The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-26
AND UNSICFTTLY PLACES TURNED INTO BEAUTY
SPOTS UNDER MAGIC TOUCH OF SUBURBAN DEVEL OPEF
antOWhOmPub
lie Goes When
SeekingS Suburban
Places Makes
Unattra c t i've
Land IntoCharm
ing Home Sites
r., w,>>IrRED HARPER COOLEY

n, wI>>iFRED HARPER COOLEY
Gardens from garbage heaps, the
transformation OF rundown dilapidated
buildings into smart. up to date stores.
the erection Of artistic railroad sta
,ions. about which, as "a centre. no
residence need be ashamed to cluster
this IS the rcaLy splendid work which
many high class suburban real estate
op+raturs are ~efecting.
The idea sometimes prevails that the
-,,at suburbsn real estate operators
are crooks. turing the public into buy
ing Florida swamps and selling lots
INV the quart" Investigation. how
over shows a big proportion Of the
well known operators to I've honorable.
ard in their service to communities
clustering around any metropolis posi-
tive benefactors.
Zeal estate used to sound dull to me.
one had visions of pickering landlords
and tenants. OF rents and grading. u
repairing fences and all manner Of un-
comfnrtableand Observation-Disclosures,
hut the creation OF "A suburban COM
muuity IS something almos godlike
In its bcneiiCenCc. The man who sees
yiaioUS of exquisite clusters OF coun-
try homes. and can create them, with
marks and bungalow colonies and vast
estate. out of arid fields Is a mag1-
clan. IL NAY sound dull and material
site To talk Of gradings and miles OF
macadam ized roads. of curbs and sew
ers and the installation of water mains
and II gas and electricity. but 1t takes
the flrseeing imagination OF IA ciere
intellect. and something OF the artist
and poet 10 leap to the vision OF "A
finished whole. and realize In the
minds eye what later is thought out
painstakingly, step by step.
Several Of the high class suburban
real estate companies emanating from
our great city, have had this imagi-
native, yet clear vision. They have
dreamed the dream. and then rapidly
compelled its Transformation into
reality. Here and there Il person Is
A born creator of "A country paradise.
q veritahle wizard.
In New York there are a few such
men. one occurs tn me who less than
ten wears ago-l mere decade which
passed quickly to most Of us. leaving
the majority of our aspirations unful-
filed and tasks unaccomplished-begar
as a small town lawyer. In becoming
legal adviser Ia n nan operating some
hiut'Wl country property he nat
rrally g~rav.tated into real estate. IL
a short time he had reorganized hi'
clients ,ompany and became its presi'
dent. Then followed rapidly tn" ac'
QUESTION Of half "A dozen large country
developments until to-day. 1t is said
the .mb.ucd holdings of propertie:
he operates represent SO. 600 600.
This j. a typical real estate story
In the sense OF financial DEVELOPMENTS
hy able and high class men. But the
more interesting tale is Of the trans
formation Of impossible PAGES into
fascinating suburban houses and gar
dens; into elegant estates ar mode
homes. Il is to picture What Was ant
What Is.
Take "A little spot in Westminster
county as an example. H~artsdale sta
hon. y. Y, a few years ago Was Sc
within commonplace. u~nattractive en-
vironments-an ugly railroad station
surrounded by a few tumbled dowr
buildings. including a thriving saloon
As II by a stroke of the enchanter!
wand. these faded into n~othingness
TIE railroad was induced to build al
artistic little station; the building
which were worth preserving wer
transformed into presentable Eliza
hethan architecture. and made into at
tractive stores for the benefit of TIL
residents. Two excellent Countr!