New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-23
BIG INCREASE in
BRONX BUILDING
Figures for Four Months
Exceed Last Year by
Nearly $4,000, 900.
By ALEXANDER MCCLURE.
OF The Bronx Board OF Trade.

In 1914. when all parts Of the Bor-
ough of The Bronx were IN the midst
of building slump, the officials OF the
trade and commerce bureau OF The
Bronx Board of Trade, which looks
after the realty interests in the bor-
ough. predicted that the spring OF the
present year would witness a tremen-
dous building boom in the jerome av
and Grand Boulevard and Concourse
sections of The Bronx. How true their
demonstrations were are to-day
matter Of history.
This in anticipation of the great In
rush from the upper west side Of Man
haitian and Washington Heights, upon
the completion of the dual system Of
rapid transit, now under construction.
While this is emnently so in these sec
tons, the boom has extended to all
parts Of the borough, for where the
records of the Bureau Of Buildings for
the borough show a total OF 2I2 per-
mits issued. calling for an expenditure
Of $685. during the first four
months Of 1914, the same period OF the
present year shows a total or 333 per-
mits. calling for an expenditure in
building operations of s9,S35,075.
These figures show an increase over
last wear in sxty-one buildings and
s3.94l.345 in the cost Of erection,
total increase of slightly over 80 per
cent. which is a remarkable showing.
BY way Of comparison with other pro-
gressive sections of the greater city,
the Borough of Queens, during the
same period, showed loss Of S752,ll II
in the estimated cost of buildings 70 be
erected according 70 the plans Med,
having a value this year Of s5,sl3,3O6,
as against $6,565,4l7 during the same
period in 1914.
The Concourse is fast coming into
its own. II is to-day as 1t was orig
inally planned 10 be-one Of the most
beautiful thoroughfares in the world,
nearly two hundred feet wide, having
an east and west promenade for pedes-
trians and a centre driveway, bordered
on either side by an automobile speed
way.
One Of the largest transactions along
this thoroughfare in many years was
the purchase by a syndicate, headed by
William II. Chesebrough and Andrew
Freedman, of the Maillard estate, OF
about ninety city lots. between 165th
ST. and 18TH st. on the Grand Boule-
ward and Concourse, Walton. Gerard
and Mcclellan avs. II has been ru-
mored that this land has been resold
during the last few days 10 builders
who will erect apartment houses OF the
highest grade.
Perhaps one Of the most interesting
real estate situations in The Bronx Is
the fact that investors have been ex-
tremely backward in taking advantage
of the present opportunities for profits
in the probable rise in values. How
ever at the same time builders have
heeen very active in obtaining good To-
cations at fair price, especially along
the Grand Boulevard and Concourse.
Nor has the major position of realty
activities in the borough been confined
70 the Concourse. The Jerome Avenue
or West Bronx section. long isolated
from Manhattan by lack of adequate
transit facilities. is to-day on the
threshold of a tremendous apartment
house development. Now that ground
has been broken for the erection OF
! tltN dlcU anu subway extension many
improvements are contemplated or al
ready under way.
Work will soon begin on the spur
through Highbridge Hill and across the
Putnam Bridge to the Sixth and Ninth
Avenue elevated lines. According 10
the Public Service Commission, this
work can be completed within six
months, when the necessary land has
been obtained for the right of way and
the awarding of the contract A ma
jority of the real estate operators in
this section of the borough predict
freely that building development is i'm
minent and that the values in this sec
tion will be increased as a matter of
course.
Up TO the present time practically
the only way TO reach this section from
downtown has been by the subway and
the lsOth Street crosstown lines. With
the completion of the dual system Je-
rome Avenue will come into this con-
nectlon.