davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
Columbia Confronted by
Serious Housing Problem
buys Four Large Apartments in Last Ten Days to
Accommodate Student Population; Tenants
Must Give Way to Collegians; Millions for New
Building

utmost capacity as soon as ready for
occupancy.
The building programme of the uni
versity, DR.. Butler. said, includes the
following proposed halls: Besides the
two dormitories mentioned above,
building on the middle site along Hath
Street to contain the university lunch
room, rooms for student organizations
and athletic association, and additional
sleeping rooms; the new School of
Business building, at the northeast cor
ner OF broadway and 10th Street, the
funds for which have been provided,
this hall also to contain university
auditorium for large public lectures; a
Fraternity Club, at the southwest cor
ner of Morningside Drive and 117th
Street; additional space for the depart
men of chemistry; building for the
department of botany and ZOOLOGY,
Immediately east of the Engineering
Building and building for the grad
uate faculties of Philosophy, Political
Science and Pure Science, on the site
now occupied by East Hall. More re-
mote, DR.. Butler said, are the Hudson
River stadium and general athletic
field at the foot Of 116th Street, and the
completion of University Hall.
Only 1907 Rooms on Heights for Rent
Figures given out at the university
yesterday indicated that approximately
$500 students are from out of town
and require rooms near the university
whereas the total number of rooms
available on Morningside Heights is
only 1907.
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23

vantage Mr.. Wendell was not slow to
see. 1t facilitated shipping and cart
age, which was as much q problem with
the merchants Of those days as it is
to-day. On January 26, 1910, Mr.. Wen
del bought q property on the stream,
now one Of the three Gold Street par
cells. 1t was the first property to be
purchased by 7Ar Wendell, and this in
vcstment, somewhat Of forced nature,
has led to the building up of one of
the largest and most valuable estates
not only in New York City but the en-
tire country. 1t is nearly as extensive
and as valuable as the property hold
ings which his neighbor and business
rival, John Jacob Astor, left to pos
terity.
A little later Mr.. Wendell paid Mr..
Astor q price for his warehouse on
the Gold Street stream that was con-
sidered high at the time. The advan-
tage of the warehouse would be lost,
Mr.. Wendell saw. If he could not con
troll the aMiden Lane property, so he
set about to purchase on Maiden Lane.
Two Of the five Maiden Lane parcels
were purchased during the Civil War.
when real estnte values we're at ebb,
folk being forced to dispose Of invest
ments and other things to meet the
high cost living in those days.
The late John G. Wendell often Wis
tied the property, out Of sentiment,
perhaps. The story is told that Mr..
Wendell rented store in one of the
Maiden Lane buildings at what he con-
sidered fair price. 1t was not as high
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
So, 500, 600 Involved in
Vanderbilt Real Estate
Estate Leaves Liberal Mortgage
on Property; s125,OO0 More
From Vanderbilt After Nav

Interesting details made public
yesterday by Charles +. Williams, mark
the sale of the Vanderbilt property on
Nassau and Beekman Streets and Oh
Front and South Streets as one of the
most interesting deals of the year. Mr.
Williams was broker in the transac-
ton, which he says involved values =
a total of 50 500, 600, including sale and
resale of the South and Front Stree.
properties.
spalding & Co., as was announced
in the report of Z sale in The Tribune
yesterday. are the principal tenants in
the Vanderbilt Building. occupying
5000 feet OF space on the ground floor
and 5000 feet upstairs. Ninety per
cent fthe leases on space in the
combined old and new Vanderbilt
buildings Will expire next May and the
new schedule of rentals calls for to-
tai of $275 900 a year. The present
rental totals $150000 q year.
The sellers left liberal purchase
mortgage on the property Anderson
Anderson represented the Wander
bilts as attorneys. Eiseman, Corn. Lee
& Levine represented the Mandelbaum
Syndicate, who purchased the property
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
Until Maiden Lane Property First
Development $l,500OO0 Office Building
BuildingsHaveBeen
Stand ding More
ThanCentury;One
Was Home and Fur
Shop of First John
C.. Wendell; Started
Fortune There

