New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-15
MILLIONS PUT In
AMSTERDAM AV.
Subway Led Many Specu-
lators to Upper Part of
Thoroughfare.
BLOCKS ADORNED
WITH APARTMENTS
What the Realty Signs Indicate
for This Home and Store
Centre.

Amsterdam av. is not now command
Ing the attention in the building world
that II did Just prior to and during the
early operation of the subway. ms
condition is simply due to the fact that
anew building age has not yet dawned
for this great West Side thoroughtare
which begins at Fifty-ninth st. and ex-
tends almost in a straight northeriy
line 10 Fort George av.. in the For'
George section. Physically the avenue
runs right through the Dyckman dis
triet, although in that progressing
residential region occupying the north
erly spex Of Manhattan Island the ON
eial name Of the highway is Ienth aV"
which was the original name OF Am
sterdam av.
Some sections of West End av. have
entered into new building PERIOD one
in which its substantial houses Vi
seven stories or little higher erected
in the first notable apartment mouse
epoch in that thOroughfare, are DelnE
replaced by larger structures OF the
highest type. That this west Emo aF'
change is taking place in these unset
tied realty days is considered DIV the
majority OF the experts true lndlca-
ton that there is no doubt OF the sue,
cess OF these pioneering ventures, ana
that otherwise apartment bulIdlnEs
less than fifteen years old and repre-
senting an investment of several hun
dred thousands could not be prohtaDiY
torn down 70 make way for the modern
spacious type of apartment house IN
volving a million or more. 1t has been
recently pointed out by some students
Of realty that the change in West End
av. could not have been deferred much
longer without heavy losses being sus-
tanned as the sites are too valuable TO
keep the property in the income CLASS
as a. present improved.
Within the last ten years many
block fronts in every part OF AmsteT-
cam av have been improved with
apartment houses of a most popular
type. In some centres of the avenue
notably in and near Sherman Square
aud near MoTningside Park, some OF
me new houses are numbered among
the most substantial, artistic ana pest
income producers In the city.
II was N the COS that the lower part
Of Amsterdam av. began TO interest,"
large speculative builders Of apart
nent houses. The building Of the
broadway subway opened up 10 similar
builders block fronts of the avenue on
Washington Heights. Before the days
N subway trains 10 the upper west
slce residents on Amsterdam av. on
NE Heights usually travelled up and
Town town by way Of the Amsterdam
~ surface line and the Sixth and
Ninth &v a" lines. Others who
worked on the East Side of the town.
"a OF near Third av., usually iourneyed
and from their homes and places OF
Employment or business by way Of the
ihird av. surface line. which ran, as II
ssoes to-day. through cars from the
wy Hall 20 the Fort George section OF
Aanhsttan.
The Broadway subway brought the
spper part of Amsterdam av. within
'ssy reach OF all parts of the city and
$50 put II permanently in the great
Ie-eent fare zone of the greater city.
ahd every dollar being spent on the
Sual subway system will in some way
selp the future prosperity of Amster-
Cam av.
In the days of the subway activity
"a the avenue between 100000 and
sn,yVV'OOO was spent in a year for the
feressing Of many plots with high
usss apartments. In 1908. 1904. 1905
aa 1906 ne new apartment structures
Teetef In that time totalled about
''''VVV,VOO, end one Of the most pleas