The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-21
FEW OPPONENTS TO
BUILDING HEIGHT
Mayor surprised at Absence OF
Fight. Appoints Another
Hearing.
rIRDN URGES NEED OF IT

so Few persons appeared in opposition
10 On, proposed height OF building ordi-
nance ,t a hearing before the Board OF
..,.r.tc and the Aldermanic Building
,,..-,..ti., in city Hall yesterday that
Nr.. Mitchell expressed establishment.
,oie.ton from many real estate owners
was e,yected In order that the subject
may Lee thoroughly aired before public
discussion Is closed there will be another
b.,r.ur ON January IS at . 80 y. NJ
This ,s the measure which was drafted
after the Heights Of Buildings Commits
,on appointed by Mayor Gaynor had
made au elaborate study Of building re-
.fr,ction here and abroad. Its main fea-
,urc is the Limitation of street walls to
t,yic, the width OF the street Towers
MAJ, rise to any height so long as they
,.e ST., back twenty feet from the inside
lot line, and II q building fronts an open
sraee it ~ hardly restricted at all
Edward NJ Bassett. chairman OF the
commission, headed big delegation OF
we'll known men who favored the ord-
nance lie said that 1t would not prevent
The building OF skyscrapers nor lessen
"a estate values and that its main In
tent was to give buildings and streets SUI
nrleni light and air.
Lawson Purdy. president OF the Tax
Board. replied to arguments that the ordi-
nance would decrease land values and en-
,roach on the freedom Of citizens.
"Our citizens" he said, have been ton
free Until traffic regulations We're
adopted IN 1901 they were free to be
Killed 100 the streets for example. Reck-
less building has gone on to such degree
that owners are suffering from the III con.
siered. foolish and sometimes malicious
acts Of their neighbors. Parts OF Man
haitian have been shot to pieces by the
reckless extravaganza Of the past few
wears. MS any real estate man will tell
vou Below Chambers street there are
'aw buildings more than 100 feet high
that are paying more than 3 per cent
on the cost OF building and land
Without restrictions the owner OF high
buildings takes away his neighbors light
md air lie gets q big revenue for a few
minutes but when the neighbors retaliate
with high buildings Of their own that man
gone. / don't dare to tell YOU all |
know about real estate conditions. II
wouldn't be fair and wouldn't do the real
estate business any good. But II L. OBJ
e!ous that instead OF the stability that ex-
s'ed thirty years ago we have come Ia
consider an investment in Manhattan real
estate as extra hazardous"
Letters approving the principle ~ the
ordinance from Clarence II. Kelsey. presi-
dent of the Title Guarantee and Trust
company, and Louis V. Bright, president
- the Lawyers Title Insurance and Trust
company were read by Mr. Purdy
Those who opposed the ordinance OF
ntrrs of it were Stewart E,owne. presi-
,-1: g. the United Real estate Owners
association. speaking as the owner Of nc
Broadway; George 4. WheelOck. vice
president OF the Real Estate Owners FRO.
faativr Association Walter Il. Addicks
vce-president Of the Consolidated Ca
company; LAWYERS FOR the CONSOLIDATED
.and Brooklyn Union Gas companies, eN
Justice Charles i. MacLean, for the New
York Board OF Trade and Transportation
md Louis Schrang of the West Side Tax
PAYERS Association.
The gas company spokesman wanted
gas tanks excluded from the application o.
ne ordinance, as in Boston. They sale
me tanks mad 10 rise 20 II certain heigh
10 store sufficient gas under the pressur,
demanded by the Public Service Com
miss ion