New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-17
Postal Annex
Plan Is w aste,
Realtors Hold
Public Building Bill Should
BE Passed by Congress at
Once to Reduce Cost by
Millions, DR.. Work Told
Mellon Called Advocate
Purchase Outright Urged as
Great Saving Over Lease
Proposed by Government

The Real Estate Board Of New York
has again made objection to the pro-
posed leasing of land owned by the
Pennsylvania Railroad in the rear of
the General Postofflce, Eighth Avenue
and Thirty first Street and of n build
ing to be erected thereon over the
tracks for use as postoflice annex.
In letter to Postmaster General
Hubert Work, made public yesterday,
the president of the board, Charles
G. Edwards, says that if the govern
ment would save half Of the $25,000,000
this project involves by passing a pub
lie building bill it should do SO at
once.
Last March the Congressional joint
commission that investigated New York
postal requirements reported that it
was unable to obtain from Congress
an appropriation Of $1o,OoO,0Oo for the
proposed annex. Such appropriation,
it is said, would have paved the way
for a general public building measure,
reform since advocated by Secre-
tsry of the Trasury Mellon.
The charge was made a week ago
that because of the refusal of the
Pennsylvania Postal Building Corpora
tion to permit the successful bidder
in the annex project to have the land
raise the total cost to the government
about 100000.
This bidder, taking the valuation of
the land which the railroad gave to
the government $4,000, 900, offered to
erect the structure and lease it to the
government for twenty years at cost
of $19245, 695, After this refusal the
Pennsylvania Postal Building Corpora
ton, 1t Is charged, submitted o figure
of its own of $24,900000
Under date of May 6 Mr. Edwards
calling his attention to the waste OF
public funds leasing transaction
would involve when compared with
government construction. To this let
ter the Postmaster General replied un
der date of July 5. He said:
There is no appropriation available
for the erection of any building at New
York City or elsewhere. The act of
April "a, 1920, gives the right 20 the
Postmaster General to lease premises
for the use of terminal railway post
offices, and for the use of postotfices of
the first, second and third classes at
reasonable annual rental, to be paid
quarterly, for term not exceeding
twenty years. Under the law, as the
law now exists, if premises for the
efficient handling of the mails at New
| York City are to be obtained they must
be leased or rented. They cannot be
built by the government under the
present law, for, as stated above, there
is no such law"
DR.. Work continued by saying that
the Post Once Department had not
completed its New York investiga cations.
| In his second letter to the Postmas
ter General, forwarded few days ago,
Mr.. Edwards wrote as follows:
at seems to me, judging from your
advocacy Of government owned post
Offices, coupled with the immediate ne
cessity for increased facilities III New
York, that every effort should be made
not only by the department, but more
particularly by the citizens of New
York City, to obtain from the Congress
public building bill that will make
possible the purchase of land and the
erection of a building for postoffice
purposes, not only hero, but anywhere
in the United States where the depart
ment is confronted with the necessity
for paying high rental for desired
quarters in preference to financing at
low cost the ownership of the land
and the erection of the building.
with your thoughts SO expressed l
am communicating with all civic or
CARNATIONS in this city, requesting
bill may be introduced, and this
board will ask Of its Senators and Rep
resentatives from New York their CO.
operation toward the end that lcgisla
ton of this character may be obtained.
Without single dissenting opinion
the Senators from New York and the
Representatives Of this state IN Con-
gress approve OF such Legislation and
deplore the fact that it is necessary
E.. ~ -. {o~
into negotiations such as the one pro-
nnsed for the Penn svlvania site"