The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-04
Joseph W. Northrop, Well Known Architect, Pleads
 for City Beautiful
TAFT HOTEL IMPAIRs
 NEW HAvEN'S LOOKS
Tn America, He Says, It Is Each for Himself and
 Devil for Hindmost

Joseph R. Northrop, in a statement addressed to the Farmer. says mat nine story buildings are too hlgn l9s T Bridgeports streets, and will not aoo to the appearance of the city Mr. Snrfhrop is one of the citys leading architects. He says:
 .Apropos Of a proposed nine story Building for Bridgeport, ofIer a ieW 'suexestiens from t11e standpoint of an architect. as well as of citizen m feresfed in the architectural develop ment of the city
 .sThe erection of such Building would not be permitted in Berlin, Vienna Paris or any other leading foreieu city. Why is this7 The req son is because in these cities the au- fforfties regulate these things for the benefit of the entire city, They re- aFze the fact that one lofty structure is out of proportion to it's surround inks. and dwarfs and in5ures in ap- 3sarance surrounding buildings so tha+ the effect is detrimental to the whole city.
 Tn these cities the height of build fnzs is regulated, and generally is pro- portfoned to the width of the street
 s<The papers have Illustrated the pro-. posed buildings but such view of the building if is impossible to get on account of the other buildings which surround the new structurey so that only a small part of the building IS seen IEUfn C<7ef,5 unti1 one is close to the building, when 1t Is impossible to get good view of the Building
 aIset one stand on State street op- pumite the Bridgeport Savings Ba1IiF building. which is five stories high, and lock up at the top of H, and then let him imagine what it would be fo stand on State street and look up at a building four stories higher than this Buildings erected on streets of me width of State street or Main street should not be to exceed six stories in height for good architectur- / ss1-he view of the Building as a whole would be the view from the railroad trains and from the boats in the har- b0r This view would probably show a plain pile of brfckwork instead of a sign
 eTaff Hotel in New Haven is mo- table example of the beauty of a city seriously impaired by big tall build- ing. If one will stand on Church street opposite the Green and look west where once the view was so pleasing in every way with the three cfurrzes backed by the college build 5ngss and now the view spoiled by g vast looming mass of brickrvp1k.' to- tally unre1ated to anything except that il throws everything else out of proporffons ore will realize something Of what mean
 s13n well regulated cities abroad the rights and advantages of the city as a whole are considered first In Ameri- ca 1t Is every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost-
 Another consideration is that sur rounding property is seriously injur- ed. by these lofty structures because of the light being shut off by them. State street is only 50 feet wide from TrmwEI (1vV<. TTTrac fine the injury to the buildings on the deprived of their daylight by a struc- fare a hundred feet high across the street
 The American way would be for the people opposite to erect building one two stories higher than the one contemplated. then each building would shut on the light from the oth- CT and the occupants would have the view of the wall across the street
 "A famous Englishman. having vis- 4ted New York recently, was asked his opinion of it's lofty architecture. Hif reply was, You Americans spend a tremendous sum of money to deprive yourself of light and air, -sIt is good to know that there is a distinct tendency toward cutting down the height of buildings in our large cities
 Now that it is. too late in many casea the cities that have the tai buildings are beginning to realize thei1 great disadvantages
 JOSEPH w. NoRTHROP.. ;