the definite effects of the building
deficit on the personal lives OF the
peop G.
There is marked shortage Of ac-
commodations for manufacturing pur-
poses in the territory contiguous to
New York Space which year ago
was rentong for 45c to soc d square
foot is now commanding 55c to soc
liar increase during the coming year.
1.-The situation in New York City is
not unlike that which exists in many
important centers Of the country, and
canvass of nation wide conditions
would in all probability show & similar
upward tendency in rental quotations.
= Gross building and construction op-
erations in the United States show
large increases over former normal pc
riods in point of money invested. Dur
ing the first ten months of the current
year these operations we're in excess
of $2,250, 900 600 which was twice the
amount expended during the same pc
riod of 1916, our last normal pre-war
year. In point of actual new construc-
ton work OF al kinds these figures can
not be said to reflect great amount
of increased improvement, a s. labor and
other bui ding costs have increased
tremendous. V since 1916. Furthermore
the demand for space has gained stead
iiy as a result of business expansion
and increased population. so that the
housing situation the country over is
lust as acute as it has been at any
time, Notwithstanding the increased ex-
Dendltures for new construction"
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
Syndicate of Realty
and Insurance Men
Arrange for 63-Yr.
Lease of sWendel's
Row. for Which 1t
Will Pay Close to
$2,00O,0O0 il, Rent

sA The first real estate thn Wrndals
owned in this citw, the cornerstone Of
the real estate foItunss Of shis family
and home OF the first John G. Wendell,
has virtually passed ou. Of tho con-
troll of the family.
According to an agrrernrnS sisrycd
hast week by the estAi@, ire b~i1diags
at rs, "a II, 70 and 793a Ns;den Lane
connecting with 9, II and Il Gold
Street, have been surrendered by the
Wendels for a period Of sixty-three
years, during which time they viii re-
ceive approximately $4,000 900 in rent
for the use of the land for which the
first Wendell paid little. A. the end OF
sixty-three years, or in the year 2072,
the land will revert to the Wendels un-
less further renewals are obtained.
The plan is to improve the prop
erty with a modern office building,
twelve stories or more in height, at
cost of $1,500000 for the use par
ticularly of the insurance trade. A
syndicate, known as the rs Maiden
Lane Company, has been formed by
Leslie R. Palmer, John d. Mills, Of
Mills & Honnass; Sidney Perrin, Of
w, L. Perrin & Son; Alwyn Balls jr
of Frederick Southack and Alwyn Ball
jr., and several others, insurance men
mostly, which will make the improve
ment. The buidinr will be ready for
occupancy in the summer of 1921. Long
before that time every inch of space
will have been rented. Already the
street and the fir floor of tie struc-
ture have been taken by the Hartford
Fire Insurance Company, william l..
Perrin & Son and Mills & Honnass.
The entire basement has been rented
to the Exchange Buffet.
Frederick Southback & Alwyy Ball
jr., who will have the management of the
building, said yesterday that every
inch of the $50 900 square feet Of Of
nee space in the projected structure
could be rented immediate y, as the ap-
plcatons on hand exceed by far the
amount of space the building will con-
tain.
Interesting Building Group
The development will remove from
lower New York a group of buildings
which have been standing for more
eiian one nuhuIeu years. lhey were
there WIN New York was wee bit of
town not nearly so wide as it is to- day
a community of quaint and attractive
little homes surrounded by lawn and
trees, with a sprinkling of business
buildings at the Battery and near the
ferry landings All of this was south
of Fulton Street, section which to-
day is the most intensively developed
in the world. =
The group of buildings, however,
lived through all this undisturbe bed,
although many offers were made for
the land which they occupied that the
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23

Office landing for the opening at the
northeast corner of the square, which
is Broadway-the road that leads to
everywhere.
The Washington Building was origi-
nally intended AS all apartment house.
The builders had an idea that Wall
Street men would support All apart
ment house so close to their businesses.
The marine view. the builders thought,
was too fine to be wasted on CONNER
cial tenants. so the apartment house
was started. The builders changed
their views before the project had been
carried far, and the structure was
erected for the accommodation of COM
mercial concerns, and their flee forces
The exterior of the building clearly
indicates the original plans Of the own
ers, as it looks like anything but an
Office building
The steamship interests will alter
the building. The plans call for the
expenditure Of lot of money. When
the work has been completed it will be
q different building, as the exterior, as
we'll as the Interior of the structure is
- h. rnAo oyer There is every rea-
son TO believe that the entire structure
W. be used exclusively by the new
owners.
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
Incredulity Of old Timer
Lost Him Big Opportunity
Stood Around and Saw 0 thers Take Bennett Estate
Lots; Expected Failure and Sacrifice Prices;
Sale Was Stabilizer of the Auction Market

