The sun., 1919-07-20
URGES ZONnG OF
. JAMAICA BAY AREA
Deputy Dock Commissioner
Says Plan Would Encourage
Stability Of Values.
AFTER EUROPEAN PLAN
Says New York Should Protect
Her Park and Seash0re De-
velopment for Years.
b. HENRY A. MEYER,

nolus the KEY TO continuance OF tne
supremacy of the port OF New York. Its
proper development as q centre Of ship
ping and industry will not only solve the
city's serious dockage problem but its
financial ills as we'll by the enormous
increase In assessment valuations and
taxes that win accrue from the reclama-
ton and Improvement Of this sadly neg
lected area.
Perhops the most important start in
the right direction 10 to be made by zon-
ing, definitely and for q long term of
years, the entire Jamaica Bay area and
its environs. The necessity for doing this
may be better understood when 1t 10
realized that the Mitchell soning COM
mission neglected definitely to zone q
total of 47,40S acres In and Immediately
adjacent to the area of Jamaica Bay.
This represents 1000 more acres than IL
contained in the Borough OF Manhattan
and The Bronx combined and in excess
OF 1000 acres more than is included in
the Borough of Brooklyn.
For the purposes of adequate port de-
Velopment would divide the Jamaica
Bay area into seventeen districts and
separate zones.
Sections / and 2 at Gerrltson Basin,
along both sides Of Avenue U. in the
Flatbush district and down to the ocean
should be laid out as a park system.
Section 8. consisting OF that portion
OF Barren Island lying west of Flatbush
avenue extended. should be sea shore"
extension Of the proposed new park
area
Gives Residential Area.
Section 4. west OF Flatbush avenue.
from the proposed park at Barren Island
TO Mill Basin. Is a natural residential
area and should be so laid out.
Section s, taking in both sides of Flat
bush avenue extended, should be used
for the ferry approach to Rockaway
Beach, terminal buildings, automobile
parking space and an amusement centre
OF the higher order.
Section 6, most important area lie
admirably adapted for a free port. This
area lies south of Mill Basin, east OF the
Flatbush avenue extension and north of
section s. II this area IL not put TO use
as free port its water frontage of
about 1000 feet then should be owned
by the city for waterfront improve
ment purposes and the rest Of the
land developed into an Industrial area
The city could do all the reclamation
work necessary to be done here in addi-
ton TO the sand dredged from the cham
nel by depositing the street dirt. ashes
and soil excavated in street openings and
subway digging.
This area when thus filled would be-
come Immediately available for the de-
Nelopment of wharfage schemes, ware
house sites. factory sites and city growth
generally. Here. then, is a most profit.
bio way in which to Use the citys refuse
ashes and excess material obtained from
eNcavating jobs.
Section 7, between Mill and Hubert
basins and south of section 8, with water
OH three sides, would make an admirable
barge canal terminal
Section 8. located east OF the Flatbush
avenue extension, with frontages on ia
maica Bay. Hubert and Mill basins on
the east, kimbell Basin on the west Ian
elm OF the great Gerriton Basin), is ex-
clusively for Industrial use, or such
other character of occupation as would
be more useful in connection with the
full development of the water frontage,
which. in this area. is so laid out that
the pierhead and bulkhead lines for the
most part are coincident
Section ., adjacent TO the thickly pop
ulated Brownsville district, Is a natural
and advisable extension of Canarsie Park
TO the water frontage.
Section 10. one OF the largest units,
has extensive frontage on Jamaica Bay,
Fresh Creek. Spring Creek and Hawtrec
Basin.
includes Howard Beach.
II Is here, in the easterly part, that
several million dollars have been in
vested In the development of the highly
improved Howard Beach residential col
ony, the present and future character OF
which has been fully established by the
dredging Of Hawtree and Shellbank
basins. as also By the construction OF
numerous all the year houses. cottages
and bungalows. and by the installation
of municipal improvements.
Section II, long narrow strip block
in width. north OF section 10, is designed
to be an approach TO section ~.
Section IL, an easterly and consider
ably widencd extension of section IL, is
we'll adapted to use as a park area for
the East New York and Woodhaven dis
tricts
Section IS, comprising the area east of
Hawtree Basin and Howard Beach, in
cludes the residential colony known as
Hamilton-onsth the Bay. where a number
of houses have been erected. the char
acter OF the district thus having been
established.
The Rockaway Beach division OF the
Long Island Railroad is routed through
this section and crosses the bay to the
Rockaway coast on the trestle.
Provides Canal Terminal.
Section IL includes Bergen and Cor
nell basins, the latter being the entrance
to the proposed Flushing-Jamaica BAY
canal and Is suitable for the barge cana;
export terminal provided for in the
referendum bill approved by the voters
OF the State in 1911. This Is an admir-
able location for industrial and shipping
concerns
Section IS is at the head Of the bay
and occupies both sides OF the entrance
TO the proposed south shore of Long
Island inland waterway, which would
connect Jamaica and PeconIc Bays pro-
Vidng numerous opportunities for In
dustrial and residential growth and
creating safe passageway for sea-
going vessels and smaller craft
This and section II combined would
intensity the Industrial and residential
development OF Jamaica and Its many
neighborhood settlements, and, as section
Is is laid out as park area, Woodmere,
Arvesne. Edgemere, the Far Rockaway
sections. Lawrence. Cedarhurst and
Hewietts would derive large amount OF
benefit from the improvement. which, in
addition, would serve to increase assess
ment valuations.
Should the city Of New York decide
TO adopt this extension of the present
very. excellent coming system, It would
be but following the example set in
other great cities. In Europe. for in
afance all the more important cities are