New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
Bush Terminal
Group Planned
For London
$4,000, 900 Building Prof
ect in Heart of Capital,
Similar to 42d St. Home
Here, Planned by Firm
Work Will Start Soon
Structures Will Occupy
100000 Square Feet; To
Be Arranged Artistically

DC FAiTdIISCu AIlAotACdAly
Final arrangement for the constrnc-
tion Of group Of buildings in the
heart Of London by tho Bush Terminal
interests, costing approximately $lo,-
100000, are now being completed, ac-
cording to Harvey w. Corbett, Of Helmle
& Corbett, architects, who returned to
New York last week from England. Mr..
Corbett went to England with Irving 7.
Bush.
The erection of the Bush Terminal
be ono Of the largest single business
operations In London in the past twen-
ty-fve years. There will be three dis
tinct bulldings-the Bush international
Sales Building, dividing the site in the
center, and two adjacent buildings. The
center building will occupy 100000
square eet and the adjacent buildings
100000 and 100000 square feet, respec-
lively. The general character of
the architecture will be modern Ro-
manized classic. The central building,
the first to be constructed, will be fin
ished In two years. The other two will
be completed In four years. 9''' e
Outlines Firms Plans
Speaking Of the big undertaking. Mr..
CoTbett said;
"The central sales building for the
Bush Terminal Company, except for the
two lower stories, is divided on every
floor into departments by the central
line Of elevators and stairs. Each Of
those departments is clear, open
space, we'll lighted, both naturally and
srtiAcially, in which will be installed
showcases and booths for exhibits,
which will be classified by this par
ticulev department.
'There are eight floors in the main
building, not including the basement,
| where on the north end will be q
restaurant for the exc usive use of
visiting buyers, and on the south end
an auditorium similar in function to
the auditorium in the New York build
! ing for the use Of trade.
graphic center of London. If you were
70 look at a map of London and put
your finger on what appears to be the
center of It you will touch this site.
In the second place, it is the last re-
naming piece unbullt Of section of
many acres which were taken over
some eighteen years ago by an act Of
Parliament, and all the old shacks de-
stroyed and cleared off and new streets
built-that is, Kingsway and Aldwych,
running from High Holborn to the
Strand. At present the site is occu-
pied by Y. M. c. A. huts, known to
every American doughboy who passed
through London by the name of Eagle
hut. With the exception of. the south
side Of the Strand and the little Church
Of st. Mary lie Strand, which stands
by itself in the middle of the street,
all the architecture surrounding this
building and on the whole length of
Klngsway Is modern, having been built
within the last fifteen years.
Frame for Little Church
"The Strand front Of the Bush Build
Ing has been particularly studied. with
an idea of serving as frame to this
little church, which is considered one
OF tho architectural Jewels of London.
sides Of the central sales building,
through gardens and pools, stairways
and balusrtades. There is a difference
OF level Of one story between the en-
frances on the Strand side and the
kingsway, al! the land at this point
Of London sloping toward the Thames.
The general character Of the architec-
ernizsd Roman classic. The two
lower stories of the adjacent buildings
are completed INTELLECTUALLY so 90 to
permit their use for stores and bank
Ing purposes, being treated with good
deal Of show window space. The GEN.
trail entrance. which forms the vista
OF Kingsway, is great recessed arch
| IN which there are two free standing
columns.. supporting cornice and
clock, silhouctted in the arch, forming
the central feature. These columns
vii! be 40 feet In height. The arch IT,
self VIII be about 80 feet wide and 60
teet high. The tower columns will be
about 25 feet high and the tower out
look will be the most intere sting that
can be secured from any point. Its
height will be 800 cot. The idea ia to
employ indirect lighting on the tower
similar to the effects now produced on
the Bush Building on Forty-second
Street In New York."
Regarding building conditions in Lon.
dous Mr.. Corbett sail:
Building Conditions Good
n was surprised when I reached tho
point Of talking definitely on matters of
contract OF building operation to find
that building conditions were better,
broadly speaking, than in New York.
While in such matters as steel, for ex-
ample. I was told in the beginning that
It would be practically impossible to OBJ
tain steel for the building at all, yet
when II came to making definite con-
tracts found several responsible con-
Germs ready to guarantee delivery not
within period as short as / should have
preferred, but yet within limit which
was reasonable. OF course, the building
problem which is uppermost in the Eng,
llsh mind at present is that of housing
The Health Commission under Parlia-
ment, OF which Lord Astor is an impor-
tapt member, and his wife. Lady Astor,
most active and enthusiastic CO..
worker, Is giving very particular atten-
t!on to this problem of housing. I had
the pleasure, while in London. of at
tending. dinner given by the Society
OF Architects to Lord and Lady Astor."