The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-11
The Block Beautiful
A Lesson in Civic Pride
, HE most beautiful residential

ia said to be in Harlem. This
Block Beautiful" is on West
13Oth street between Fifth and Lenox
This does not moan that the
houses on this block are more costly
than those to be found in any other
section Of this city. SO far as cost
goes at least half the houses are 80
plain and inexpensive that one Is sur
prised to find them so near Fifth ave
nue..
Yet when the West one Hundred
and Thirtieth Street Neighborhood
Association was formed il was quick
TO recognize in these small houses
its chief asset. Not only are they
of brick and severely plain. but they
are painted a soft gray. Just the
background best suited to show off
green leaves and bright flowers. Be-
sides each of these small houses has
Its front piazza and its strip of front
garden.
Since the ~Neighborhood Association
was formed his side Of Block Beau
tiful" has become known as the Gar
den Block" Each little strip of garden
has become a green lawn bordcred by
blooming plants. and from the railing
Of each piazza there is a long window
box filed with n mass of bright blos-
SONS and green leaves. Besides its
perfectly kept lawn and window
boxes the majority OF the houses
In Garden Block" have hanging
baskets and the piazzas and giant
ferns on the steps and in the orne
Across the street the houses are
Of brownstone with high stoops. But
even this naughty exterior did not
deter the association in it's efforts
TO make the block more homelike.
Now these tall brown steps have
blooming plants In Jars on the stoop.
Nearly all of them have window
boxes, though many Of them are
partly hidden by the awning because.
unlike the homes in Garden Block"
they have no front piazza to shield
them from the hot sun. A few of
the owners on the upper side Of the
street have tried to make up for their
lack Of front gardens by placing urns
and flower stands in their paved area.
When the Rev. DIR. Robert Bruce
Clark. the pastor OF the Church of
the P%uritans. which is Just off Fifth
avenue on Block Beautiful" was
asked about the NeiChborhood Assoc
citation and its work he smiled whim-
sically.
What the association has accom-
rlished toward improving the appear
ance Of the street is only a small part
Of what it has really done for the
neighborhood," he said. 1T has
brought the people together. made
them know each other as neighhors.
That. you know. is a work that is
really worth doing in any large city.
especially In New York, where people
do not as n rule know so much as
the names of their next door neigh
bors.
Even from the first the unity Of
our association has been remarkable.
The ida really originated with Thomas
!. Burton. who lives on the garden side
of the block just across from the
church. He came to me with the
suggestion that we form such an as
ISOLATION for the benefit OF tn people
on our block. There We're several
| little things he thought might be i'm
ll'N'l ul'il INV ~ WIZ MN A't'Al'
We could do II quicker than by going
nj 1t as individuals.
Although I gladly called n meet
ing at the church Of those living on
the block | can't say that ] was very
hopeful as to results; nor even that
many of them would answer h call.
| think Mr.. Burton himself was in
doubt. Much to u surprise h at
tendance was large. Almost every
house on the block vas represented,
The way they took hold was wonder