New-York tribune., 1919-12-21
Two Giant Structures and
Palatial Theater, Valued at
$15,0OO,O0O, for 5th Ave.
lhirySory Eiffe TowerLike Buildn With Theater At
ached to Go Up 57h Street. Opposite Vanderbilt and
Huntington DIV ellngs; Field Block Will Be Center of
Silk Trades George Backer ls the Man Behind Projects

Two most interesting, if not en-
tremely sensational, improvements are
to be started on Fifth Avenue by
George Backer before the close of
winter. On the Heckscher property at
the southwest corner of Fifth Avenue
and Fiftyseventh Street. across from
the palatial homes of Mrs Cornelius
Vanderbilt and Mrs. Coils P. Hunting
ton, Mr.. Backer will erect a thirty
story store, office and residential
structure. In the central section of
Fifth Avenue he will erect about the
same time a tifteen~story building
covering an entire block for the use
OF the silk ard wooden trade The
two operations will represent an in
vestment o. Sl5.000,OO0 or thereabout
and will give Fifth Avenue two struc-
lures that will compare with the finest
in the city. The Fifty-seventh Street
building will be the tallest on Fifth
Avenue and that in the central section
the most spacious on this great street.
it is the first move to capitalize the
victory of the Save New York Com
mittee, which has induced the textile
trade to leave lower Fifth Avenue for
locations in the vicinity of the Penn
sylvania Station and west of Seventh
Avenue.
57th Street Corner Is Leased
The Fifth Avenue and Fifty-seventh
Street site Mr. Backer has leased from
August Heckscher for twenty-one years.
with renewals. This site measures 100
feet on Fifth Avenue and 1926 feet on
Fifty seventh Street and is covered
with a siX-story store and office build
ing which Mr.. Hcckscher erected some
ye&rs ago On the site of the old Will
liam c. Whitney and Charles w.
Morse dwellings. Included in the
lease is the former Kennedy property
on Fifty-sixth Street, next to Duveen
Bros. art galleries, at the northwest
corner of Fifth Avenue and Fifty
sixth Street. This property is 100 feet
front and 100 feet deep.
Theatre in Fifty-sixth Street.
On the Fifty-seventh street corner
Mr.. Backer viii erect Il main building
of ten stories, which will be carried
UP to thirty stories in tower that
Will have base area of 1900 square
feet. The structure viii resemble the
Eitfel Tower IN Paris except that the
Fifth avenue tower Will be of stone
instead Of steol.
There will be two entrances to the
great structure. One will be OH the
south END OF he Fifth Avenue frontage
and the other at ;ho west end Of t..
Fifty-sevcnth street side OF the build
tltS. ft4O4-S NiI4s IiN0Qt VII. " st nun
Der Of small shops At inc iuuctiol
the two corridors viii be the entaanl
TO the first theatre ever erected
Fifth Avenue Ii VIII cover the -
on t'ifty-si,th st,eet back of the ~
veen galleries and viii be novel az
most interesting structure. Tic .
rangement provides for seating c.
pacity Of only 500 persons. arrange
on n main floor and 5wo horse sno
cIo
IL and viii be closed in On tn
orchestra floor every seat VIII ha7
two arm rests, instead Of one as in a
other thcaters. and the srace of Ii
seats and the aisics viii give nor
than ordinary comfort to patrons. Th
stage " be directly opposite the ev
trance t. the theatcr, which Will be II
the rorttcas. corner Of thc building
Above the theatre will De a splend
concert hail. tea room, and buffet 70.
the use Of theatre patrons.
Apartments Next to Offices.
The main structure at the corner G
Fifth avcnEc and Fifty seventh will! d
a store. showroom Office and apartmcN
building. In the street level, both OF
Fifln avenue aad i'ifty-sevenih str"s
Will be rows Of fine stores. The t.
floors above vjil be shops and sho"
rooms. ne tower section VIII be iai.
out in Offices with iivinr accommods-
tions attached. if tenant desires f.
be close to his business and free of
the transit crowds and tranSit delays.
The erection Of the EiTel Fowcr-liNo
structure Will be started in March and
will be ready about this time mex,
year. Mir Backcr said that the struc
ture will cost about S5.ooo.coo. Il Will
be 400 icet high and VIII have 2 site
area of 1880 feet, Warren e. Wet
moro are the architects. Oil Will be
used for heating and generating power
for the operation OF elevators and the
like.
MIR. Heckscher Will have an interest
in the structure. This is rather COM