The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-27
SELL COURT HOUSE
SITE, SAYS BENNETT
Senator Attacks Plan
for New Building After
Pointing Out Cost.
SEES ENORMOUS WASTE

In an attack on the new Court House
plan state Senator William II. Bennett.
counsel for the Society for the Proven
tion OF Municipal Waste. says in a
pamphlet issued yesterday that the
project will cost the city close to SO. 900.
600. most of which could be saved by
Improving the present Court House and
adding four stories to the IIallenbeck
Building. situated on part Of the site OF
the proposed Court House and owned by
the city.
Tine history OF the new Cour House
and civic centre project IL tho history OF
many state and municipal undertakings"
he says. Begun in the most modest
way, they grow by leaps and pounds
until a proposition. simple and inexpen-
sive. becomes a costly and extravagant
proceeding"
The hrst site at Centre. DUANE and
Worth streets and City Hall place. M.
Bennett points out, cost the city s7,i<s.-
752. and after II was acquired at dawned
upon the city authorities that they had
selected az a site the old Collect Fond.
hli'h ~ many g'dIS dSo' dih 'ndt ~
section of the subway ran under the site.
which on account OF the marshy charac-
ter of the land had been built on thou
sands OF piles. and that building a court
house over this section would be like
s~uspending IL in n hammock
The cost OF the two sites with interest.
Mr.. Bennett shows. is s1s.s31. 752. the
cost Of Inc building as estimated by the
board is $1,000 900. supervision IL $500
600 n equipment SO. 900, 900. making a
total of S33.431,152.
"And IL must be borne in mind" he
adds. that this includes nothing for the
cost Of the street railroad franchises
nor for the annual loss OF taxes on the
roperty taken.
The Board Of Estimate finds itself
now in this position: II has on It's hands
a proposition costing the city for each
day of delay s2,10O and yet II Ia i'm.
possible for the board to proceed with
the building of the court house and the
creation OF a civic centre because OF the
condition OF the city's finances and the
tremendous financial cost involved. mort
OF which will. under the pay as o 10
plan have 10 he paid for out Of the an
nual tax levy"
Mr.. Bennett says that because OF tho
present financial stress Of the city the
Court House Board plans 10 build the
court house a story at a time. AS an
example of tho tremendous waste Of this
plan he cites the building of the State
CAPITOL.
In an additional statement Mr.. Ben
nett says, after calling attention to the
fact that the city has at present a
borrowing capacity OF only sll,34l.57s.4S.
that "it would seem an act OF folly for
the city to enter into n contract for
$4,000, 900 for the building and $4,000.
oO0 for furnishings"
He adds:
~ undc- stand. however, that tho
plan of those on the BOARD Of Estimate.
who favor the project is to let the con-
tract 10 build only one-ihird Of the court
house. ] wonder If they intend also
to furnish only one-third Of IL. and
will one-third of the Judges sit in The
new court house and the other two-thirds
sit IN the old court house?
The State Capitol was built a section
az a time with the result that instead Of
costing $4,000, 600 II cost s24. 600. 600. II
was over thirty years in building and as
Gov. Black said in one Of his mes.
sagos. The State has the scandal OF a
building of enormous cost and unDaral-
leled c~Nt-avagance. undergoing at the
same time the process of construction
at one end and decay az the other
The Board OF Estimate should absn-
don the Collect Pond court houss
scheme, sell the land and rcmodc the
present court house
There viii he a hearing on tho court
house plan tomorrow - I O'Clock.