New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-14
Passing of Old Creek
Bridge an Event in This
Home Centre in 1916
LAND IN THE DISTRICT
ASSESSED AT S1,623,9O0
Realty Expert Calls Place
the Murray Hill of
Upper Manhattan
BY A. n. GTTTERMAN

The passing Of the bridge over Spuy-
ten Duyvil Creek was one Of the note
worthy realty changes that took place
in upper Manhattan IN 1915. Regu-
lating and grading Of Marble Hill Ave
nue.. between 22Sth and 230th streets,
brought about the doom OF this old
landmark. victim to the progress OF
city improvements.
Ii is such incidents that cause one to
pause in noting the progress made from
the days when the land about the 10Th
Street and 23lst Street subway stations
was the quarry that furnished the
marble to build residences and CONNER
cial structures: when Fort Prince
Charles stood on the south side of West
o27th Street. between Van Corlcars
Place and Fort Charles Place. 10 resist
invasion by the English rcdcoats; when
Jacob HYATT picked fruit from his or
chard extending from Broadway, then
Kingsbridge Road, and drove his wagon
over Farmers Bridge lnow 22oth
Street, to the market at Fordham.
Since those historic days Marble Hill
has been transformed from village 70
a community, with land assessed at
S1.623. 500, and unsurpassed transporta-
tion facilities provided by means of tho
municipal subway, the New YORK Cen
trail Railroad and the trolley lines.
Marble Hill has an area equivalent 70
9tO city lots. of which 1876 are included
in the street system. This constitutes
go per cent of the entire area. The re
naming Ala city lots are available Tor
development. This entire area -
twelve times as large as Madison
Square Garden, which sold for 5000
zoe in December of last year. There
are III houses, % of which arc frame
dwellings, built many years ago. These
houses arc assessed at about $3.50, and
the sixteen masonry buildings at 92l'
2O6 Adrian Avenue, now its principal
thoroughfare, will assume IN time
greater importance, not only TO Marble
Hill. but also TO the entire city.
The bridge at Broadway and the snip
Canal. with its ever Increasing trafflc
needs relief, which can come only by
placing an additional bridge about 900
feet west Of Broadway and connecting
Seaman and Adrian avenues. The Tor
mer street has a width Of so feet ana
the latter so feet, which should be wild
ened and extended northerly to west
230th Street.
These facts are called TO the atten-
ton Of the real estate operator. ana
comparison with other parts OF the
citv is invited. An intensive de
velopment Of this section will yield
more light, air and view than IS pos
sible on fat country with rectangu-
lar street system. In the usual city
block having dimensions Of 2OOX5Oo
feet surrounded by 60-foot cross
streets and 1OO-foot avenues the
streets occupy 56 per cent Of the total
area and each foot of frontage has
seventy-two square feet Of plottage.
In Marble Hill the streets REQUIRE ~
per cent OF the total area and each
foot of frontage has seventy-four
square feet Of plottage. This remark
able condition is caused. not by mar
row streets, but by reason Of more
scientific layout than exists IN the rec
tangular plan. Schools and churches
are in the immediate vicinity, and a
postofice is a<aady located there.
Ample fire and police protection Is al
forded
The exceptionally low values now
prevailing on Marble Hill will exist
not longer than the time necessary
for the facts presented 10 become i'm
pressed upon the minds Of the public.
Some realty operators are fppreciatlng
the necessity for additional housing at
Upper Manhattan. as is evinced by the
sales made to and by the Marble Hill
Development Corporation Of plots on
Marble Hill Avenue. the purchase by
the Loyal Building Company, who are
about TO improve the corner of 227th
Street and Adrian Avenue.
The new coming plan adopted by the
Board of Estimate on July %, 1916,
changed nothing at Marble Hill, but
continues the restrictions which have
done so much to improve this section,
which is in reality the Murray Hill Of
upper Manhattan.