
take up the matter, but Aid. O'Brien
Numbered that the committee should
take some action on the matter and
have II rSDorted out to the common
council in the next meeting.
After considerable discussion, Aid.
Vernon suggested that the two blocks
bounded by DalZelle-st., Fourteenth
ST., Sixteenth-st. and Michigan-ave.
and the piece on the west side OF Six
teenth-st., which is bounded by Six
teenth-st., Rose-st., Seventeenth-st.
and the Michigan Central depot, be
condemned by the city for street pur-
poses. the city TO sell a portion OF
the property TO the Michigan Cen
trail at the price fixed by the con
domination court. In this way, the al
derman explained, the Michigan Cen
trial could do its share towards pay
ing for the property. and the plan
would also save the railroad company
from paying an excessive price in a
direct deal with the property owners
I'm conference with Mr. IIedyard.
chairman of the Michigan Central
board OF directors, he informed me
that the company could not donate
any money to the city for the vaca-
ton OF that property" said Aid Yer
nor. The company has no fund for
such purposes and, therefore, il must
have something TO show for any
money IL spends on the proposed
esplanade. think II the city can
buy the property and then sell por-
ton OF IL to the Michigan Central,
giving the company legally vested
right to the property, the difficulty
would be overcome"
Here Aid. Heating raised a point
as TO whether the city had the au-
thority to condemn property for
street purposes and then sell IL. Cor
pOration Counsel lawson refused 70
give an opinion off-hand as TO the
legality OF the procedure. The COM
mittee decided TO hold up the matter
for another week until the corpora
ton counsel can give an opinion.
In speaking of the proposed plan /
for the esplanade, Aid. O'Brien ex-
planned that the Michigan Central
would need street car facilities and !
that by cutting a strip 70 feet wide |.
on the southeastern corner OF Four !
teenth-st. and Michigan-ave., the I
Fourteenth car line could be operated |
on Fourteenth-st. TO Forrest, giving |
that section OF the city a much-needed !
crosstown line. Fourteenth-st. Is so !
feet wide.
David Lewis,- representing Adolph
Marx, stated 20 the aldermen that
the Marx estate is contemplating the
erection OF seven or eight-story no
tel on Michigan-ave., between Sly
teenth and Seventeenth-sts.
The assessed valuation OF the prom
erty that the committee on street
openings proposes TO condemn "a
$1S6,110, which would make the sell.
ing price OF tho property little over
ss50,000.