The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-05
MARKET COSTS CITY
$1,000 LOSS A MONTH
Washington Dealers Say New
Quarters Should BE
Finished.
DISPUTE OVER THE JOB

. situation that has caused many
,ex.a.crs to make wry faces has been
,res.,ted by the long delayed Jon OF
,,o reuodclling OF Washington Market
I'm the day that a contractor for the
e,ty began the work of putting in a con-
,rc,. soor fixing the roof and painting
.bc exterior Of tho building. as called
for hv the original plans, work was
started on the Equitable Building. a
,birty.sN story structure with rentable
ao,r spacc Of 100000 square feet. the
corsifu,tion Of which WAS completed in
sieht months and five days. Tenants
s-e now moving into the Equitable. but
,he dealers at Washington Market are
s,W doing business at their temporary
sidewalk stands
As "A result, of the long delay the city
pas been losing money AT the ratio OF
ahout 5000 n month. which represents
Tho difference in rentals between the
Income from the new stands and the
amount that the city receives now from
the temporary stands
The Borough Presidents Office has
cole charge Of the maintenance and re-
rairs Of the city's markets The Comp
,rollcr nxes the amount charged stand
holders and collects tho rentals.
II mas been explained on behalf OF
Borough President Marks that he did
everything In his power to work In
harmony with the Washington Market
Merchants Association, whose wishes
concerning market facilities have been
considered and tried his best to push
the lob 10 finish. But his greatest
setback, IL was said WAS caused by
the construction of the mezzanine floor.
Tho market men decided at first that
they wanted one, and then that they
didn't Finally minds were changed
again and a contract was awarded for
the mezzsnine floor. the stipulat ton be-
Ing made that it was not to interfere in
any way with dealers who were pre-
pared to move In.
col Frank II. Hines. Superintendent
OF Public Buildings and Of'ices connected
with the Borough Presidents depart
ment, says that the departments work
Of remodellinG the market was COM
rlctod four months ago, and the delay
since then has been due to the fact that
the dealers haven't seized their oppor-
Nnty to move In.
They have been kicking over the
rents To be charged By the Comptroller
he said. and have been figuring out
me cost Of refrigeration which 10 ia
he furnished by the Comptroller's Of
fee. The dealers are row paying "A NOM
'Hal rent for their sidewalk stands and
many II them seem content to remain
where they are until the fall at least"
An interesting feature in connection
with the Washington Market Job Is the
fact that the Borough Presidents OF.
fee retained Charles Houchin Higgins
an ensincer-architect of Jersey city and
- church street. to make the plans
and draw up regulations for fixtures &c
b. constructed in the market. insteac
q making use OF the architects and en-.
fneers in the Design and Survey De.
partment of the Borough Presidents Of
fee, which would not have entailed an.
extra expense.
When asked why the Borough Presi
dents architects and enGineers were
passed over and the work was given t,
On outsider. a representative OF Borough
President Marks said: ''Mr Higgin,
already had the job when Mr.. Mark.
took office"
Besides doing the work for the city
Nj Higgins has also been drawing
plans Of stands for various market men
All told about thirty plans FOR stands
lad been filed with Col. Hines. the great
majority of which came from Mr.. Hig.
gins