This certainly showed healthy condi-
tion in the auction market
Since June 10 there have been many
auction offerings. Every class Of buyer
has been strongly represented. and
complete confidence is restored l.
Will be only short time until the
value of lots will be much higher
This is becoming more apparent every
day. not only in Manhattan, but also
in the other boroughs and suburban
sections. where residential and business
pro crtioS ave chan~'ng r Dc 'e
rapidly than for many years past This
demand will soon make itself felt in a
materin, Wv tAru~h. ,osnr ~
haitian will be the first to feel the benc-
tits.
1t - doubtful whether there is
more ideal location for apartment con
structior than the Bennett estate
tract. 1t is. accessible, yet secluded It
Is on high ground. commanding views
of the surrounding country in every
direction, yet easy of approach Wash
ington Heights is admittedly healthy.
out the Bennett estate property. prac-
tcally on the crest of the hill, il the
healthiest spot of all
Bennett Let Buyers Refuse Profits
Many buyers who had the judgment
to purchase at the Bennett sale have
either made or refused handsome
profits. b. NJ. House bought the
northeast corner of Fort Washington
Avenue and 1S3d Street. 100xl0O feet.
for $2S 200. He has refused a profit
of $4,000 cash. or more than 25 PEE
cent on the entire purchase price. This
property is directly opposite the old
'ort site. and 1t is understood that he
has mad plans prepared for an apart
ment house for the corner
On the adjoining 100-foot plot TO
the north Alexander Mcdowell Is about
TO commence the construction OF
multl-tenant structure. Several plots
IN Overlook Terrace. one block 20 the
east, have changed hands since the
sa e and ell at a profit
Harry Wolfson bought two small
lots, including the southeast corner OF
Bennett Avenue and 1sith Street He
paid $1,000 for his purchase, but has
resold to Philip Goldberg for IS 500.
nice turn when 1T is considered that ne
made $1,000 on an investment of $500
Mr.. Goldberg bought the four lots ad-
joining to the south for $500. he
has had plans prepared for an apart
ment house.
Model Village" Paterno's Plan
DR.. Charles V. Palermo, who sc-
quired number OF lots ne = has
estate in Riverside Drive. says that it
IS his intention TO improve the prop
erty with model gi.l g." watch.
when carried out, will establish the
character of the section for all future
time.
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
Plan Proposed to
Use Army Hospital
AS Tenements
Gun Hill Road Base Could
Be Made to Accommodate
600 Families at a Cost of
100000

scheme to solve the housing prob
lem of the Bronx was laid before
Borough President Henry Bruckner
yesterday in a report by the Bronx
superintendent of buildings Patrick ].
Reville, who declared that the idea is
exceptionally practicable and if put
into practice would go a long way
toward relieving the situation in the
Bronx.
The report which President Bruck-
ner is now considering is the result
cf an inspection made Friday by Major
Whitelaw, Major Marser and Captain
Howe, representing the United States
Army; and A. L. Norris and D. M. Up
dike, representing Columbia Univer-
sity. at General Hospital No. / at Gun
Hill Road and Bainbridge Avenue, the
Bronx. The report states that at an
expenditure Of about 100000 the hos
pital can be made available to house
600 families, each family to have four
rooms each.
The inspectors found eighteen per-
manent and twenty-six portable build
ings on the premises which belong to
Columbia University and which could
be so partitioned off so as to provide
four rooms q piece for four families
in each building.
Each two-story building could be
made to house sixteen families. All
the buildings are heated and have cleo
trio lights. The Red Gross building
could b eused as community center
and the Y. M. c. A. building could act
as a cafeteria.
At nominal rental Of IS per room
of $64560 a year, the report SAYS.
To provide an equal number apart
ments would require at least 81 100000,
it was stated.
The authorities in The Bronx are
now trying to interest semi -philan-
thropic organization in the plan.
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
Apartment Buyers
Favor Washington
Heights Section
Corporation Sells the AL
freda, on Broadway and
I62d Street; Audubon
Avenue House Is Sold

