New-York tribune., 1918-02-15
Mayors Dismissal
OF Appeals Board
Puzzles Builders
Real Estate Men Fear Sue
cessors May Favor
Tammany

New York architects, builders and
real estate men withheld judgment yes
1erday on the action of Mayor Hylan
IN demanding the resignation of all the
members of the Board of Standards and
Appeals, the official body that inter
prets the state and municipal building
laws. But they did not conceal their
nervousness over the change.
Among the big men engaged in the
building trade and real estate business
there was unanimous praise for the
present board, whose members yester-
day rendered their designations to the
Mayor. The hope was expressed that
the administration would not try to
vltlate the power of the law or inspire
the new board to interpret the zone and
other building laws in favor of any
particular class Of property owners.
Mcclure Sees Hylan
Laurence Mcclure, president of the
Real Estate Board, called on Mayor
Hylan Immediately after it became
known that he had decided to oust the
old board. Mr.. Mcclure asked the
Mayor whether the change was a pre-
liminary move to alter the zoning law,
which was strenuously opposed by w.
X. Hearst and other hackers of Mr..
Hylan in the recent election. Mayor
Hylan assured Mr.. Mcclure that he had
no serious criticism to make of the ex-
want to get rid of some hold-over Off
cials appointed by his predecessor.
While the real estate men expressed
genuine regret over the dismissal of
such efficient public servants as Ru-
dolph P. Miller, chairman of the Board
of Appeals, and his colleagues, they
seemed to be most concerned at the
ousting of Alfred r. Kirkus, the men,
ber representing the real estate inter-
ests. Mr.. Kirkus's appointment had
the Endorsement of the Real Estate
Board, the Merchants Association and
other business organizations of the city.
He has made a speciality for years of
tenement buildings, fire prevention and
legislation relating to building.
Charles F. Noyes, builder and real
estate operator, said that Mr.. Kirkus
was one Of the best posted men in the
country on building regulations for big
cities, and that ousting him would be
q distinct public loss.
R. o. Chittick, executive secretary
of the Real Estate Board, said that
body contemplated no protest. officials
of the board, he said, took it for grant
ed that the law would be executed as
it now stands on the statute books.
81 am sorry to see the old Board of
Appeals CO." said Grosvenor Atterbury,
the architect who remodelled the City
Hall. at was an extremely fair and
efficient body and had won the res3Act
or all fair minded men. The Board of
Appeals has functions of the greatest
interest to the community, and | only
hope that we will get another a<oup
of as conscientious and able public
servants"
B. L. Fenner, Of McKim, Mead &
White. said the architects and builders
were merely awaiting developments.
Two Slated to Co
One of the leading men in New York
City's real estate circles SAID that two
men on the Board Of Appeals had been
slated for dismissal some time ago, and
that Mayor Hylan had evidently made
up his mind to throw out the rest OF
the board with them. The two offend
ing members, he said, were Chairman
Miller and Alfred j.. Boulton, the labor
representative. Certain real estate
owners close to Tammany, he declared
had demanded the dismissal of Miller
because of his vigilance and uncom-
promising honesty and his refusals tc
shade his decisions in favor of any
class of property holders. Boulton, he
stated, was not acceptable to labor be-
cause he refused to uphold what he
considered unreasonable demands OF
union men.