New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-03
Few Empty Dwellings
Owing to the Broad
Demand There.
SECTION UNDERGOING
IMPORTANT CHANGE
Recent Sale of Plot to Film
Company Opened Up New
Field for Development.


section of Manhattan. occupies a pecu-
liar position, having once been CON
nected with the main i;ne Of Manhat-
tan prior to the cutting through OF
the shin Canal. and when this improve
ment was accomplished the district
WIS divorced iiom tle MAJ. land AID
made an independent island, says "Ihe
Real Estate Record and Guide Suisse
quently, however, through an act
passed by the Legislature, part OF the
old Spuyten Duyvil Greek was filed IN
and to-day Marble Hill is connected
with the main land Of the Bronx,
though i, still remains portion o.
Manhattan.
it adds: "The section was i'm
proved with detached residences long
before the Dyokman tract and Wash
ington Heights were built up. i was
one Of the numerous villages which
have gradually been absorbed by 70
northward growth Of the city. To-day
many OF the original houses OF frame
construction stand as relics of old New
York. They are for the most part
owned by private investors and occu-
pied by them, though in some instances
properties have been placed upon the
market Tor rent TIE demand il so
good, however, that to-day there is
practically nothing 10 rent.
Some years ago what was termed
an experiment was tried out. a four
story I-family house was erected
NJ SO Marble Hall ay.. having ac-
ccmmOdntions for two families on
aoor. The innovation met with almost
instantaneous success and d similar
project at 2 Marble Hill av. soon
followed, though in.this case the build
ing was erected six stories high, Oh
plot ll7x868. Since tina, time other
apartment houses have been built at
IL Terrace View av. and 1O9-ll5 West
225th ST.. each FIVE stories high.
"All signs point toward the convic-
ton that Marble I'LL was destined 20
remain q purely residential community,
but a short time ago the SAFE. TO The
Famous Players Film Company, Adolph
Zukor, president, and Daniel Frohman.
managing director, of & tract o. thirty
one lots, opened a new field of develop
ment for the section.
/ Announcement were made that the
property just acquired would be I'M
pro;ed Immediately with studios, open
air stages, laboratories and other build
/ ings incidental to the production Of mo-
/ tion picture plays. The company Sc
lected this particular section after
careful inspection CT many available
areas for several reasons, including its
proximity TO the upper West Side resi-
Dental district, the SPLENDID trarsror
tatiOn facilities, which include the New
York Central Railroad system, the sub
way, on Broadway; also the surface
lines which connect all sections OF the
Bronx as we'll as upper Manhattan.
marble Hill affords unusual advan-
tages for the staging Of outdoor MIN
scenes There axe several picturesque
spots in the immediate neighborhoOd.
/ including the Riyerdale Hills, the Van
/ Cortland Parade Ground and The water
wavs, which can be utilized for marine
spectacles With modern Photographic
art the natural scenery in the section
can be readily made 20 depict any
/ thing from the foothills of the Rocky
Mountains to Peaceful Valley
There is but little doubt that the
work of erecting the plant will be
pushed with all possible speed, as the
studios and laboratories occupied by
the company for some time were de-
strOyed by fire on September II. The
+ fire. which destroyed the old 9th Regi-
ment Armory, at 2l3-227 West 10Th st,
also consumed some films which had
never been shown, and TO overcome the
recurrence OF such a loss at Marble
Hill il is proposed TO cXcavate a vault
of considerable size, in bed rock, which
will be absolutely freproof.
"'The future OF Marble Hill appears
particularly bright at this time says
/ A. y. Gitterman, who has been identi-
fed with the section for several years
/ Several desirable corners are still
available for residential improvement,
but these should be absorbed within
reasonable time, because there is
good demand for sites suitable for i'm
provement.
"'The exceptional transportation IA
cilities lend themselves toward factory
development in the blocks adjacent TO
Exterior st. in The Bronx, while the
extensive frontages in 225th st. could
be utilized, proftably, for improve
ments of business character. designed
10 meet the requirements OF the resi-
dents in the section
/ "Some years ago tract was acquired
to the east of Broadway, between 226th
and 227th SITS, By syndicate in which
Frank Farrell, then interested in the
New York American League Baseball
Club, was member, and the an
nouncement was made that the proper
ty would be improved as a baseball
park. This project has been abandoned.
but the property is available for i'm
provement.