William S. Baker has sold for the
1857 Broadway Corporation, Morris
NJ. FIGHTER president, to Isidor thinner
and Samuel Reznick, the Alfredo, a six
story elevator apartment, on plot 10Ox
100, at the southwest corner of Broad
way and 162d Street.
Algonac Court Sold
The Bank of Washington Heights has
sold the six story elevator apartment
at 165 Audubon Avenue, at thes north
east corner of 173d Street, known as
Algonac Court, TO the Union Chemical
Glassware Company. The sale was ne
gotated by the Nehring company.
G. Gaillard Buys
Abraham Zauderer has sold to Isidor
Spiegel 554 West 16Oth Street, five
story apartment building, on plot 37.6x
100, to q. Galllard, and FIVE story
apartment, on plot 5Ox100, at 531 and
533 West i79th Street. Samuel Wacht
jr. represented the seller in both trans
actions.
Sale in 10th Street
l.. w. Biting has sold to a client of
Shaw T. Ebbitt, 574-576 West 176th
ment house, on plot 75xSS.
Mr.. Biting has also sold the five
story apartment on plot 4Ox1OO, at SIC
and 51S West 162d Street to a client
of A. Wechsler. Palmer e. Series rep
resented the seller.
Pinehurst Corner Sold
H. L. Phelps has sold for Anna NJ.
Jones to krundick Brothers tive-story
apartment at the southwest corner of
Pinehurst Avenue and 18Oth Street, on
plot 50x100
"Esparahto" Sold
Sharp e. Co. have sold for Oscar
Using the six-story elevator apartment
known as the "Esparanto," on plot look
100, at 227 to 233 West 105th Street.
Sale in Tooth Street
The K. o. Realty Company has sold
the nve-story apartment, on plot 36.3x
100.11, at 7 and East 1O9th Street.
Other West Side Deals
Haggstrom & Callen have sold for
the Mary, A. Russell estate, the five
story and basement triple apartment
on lot 25x100, at 1913 West Sixty-third
Street.
A. W. Miller & Co. have sold for the
Henry Polter estate 359 West Fifty-
second Street, four story fiat, on lot
1S.9x100.
Tenement In Forty-fourth St. Sold
Maurice Wertheim has sold for Mrs
Margaret A. Lehman, 235 East Forty
fourth Street, on plot 2Ox1OO, a tene-
ment. to Mrs. Cora A. Ferguson, and
resold it to William Prosnitz.
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
BY James r. Murphy

Five months have elapsed since the
auction sale of the Washington
Heights holdings of the James Gordon
Bennett estate, which opened the 1919
auction market. Prior to June 10. the
day of the sale, the future of the auc-
tion market was problematical. Own
ers of large tracts speculated on how
to dispose of their holdings and
whether or not the present was the
psychological time to offer them at
Wholesale, in the auction mart. or to
dispose of them at retail, through
private treaty.
The auction room was crowded with
mixed gathering when the first lot
OF the Bennett holdings was offered
There were many "old timers" present.
who came not for the purpose of buying
so much as to form an opinion on the
market conditions as a whole. Had it
come back? That was the point of
interest to them more than the direct
pprchaTe of lots. The result of the
sale showed that, with few notable ex-
ceptlons, this class did not purchase.
the builder He was after distinct
bargains. and it may be said in passing
that plottage went at cheap prices
The third class represented was the
small investor who desired to invest
his surplus capital, having in mind
either to improve the property or to
resell it at a profit.
1t required less than an hours time
to convince the "old timer" that the
market had "come back" The sale
lasted little more than six and one
q ,ol~ :.
disposed Of by Joseph p. Day.
auctioneer. To be more accurate. the
474 lots were sold, all to outside buy
ers, IN 400 minutes. which 's N r. "
lot minute. The total obtained was
Sl,786.0o0, or an average of about
So ITO lot
The builder, he was there in force
The opportunity of prrchasia~ cenlr l.
y located property in a built-up sec
tlon was not to be overlooked Prop
erty Just to the south, located the same
distance from the various lines of tran
SIT, was improved in a consistent man
ner, rented at high figures to respon-
sible tenants, making good paying in
vcstments. The builder made up his
mind to buy, providing that prices
The third class. the small investor
was harder to gauge MANY lived
near the locality of the property. They
had received apnroXlm - gr-
the cost of building and had clearly
defined ideas that they would not bid
too high. They didn't.
"Old Timers" Too Skeptical
I What has been The result? The "old
timers" still have their money, so far
as the Bennett estate sale is concerned
but their doubts have been dispelled
They now know that the war is over.
The builders have taken title to plot
tages, and many are actually in the
preliminary stages of construction
! The smAii investor, in many instances
has been offered profits which he could
not, from business standpoint, refuse
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
Building in Liberty St.
Figures in Quick Resale
Buyers to Add More Stories to
Premises for an Office
Structure

William A. White & Sons have sold
for the Broadway-John Street Corpora
tion to the Thrift Homes, Inc, 142-144
Liberty Street, five-story building on
plot 50x55. The property was bought
by the seller less than ten days ago.
The new owner will add two stories
and alter the structure into an office
building. G. H. Bell was the broker
for the purchaser.
Loft in Bond Street Sold
Katz & Auerbach have bought,
through Bleiman T. Co., from the New
York Bank for Savings 80 Great Jones
Street, . seven story loft on lot 25x100.
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23

