New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-01
p, ARTHUR T. NICHOLSON.

The tone OF the local rear estate mar
-. i,s- week was Frightened by the
-.-cbsse of the old buildings at "a, 26
-,8sS Union Square East by the Union
scrare Improvement Company from
~. Johnson estate and Theodore II.
ludwig and the announcement that
.t,,s for improving the premises with
thirteen story store, loft and office
IpilUrr have been completed by Will
err G. pigueron. 10 ls long time
.ince sact a large building project Tor
s,a Union square has been launcned.
Nv all tie structures on the east
civ Side OF the square are hve stories
e-f +re proposed thirteen story build
viii look ,iSe giant compared with
.be size ot Us nclgrDors. The tallest
s.vscrarer fronting on the square is
.~s twertv story Office and store struct-
80. az the northwest corner or lotn 81.
- Union Square West. l. has been
Srs,uertIv said that most Union Square
'srslerds have an unconQuerabie fond
ress for antiquity IN the building line
~ there seems 20 be much truth IN
RS saying. Judging from the low
-snblirc skyline OF most Of the o4ocK
.-orts facing the square.
rhe rasterly side OF Union square
As tha Ratio of New York 10 the
sSs and '-Os Even as early as 1884
,ter me original Academy Of Music
las onened az Irving Place and l4th
A.. 10 vas popular promenading thor
ourhfare after the theatre. In those
favs prorerty on az sides or the square
vss IN lively demand, but the realty
-ecords show that the owners even az
III aA L
bs,nr well satisfied with the incomes
derived from the properties and the
roior of the probable realty future Tor
he section. Several or more decades
400 the square was also noted Tor
~1-,hc- Of hostleries that had large
ra+r5rare among permanent and tran
s,r+ CHESTS. Use Everett House and
.-e Rr.redere. that were taken down
about -eu years ago, together WIN the
Clarendon. az 18th ST. and Four-n av',
s-5 -re Westmiu ster. az 1ltn So. ana
I~~,-- Place. were among the last re-
ri-fers OF the days Of the section as
g hotel centre.
I'm 20 1915 Union Square was an
rntdy and rugged field, part OF tne
'--d being used as potter neld' n
rss5 +he Improvement Of the section
began. and 10 was not long before
dwelling houses Of the best and cost
Fes- type 10 the city az tnat time were
erected there. "Only a few houses
were 90 be seen above Union square ~
ls45." says writer on Ne" 80,
u % the beginning OF ne Clvn
War the square was the DeisI@' -
AZ Manhattan" Most OF the 10"
t-.-l--vs now fronting on Union
--.are aye the altered dwelling houses
.-,r.r1 soon after che city .all OUT ne
-r-.ro as a 1ars Consequently, the
majority u the structures are over
q.vtv wears old. They We're nl- Up -n
such A substantial fashion teal lle'
would still be strong and naoitaole
=, Inc end Of another similar space OF
~ss~s. But we earnestly hope tna-
.sev u.u al be replaced a. an early
6sts wiz. lof-s % the best modern
construction and u pleasing outward
TIE entire square should have put on
Al u.--0-ta-s building earo a. we
time T-Fs7v's and Gorham joined the
ro---uarl Movement and located or
tho Odd .r the Fifth Avenue retai.
ssorr.-r centre. 10 was the opening o.
ta r,r~-f Avenue subway IN 1904 tnaI
sent srecu alive builders ln Groves
,,., ro---L Avenue from Seventeenth
STREE Ia
sto-- -~a generous Fourth avenue
'sra~s-ss were to-p down, and IN their
rses were erected loft buildings OF
g-es. s.-e. rc-resenting an investmenl
n -1-r~s The Clarendon Hotel, az
yivh-sar-1 Street and Fourth Avenue
vas one of che first Of these landmarks
70 rake way f0r the new orcer OF
sTsi-s Id the fhoroughtare. henry
Corr bor-t. the hosiery property ana
.-o-,ve7 o as j. is to-day. T he trans
s,--a-o- ~ Fourth Avenue from
s.-sr-ee-.n % Thirty-third streets
nu r1.c1g and proftaoly done.
Owners on Square Tardy.
C,ul5-'t every part Of Union Square
been en1od cd i1 -he area OF improve
rs-+ ~ +-a- epoch. Certainly, u
cold. for su sides Of Union square
"a, in Tho zone q benefits sccruing
% realty from the building and opera
ton of che Fourth Avenue subway.
Vel. wtat kept Union square taruy
about fo-ge.t g its past realty glory
and rut-rg o1 an entire new building
FORM Manly. these three things, the
lonro.rrce " landlords, the leases
I1sc- ng ce-ai1 sites. and the difhcult
tssk Of trying % convince some OF the
leading speculative builders % include
Urlo1 Square East and West IN their
scheme ~ 1-aratI0ne q that time.
TIE DIAL subway system more than
Apply provides Cor Che future Dullding
growth ~ the Union square secton.
Along tha southerly side OF Union
sqrars VI 10 run tre 14th Street cross
ioVn subway. which Will extend from
- Az. Manhattan, % North tn St.
hiLiarfbury and thence % the
Nyckof a7 ertension o. the y. K. J..
.ret :, u bring the Metrop oltan,
h-shV.rx a-l johnson Az. districts Of
AAiars5lrr within very easy travel
lrg lista~ce ~ enc Union square sec
lo1. Along f-e westerly side a. Union
square w.l pun the Broadway subway
at' Will extend f0 18th e. and turn
tas' ~ 'ae great manufacturing and
rome centres % Queens Borough. The
tostlsrv part % this Broadway sub
ssy Nil ZAP Brooklyn Borough; there
ore a. 18Th ~. ard Broadway is bound
be- uIcl more important subway
,,rirers ard transfer point than TO-
az. fg4ratively and literally, We
az fef.se1 to look % the sterling
Hs.fy qualities % the Union Square
t'cifr '1are gears ago; now the
Ar's Indicate that we are daily APP
NafIng at higher value its realty
stfae.fefffK The zone Offers a
i''al ao1 profitable field for building
stsTyv.
AZ real estate experts will agree that
or, store or any other kind q
s-.N.rg should Do erected on site
sn'is there are not good light and air
= GLIMPSE Or MANHATTAN BEAC