New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-23
PUBLIC HEARING
FOR TAXPAYERS
Meeting Will Be Held at
Merchants Association
Rooms February 3.

The Advisory Council Of Real Estate
Interests has called . public meeting
Of all Of the taxpayers associations
throughout the city, for the purpose Of
considering tho work that Is being
planned by the Commission on Build
Ing Districts and Restrictions. with re
spect TO tho limitation OF the height
OF buildings and dstricting tho city
into zones.
This conferences will bs held in tho
assembly rooms of tho Merchants As
ISOLATION on Thursday, February 3, at
1880 p. m. City officials and prominent
real estate men will address the meet
ing. which will then be devoted to 3 de-
scription Of the tentative plans of the
Building Districts Commission. l.
seems to be the consensus Of opinion
among real estate owners and brokers
that the limitation Of tho height of
buildings and districting of the city
into zones will do much 70 stabilize
property values, while proper city plan
ming will accomplish great deal Of
good for general real estate conditions
IN this manner the shifting Of property
values will be prevented. With respect
10 the limitation of the height Of build
ings. the building experience hero has
conclusyely demonstrated that the
erection of mammoth buildings causes
adjacent property TO depreciate in
value and deprives the smaller build
ings Of tenants.
Unrestricted building has been d.tri-
mental TO both small and largo prop
erty owners, SO that II real estate own
ers will not conserve their own In
terests by moderation II Is necessary
that In the interests Of the commu-
nifty as n whole, certain restrictions be
established. The svldity with which
favorable locations are seized upon for
the construction Of high buildings, 20
tho depreciation Of the value OF sdjoin-
ing property, has been one OF the els-
ments In depressing the real estate
market The history OF real estate do
velopment, In so far as tho invasion OF
residential blocks by industrial and
business enterprises Is concerned, Is
Likewise able 20 illustrate that tho Eon-
ing principle should prove Of consider
able benefit to healthy real estate
growth. The Legislature, through
Amendment 20 the city charter, adopted
in 1914, conferred upon the Board Of
Estimate and Apportionment very
broad powers to district the cities for
the purpose Of regulating the heights
of buildings, the areas Of courts and
yards and tho location Of trades and in
dustrles.
At the conference which the Council
has called, when the report Of the
building Districts Commission will be
considered this will be the first public
step taken TO impress upon tho Board
Of Estimate the necessity OF establish
ing districting plan. The principles
OF distrlcting have been employed 20
certain extent in other cities than New
York, such as In Boston. Baltimore, In
dianapolis, Washington, Richmond, Mil
waukee, Minneapolis. Seattle and Los
Angeles, while the theory Is most fully
developed in German cities. Under the
German rule the heights OF buildings
are invariably regulated with relation
10 the width Of the street upon which
the particular building Is situated.
There sre also regulations IA 70 min
imum courts and the proportion OF lot
that may be covered by building. Most
Of the German cities are divided into
factory and residence districts. In
each Of these the opposite type Of
structure is 20 discouraged as to be
practically forbidden.
In this country the almost unre-
stricted power 10 build 70 any height,
over any portion OF G lot, for any de-
sired use and IN any part OF the city,
has resulted IN injury 70 real estate
and business interests and 70 the health
and safety Of the city. 1t Is almost