Purchase by Columbia University of
the campus, the eleven-story apart
lnent house at 80 and 4l Claremont
Avenue, intimated in The Tribune of
Friday, was verified last night by the
announcement of Frederick A. Goetze.
The campus is the fourth apartment
house acquired in the last ten days by
Columbia, the others being Janus
Court. 1O6 Morningsidc Drive and
Eton and Rugby Halls, at 1896 Clare
mont Avenue. The apartment houses
on Claremont Avenue are located op-
posite Students Hall, Barnard, and
will be used as residence halls by
women students. Janus Court was pur-
chased by Teachers College.
BY the purchase of the Claremont
Avenue houses the housing space of
the university will be increased by $50
rooms, accommodating 7S8 persons.
Janus Court will add 353 rooms to the
capacity of Teachers College, which
also bought the Bancroft Apartments
earlier in the summer.
Details of the university's building
program, involving millions of dollars.
were made public yesterday in state
ment by President Nicholas Murray
Butler. Dr. Butler described the sit
uation as particularly serious. and said
that it demands "a vigorous and coura-
geous handling of the residence hall
problem.
Cheaper Construction Not Expected
After pointing out that there had
been no new buildings erected at Co.
iumbia since 1913, when Furnald Hall
was completed, the statement blamed
the high cost Of building material and
labor or the postponement of the
building program.
9TH best opinion is that there is
no lence that this cost is likely tc
decii. in the near future" said the
staten ent, "and the situation must be
raced with all its difficulties. 1t is
plain that unless the work of the uni.
versity is to be thrown into confu.
SION, immediate steps must be taker
to provide new buildings both for AGA
demic work and for residence.
The gravest emergency arises ii
connection with the provision of addi
tional residence halls for students
The very large number of mature stu
dents who come to Columbia Univer.
sity from all parts of the world ar.
finding II matter of extreme diff.
GU ty TO obtain rooms and lodging OF
Norningsde Heights, or indeed at any
convenient point on Manhattan Island
''l. is matter nj "Ntreme u~ge~c ~cv
10 begin the construction o. not one
tn at least two large caidence hans
South Field. Probably the best
sites for present use are that or Broad
way Immediately south of Furnald
Hall, and that on The corner of AM
sferdam Avenue and i1|th Street.
should such residence halls be un-
dertsben they would be filed to their
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
Look to Large Increase
In Rentals Next Year
Consensus of Opinion Indicates
20 Per Cent as a COnser-
vaiive Estimate

S. W. Straus, of S. W. Straus & Co.,
ing conditions in the greater city has
brought forth the consensus Of opinion
among many interests closely in touch
with the situation that the average in
servatively estimated at 20 per cent.
Renewal of many leases" declares
Mr.. Straus. 'including cheap, moderate
and high priced accomm odations, will
be made on a higher basis than the
figure mentioned. The demand for all
kinds Of housing space is increasing as
winter approaches, and quarters that a
year ago were considered inadequate
for renting purpo es now find ready
acceptance by tenants, thus, revealing
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
NEWDEZs fUe h<4REHOuSE 6ouGH7 W9/C
T<7eoW7ED on <S/rEe ZzS7H 1A1o ms
EH2S| REAL7/ RuGcH4SE

seating capacity will be $500. There
will be lounging rooms, smoking rooms,
special com ort rooms Tor women pa
irons, rooms in which persons having
appointments to meet and attend per-
formances may wait for one another,
and creche, where babies will be
c red 1or by icersed !. rises while
their parents are enjoying the show.
Ire Les ol.VJ0,ovs T w. be
Grecian in design. The seats will be
arranged after the fashion of a sta
dium. Carlson IL Wlseman are tue
architects.
New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
,5OO-Seated Theater
Planned for The Bronx
William Fox to Spend l,OOO,-
900 on New Enterprise
on fremont Avenue
on fremont

william Fox, president Of the Fox
Film Corporation. purchased yester
day from the estate of Charles W.
Tarbox one plot of ground on fremont
Avenue, on the south side Of fremont
Avenue, between Washington and Park
avenues, and will build on it the larg-
est theatre in The Bronx.
The transaction represents an ex-
pendturc of almost Sl,000,000. Work
on the new playhouse will be started
t o1ce. Dc 4s .- it fcre work d
out by A. S. Kempner, real estate rep
resentative of the Fox Theatrical en-
terprises.
The new addition to the Fox theaters
IS to be an eiaborAle structure. IAe