The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-08

Tho Real Estate Board Of New York,
which has pcsistently opposed the Court
House plan advocated by tho Court
House Board. has collected data showing
the gigantic scale on which II has been
planned TO spend taxpayers money.
Laurence N. u. Mcclure. president of
the board. in emphasizing certain fea-
lures suggests having the city utilize
for other than court purposes some of
Board.
Mr.. Mcclure states that he has been
Informed the requirements Of the County
Court House are for twenty-slx cham
bers OF about 1000 square feet each.
This would he equivalent to $4,000
square feet Of space without ante-chan-
bers, SC. Mr.. Mcclure believes that n
building properly designed and planned
to contain 100000 square feet of space
would be sufficient for this specific pur-
pose. lie insists that the present scheme
advocated by the Court House Board Is
wasteful. because IL the vast area Sc
lccted for this purpose IL used and all
buildings nov standing i'm this area are
demolished the total expense will be at
least $40. 900. 900, including the cost OF
the ground. the cost Of the building. car
rying charges. expense OF releveiling n
regarding the district.
The board president states that the
city in the original proceedings secured
ls4,l00 uar feet OF ground, while he
second proceedings brought TO tho city
16s 900 additional square feet. In other
words. n total of $50, 900 square feet OF
ground has been purchased for the pur-
pose of erecting a Court House requir-
Ing only 100000 square feet of space.
such n building" Mr.. Mcclure o
tinued. could be constructed on n plot
Of 10000 square feet. Allowing 80 per
cent. for courts. Sc. such a building
need he only six stories in height. The
fact that nine times rs much ground as
In necessary for this purpose has been
secured Ii the best evidence Of the eN-
! travagance and waste in handling this
problem. Title II already vested in the
city OF New York to over ITO individual
buildings which are in the plot secured
for County Court House purposes.
Another startling feature "a that
practically all of the 10 buildings taken
by the city for his County Court House
have been demolished ne quickly rs the
city could get control Of the property
and in many cases the city paid sub
stantial awards to have leases with
existing tenants cancelled SO that the
work OF destruction could proceed rap
idly. Many Of these buildings are now
offered for rental at lower rates than
the old tenants were paying.
THE public 10 we'll aware OF the
fact that through the efforts OF the
Real Estate Board the sale Of the ten
story freproof s750.o0o H~allcnhcck
building, located at the corner OF Park
and Pearl streets. for about $4,000 has
been halted temporarily. The Real
Estate Board will continue 10 oppose the
demolition OF this 1900, 900 building and
h is virtually the giving away for
$4,000 Of the power plant. glass. els-
vators, radiators and appurtenances in
connection with this building. not in
Guiding the $4,000 worth OF steel. all
OF which has n tangible value far in
excess OF what the city has been try
ing 20 sell the building for.
TN addition to the H~allenbeck Build
ing. which is a ten story and base
ment structure on n plot OF II, 500 square
feet. the city has also secured the
ownership through these proceedings OF
the twelve story New York Life print.
ing house building AT an expense Of
$4,000, located at the corner OF Leon
ard and Lafay cite streets. IN n plot OF
7.730 square feet the twelve story
Lupton Building, covering a plo. OF
about 5000 square feet At % to 81 City
Hall place. and the m aratively new
Hubs Building, covering n plot OF $500
square feet on Lafayette street through
TO Centre street also the six story Dun
Building. covering n plot OF 5000 square
feet on Park street.
The Hallenheck Building. New York
Life Building and Hubb Building still
stand irrespective of this County Court
House matter. Now that these buildings
| are owned nv the aitv OF New York
they should he used 10y the city TO the
very best advantage.
The Uallenbeck Building cost he.
tween 5000. 200 and 5000, 900 to ION.
struct, not including the value OF the
ground. II Is so planned that II can
he converted into y modern up TO date
office structure. II Is within a few
hundred feet OF the new Municipal
Ruild,ng. the Hall Of Records, close
TO the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.
and has subway stations directly at its
door.
with four stories that could be added.
this building would contain abou. IsO.-
600 square feet OF net rentahle space
Since the city owns this hullIirg. II
SHOULD not immsdil'ely destroy Il. but
should very seriously consider using Il
for some city department The city IS a
very lorge rent payer TO landlords Of pri-
Nately owned property. Probably $780,
600 per annum or more Is being paid for
offices OF various city departments In the
Fmigrants Bank Building on Chambers
street. The Public Service Commission