The New York herald., 1920-12-05
BY w. p. DUDLEY.

An architect once said speaking OF
altering a house where a peculiar plan
made the more usual schemes impossi-
BILE. that an obstacle once overcome often
leaves a better result than one arrived
at easily and agreeably 1t is probably
from this standpoint that the work OF
restoration undertaken at Grove Court
is most of interest as 1t affects the prob
lem of the ind vidual home builder.
Now there are many kinds of home
builders In New York Some can still
build palaces-these do not concern us.
Others can keep up well ordered houses
of good size in desirable situation, ..
live In apartments of varying degrees of
luxury and smartness. However. II Is
probable that there will always be well
ordered houses of good size in desirable
locations for those who want to pay for
them, or luxurious and smart apartments.
Nobody will be kept waiting very long
who has plenty of money and wants to
use 1t. What Is more difficult and far
more important in the development of
the city, Is to find a home for the man
who stands in the vast level of moderate
incomes and limited resources, the aver
age man with an average pocketbook,
who none the less carries in his mind
the desire for pleasant and comforta-
Dle HOIle, III whose simple beauty ne
hopes to find rest and contentment in
the strain of modern life. With un-
limited means great deal can be real
lied, but the other problem s not so
easy and where solved represents a
greater accomplishment.
On Catering to Simple Tastes.
1t has been the tendency among many
real estate dealers to give attention only
to the more expensive lots and to con-
fine their efforts 10 properties yielding
a comparatively high rental The simple
man of good taste, aforesaid who wants
good home as much as anybody ELSE
millionaire or pauper-had little to expect
from agents who confined themselves
to figures which often compared pretty
favoraby with his entire yearly income.
II is a very hopeful sign. therefore. in
this matter of Grove Court, when pro-
moter of recognized success and expert
ence in transactions in real estate, and
particularly a specialist in local values,
finds it worth while to put his best time
and energy into the development of a
property which offers homes of good
taste and attractiveness, but of moderate
cost. The search for such qualities at
moderate cost Is long and difficult, even
in Greenwich Village. and their realiza-
tlOn calls Tor good IMAGINATION, but,
as has been sald it is surmounted OBJ
stacles that often give the most inter-
esting results.
Grove Court, picturesque in history, Is
to-day on first inspection of doubtful
adaptability as a beauty spot. 1t began
as meadow on the land granted by
King George for the support of Trinity
parish. called the Trinity Church Farm,
whose cowpaths eventually rose to the
dignity OF city streets, and cows TO the
status OF city planners. On the land thus
laid out the excellent Colonial buildings
now intact on GROVE street under the
disguise OF dark. muddy coat OF paint,
were built with gardens in the rear,
doubtless suggestive of the garden
gimpses in the scenes of Little Old New
York. Next another row appeared,
minus the decorative entablatures and
lead lighted doorways, and fronted by a
little alley of its own. in the narrow
strip In the rear of the garden walls.
There in the simple days OF the early
city pigs, like the cats of the present,
used to roam at large, living on the coun-