The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-17


people who find 1t coDgenial to work in
this overcrowded borough and would
like to live somewhere near their place
of business has found n sponsor in Clar-
ence S. Stein, secretary of the State
Housing Commission and an architect
He advocates applying the brakes at
once to further incursions of business
houses into residential sections and re-
claiming. wherever possible, streets. or
sections of streets from which business
for reasons best known to itself is NOV
ing.
Mr.. Stein referred to the erection Of
the huge Pennsylvania terminal, for
which several entire blocks were cleared
of dwelling houses without the least pro-
vision For housing the ousted The resi-
dents OF Chelsea. once the fairest OF the
eity's residential sections. have been
pushed steadily to the Hudson until now
they are looking almost with longing
eyes upon Hoboken over the way. They
could endure the difficulty of river cross
ing, but could they find homes In pent
up Hoboken? Mr. Stein shakes his head.
What took place in the Chelsea dis
trlct. and that bordering ii TO the north
and west, has been going on unremitting-
~ in other sections Of the city. The
lower East Side I'm the vicinity east of
Rutgers Square still retains its neatness
and some Of the other houses remain.
1t was once fiourishing colony of Ger
mans, who were, however else they have
H.. I'll al h,,fl
These good houses are giving way rapid
ly before the march of business. In all
directions adjacent TO this district there
are tenements In a desperate condition.
sandwiched between stores and lofts.
and In such state that even with the
housing shortage the tenants are moving.
District IrrctrievabIy Lost.
The cloak and suit district OF lower
Fifth avenue, having taken possession of
what was once an exclusive residential
section, may soon be moved further west
and north, but there IL no hope OF re-
storing loft buildings TO tho form OF
dwellings and the city has lost its living
quarters there forever.
Mr.. Stein finds the Mahattanite push
ing further and further out to the city's
limits. Subway extensions are laid and
are overcrowded almost as they open.
And even The Bronx, long n favorite
resort of the oppressed homeseeker, has
become" says Mr. Stein, the land OF
$50 rooms" Any one familiar with the
tremendous building projects OF indus
trial and commercial concerns within the
last year and tho comparison of them
with the ratio Of home building in Man
haitian Will appreciate Mr.. STEMS View
point. He foresees the time-not far
10 nj "a uyil1 q n
doned 70 business and TO the few album
dainty wealthy who can afford upper
Fifth avenue houses. The rest OF the
city will be committing to the Catskills
or 20 Montauk Point after the days
work IS done.
1--WE must call n halt 20 the wiping
out OF residential sections" said Mr.
stein to a representative OF THE SUN
AND NEW York HERALD The housing
problem OF Manhattan cannot be solved
by more houses. There Is not room
enough The land IL too expensive.
Transportation cannot solve Manhattan's
nroblem AS each new subway line is
finished II is filled. The average length
Of travel per passenger Is constantly In
creased. Ultimately this means that the
passenger will have TO pay the increase.
City's Growth Choking Itself.
"'rhe cost OF land Is such that pract-
cally no apartments at prices that can
be afforded by workers have been built
since the new tenement law went into
effect. IN 1901, or can be built except By
semi -philanthropic associations or limited
dividend companies. New York has
grown without plan TO the point where
II Is choking its own growth The one
way street In only temporary solution
Of our traffic difficulties More and more
viii not solve our transporta-
ton problem. More houses, unless we
have plan for their location, mean
more congestion and high housing costs,
The solution OF the housing problem
means community planning IN large
sense. II means coming for the purpose
rot only OF protecting existing residential
districts but also for planning the future
use OF undevcopcd parts OF the city In
tho most economical way. There are
definite limits beyond which the city
.annot grow without loss OF efficiency
end without endangering the welfare OF
the community People who have TO
travel great distances TO get to their
homes and then And those homes In con-
eested and III planned surroundings are